Toothbrush technology M+C Schiffer

TOOTHBRUSH TECHNOLOGY

Germany based M+C Schiffer GmbH is the world’s largest family-owned toothbrush company. Marco Siebel spoke with the managing director, Dirk Danne, about the company’s history, the new in-mould technologies and the company’s expansion policy of following customers in new markets and setting up local production facilities to stay on top of things locally.

M+C Schiffer was founded in 1887 as the Rheydter Brush Factory, and started specialising in toothbrushes in 1945. In the years that followed, M+C Schiffer developed and patented the first anchorless toothbrush in Germany, created the ‘Dr.Best’ brand and established it in the marketplace.

Today, M+C Schiffer has its headquarters in Neustadt, between Cologne and Frankfurt am Main, with production facilities in Austria, Germany and India.

Dirk Danne: “We long ago devoted ourselves to the international market, establishing our locations in those places where our customers are. Our policy is to satisfy any and all customer requests worldwide. So if they want to sell their toothbrushes onto new markets, we will follow and build a new production facility, or buy one, as we have done in India.”

The Schiffer Group employs more than 1000 people who together make sure the global market is supplied with over 1 million toothbrushes a day.

Cutting-edge production technologies

M+C Schiffer is renowned for its efficient development and manufacturing processes. Thanks to cutting-edge technologies such as ‘rapid prototyping’ and working with experimental tools, mass production of any type of toothbrush can be started up incredibly quickly. Development costs for accelerated product launches are kept to a minimum due to the extremely short time to market.

Manufacturing itself extends right up to packaging via in-line production. By using this ‘no human touch’ production method, the company easily satisfies the most stringent hygiene requirements.

Thanks to the modular structure of its manufacturing systems, the company remains flexible, which allows for providing tailored solutions to almost any conceivable customer request.

Anchorless bristle attachment

Using specially developed in-mould technology, M+C Schiffer toothbrushes are manufactured in one continuous process. The latest in-mould process enhancement also makes it possible to work with special filaments. This patented method is not only highly efficient, but it’s also exceptionally hygienic. Through the use of this process, new vistas of hygienic, functional, and design options are constantly unfolding. This technique of anchorless bristle attachment also yields advancements in the field of dentistry.

At M+C Schiffer’s, R&D has always been one of the highest priorities. Specially designed production equipment and technologies and collaboration with various design agencies means that entire new product families can be accomplished in a very short time.

Trusted quality for brand & private labels

Worldwide leading oral care companies trust in M+C Schiffer’s production and logistic quality to supply their international markets with top-quality toothbrushes. These long-term partners highly value M+C Schiffer’s innovation power. State-of-the-art toothbrushes are jointly developed for the individual brand to strengthen its position in this innovation-driven market environment.

Major European chains source their private label toothbrush ranges from Schiffer in order to provide toothbrushes of reliable high quality at a competitive price to their customers. To reduce the supply chain risk the Schiffer group produces touthbrushes in the production facilities in eastern Germany and at their headquarters near Cologne and allows customers to use the ‘Made in Germany’ label.

The successful cooperation with these key chains proves M+C Schiffer’s competence as a quality and cost leader in the toothbrush market.

Quality certification

M+C Schiffer has its own proprietary technology centre, where product ideas and manufacturing technologies are constantly being developed and refined. This includes taking the dental and ergonomic aspects into consideration and testing them exhaustively. For example, the cleaning efficiency of every brush can be tested with a specially developed ‘tooth brushing robot’ and scientifically proven in collaboration with a renowned university.

Dirk Danne: “The high-quality standards at M+C Schiffer are reflected in the company’s DIN ISO 9001 certification. We have also been working to GMP standards for many years. From the time we receive components until the time we ship our products, both the component materials as well as the final products are subjected to continuous monitoring. This is accomplished by the use of highly sensitive testing equipment as well as in-process control by our well-trained employees. Every single product is coded and can be traced at any time.”

The Austrian plastics processing facility

M+C Schiffer Austria is part of the family business since the 1960s, and has specialised in plastics processing. With 28 machines it produces plastics for the automotive industry, dental care industry and electronics industry, and also packaging & display products. They even have a line of products for toddlers – eating tools for their first bites. The Austrian facility has seen its production capacity increase by 100 per cent in 2012.

“Nothing exceptional,” says Dirk Danne, “we keep investing in our family business. Not only did the Austrian facility see its capacity double, but also the German facility doubled its production capacity by adding new machines.”

According to Dirk Danne, M+C Schiffer will continue to grow, for the simple reason that “we are willing and able to fulfil almost any technical wish of a customer.” n