Migros start-up bestsmile doubles its production space in Winterthur

All signs are pointing to growth at the company following its acquisition by the Federation of Migros Cooperatives (FMC) in March of this year. The company reached an important milestone this summer, having provided treatment for its 30,000th customer. The dental tech start-up has invested heavily in its production facility close to Winterthur railway station, doubling its size to approximately 500 square metres. The expansion will enable bestsmile to ramp up its production of veneers and corrective dental braces. According to Michael Wendt, who was appointed CEO during the acquisition, “Migros’ acquisition has given bestsmile a significant boost in terms of innovative strength and growth. We are the clear market leader in Switzerland and now we are part of the Migros Group and have invested in our in-house production facilities, we can ensure that locally manufactured products, made to the highest Swiss standards, remain accessible to all people in Switzerland in the future.”

Partnership with the University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil
As well as doubling its production space, bestsmile has forged ahead with automation and the creation of state-of-the-art production facilities. Various industrial 3D printers, CNC milling machines and plasma ovens are now in use. The centrepiece is a manufacturing robot that was developed in close collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil. This unique device enables bestsmile to produce 10,000 high-quality, custom-made corrective dental braces each week, fully automatically. The technology ensures the braces are cut out cleanly and automatically sorts each piece by customer. It is the first device of its kind in Europe.

However, the majority of the work is still carried out by hand. Unlike dental braces, veneers are handmade by dental technicians and tailored precisely to the customer and their needs. At the time of writing, the production facility in Winterthur employs 50 people. “We are currently in the process of strengthening our team,” Michael Wendt continues. “Our uniquely modern production facilities naturally help to attract the best professionals. But it is also an investment in Switzerland as a production location in general and in Winterthur specifically.”

“Expertly made in Switzerland”
Since its foundation in 2018, bestsmile has made a name for itself in Switzerland with its 3D-printed invisible corrective dental braces, which are known as bestsmile Aligners. Last year, the start-up also introduced veneers – wafer-thin, natural-looking ceramic shells for teeth that are discoloured, too small or worn. bestsmile relies on a completely internal value chain and sets itself apart from conventional suppliers with attractive prices, Swiss-made quality and highly qualified employees.

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About bestsmile

Swiss start-up bestsmile has pioneered an innovative way of giving adults a flawless smile at a fair price through its 3D-printed transparent corrective dental braces known as bestsmile Aligners. The company was founded in 2018 and covers the entire value chain, from scanning and production to logistics. In 2021, bestsmile launched another product innovation in the form of veneers, which it also produces at its own facility in Winterthur. The company has 36 practices throughout Switzerland and employs 330 people, including around 95 dentists. bestsmile has been part of the Migros Group since March 2022. www.bestsmile.ch.