Advancing oral hygiene Schiffer Group

aDVaNCING oRaL hyGIENE

The Schiffer Group is a European market leader in the development and manufacture of toothbrushes and oral care products. This family-owned independent business has seen consistent growth since it was founded in 1887. Today Schiffer is the largest independent toothbrush manufacturer in Europe and supplies some of the world’s biggest brands with products designed to meet the changing demands of the world’s consumers. Philip Yorke reports.

The Schiffer Group originally began business as a brush factory in Germany and it wasn’t until 1945 that it made the strategic decision to focus its production on the manufacture of toothbrushes. The company patented the first anchorless toothbrush in Germany and established the ‘Dr.Best’ brand in Europe. Today M+C Schiffer has its headquarters in Neustadt, Germany, between Cologne and Frankfurt am Main. The company’s state-of-the-art production facilities are located in Austria, Germany and India.

The Schiffer Group’s success is enhanced by the fact that its development costs for accelerated product launches such as ‘rapid prototyping’ are kept to a minimum due to the extremely short time in which it can bring new products to market. In fact, the manufacturing process extends right up to the packaging phase via automated inline production systems.

By using this ‘no human touch’ manufacturing method, the company easily satisfies the most stringent international hygiene requirements. Today the Schiffer Group employs more than 1000 people and produces over one million toothbrushes a day.

Focus on R&D

Research and development is at the heart of the company’s business ethic and considered to be one of the main contributors to its success. The Schiffer Group works with the most prestigious design agencies and scientific institutions in order that its customers can benefit from the best and most competitive products. The company has always adopted a proactive approach to the development of new technologies and production processes.

Perfection at Schiffer means the screening and optimising of all its processes down to the very last detail. This is why it is able to offer innovative products to the highest standards. The group also develops its own state-of-the-art machinery in many areas of productivity. This uncompromising attitude to perfection has many advantages for its customers, as it paves the way for unique products, smooth production processes and optimal cost-efficiency.

Individual solutions

The Schiffer Group has been an innovation pathfinder for decades and is a reliable partner for almost all branded oral care goods for the world’s multinational retailers. It offers a customised range of oral care products for consumers, from conventional manual toothbrushes to the latest generation of brush-heads for electric toothbrushes. In addition to the items the group manufactures for itself, it also provides products from selected, audited partners.

These complimentary products, such as dental floss, interdental kits and electric toothbrushes, are developed, designed and manufactured in-house, in accordance with its consistent high standards. The com-

pany’s aim is to make the best possible offer to its customers, taking into account all the cost and service factors throughout a product’s entire lifecycle. This in turn means that the Schiffer Group’s customers receive the best price-performance ratio at all times in this niche sector.

Furthermore, the company uses its unrivalled know-how for the development of products in other healthcare sectors. These include sophisticated plastic products for consumers, such as facial brushes, mascara brushes, baby products and safe, plastic toys. These unique tailor-made products are designed to give customers valuable competitive advantages.

latest in-mould processes

Schiffer toothbrushes are manufactured in one continuous process using the latest in-mould technology. This patented method is not only highly efficient but also offers an exceptionally hygienic production process. As a result, this affords the possibility to work with special filaments, which in turn create new vistas of hygienic and more functional design options.

Today, many leading global oral-care companies trust in Schiffer’s production processes and logistics expertise, as well as its ability to supply international markets with best-in-class toothbrushes. These long-term partners greatly value the company’s innovative capabilities and its uncompromising dedication to perfection. Many major European retail chains source their private label toothbrush ranges from Schiffer in order to offer toothbrushes of unrivalled quality and reliability.

A conscientious approach to the environment

Responsibility and continuity are two of the basic values enshrined in the company’s corporate philosophy and these also apply equally to its relationship with nature. For many years it has been certified to ISO 14001 and remains a model practitioner in its region. Schiffer’s Neustadt/Weid facility has also been certified to ISO 50001 since 2005, which ensures the group’s careful and mindful use of energy. The company also strictly avoids the use of hazardous agents and strives to minimise emissions throughout its production facilities.

In addition, many years ago Schiffer developed its own environmentally friendly toothbrush. This product replaced mineral oil-based plastics with sustainable materials, such as natural fibres and wood based derivatives. For packaging purposes the group uses FSC certified materials and recycled packaging materials. What’s more, it also assesses its suppliers on the basis of appropriate ecological constraints. n

For further details of the Schiffer Group’s latest innovative products and services visit: www.mc-schiffer.com