The German author Thaddäus Troll described people from the South of Germany as follows: "combined with their dogged hard work, their penchant for independence and their ability to get their teeth into a problem, to attack it from all angles, their determined way of pondering and puzzling things over, their tradition of mechanical precision, their pietistic commitment to reliability and sophistication, have all meant that they are positively predestined to be inventors and entrepreneurs." What true words, which can be applied all too well to the family-owned company from Bietigheim-Bissingen near Stuttgart. For a little less than 75 years, Dürr Dental has been a strong partner for dental practitioners worldwide. Almost everyone who has ever been to the dentist has already been treated using Dürr Dental products. Over decades, the company has stood for progress and innovation in medical technology.
To compare current growth among medium-sized German companies, Wirtschaftswoche uses a compatible-growth index developed by the well-known US economist David L. Birch of the of Boston, USA to calculate its Top 100. This so-called "Birch Index" multiplies the company's increase in sales revenues by its corresponding growth percentage.In this way, it is possible to put the often rapid growth of new companies into perspective in favour of the higher growth of more mature companies in absolute terms and to adopt the best into the ranking. The average annual growth of Dürr Dental is more than 10%, resulting in a Birch Index of 355.5. Figures of around five per cent at best (source: ) are usual in medical technology for the dental-medicine segment. Thus, Dürr Dental leaves even large companies in Germany in the dust when it comes to earnings and innovative capacity, for these groups have been able on average to grow only by about 7%. The north-south divide is also very striking in this ranking. A large proportion of the best 100 businesses have their headquarters in southern German states such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. But it is not only sales figures, location and innovatory power which are decisive in making a manufacturer of medical technology successful – social commitment and conservativeness are equally important factors. Therefore when on business trips, for instance, staff and executives of Dürr Dental stay in normal hotels and do not fly first class, but rather business or economy – even to the USA or one of the other 100 countries in which Dürr Dental offers its products worldwide. The company also supports social projects, such as the largest private hospital ship of , and promotes regional sporting clubs. And, last but not least, of course, satisfied staff contribute to the success of a company and develop an intuition for their customers' needs. Dürr Dental therefore thinks it is important to offer its staff appropriate prospects.
At first glance, these may be just trivialities; taken together, however, such details ensure that today, Dürr Dental is one of the best medium-sized companies in Germany. Certainly, sales revenues are not the decisive factor alone. What counts is continuous growth over a longer period of time. A large proportion of the best 100 businesses have their headquarters in southern German states such as Bavaria or Baden-Württemberg. "We are very pleased that our partners and customers have been loyal to us for so long, and have thus indirectly placed us once again on the Wirtschaftswoche Top 100 list," says Martin Dürrstein, CEO of Dürr Dental. "This award is a reflection of our outstanding staff, our impressive products, and a very clear focus on the challenges posed by high-standard research in dental-medical technology."
But the Wirtschaftswoche Top 100 list likewise clearly indicates the great importance which medium-sized businesses have in promoting growth, innovation and employment in Germany, especially today. And all over the world, medical products made in Germany continue to enjoy a good reputation, so companies with high-quality products have no need to fear a decline in their global business. On the contrary: if you are well-placed internationally, you will also be able to benefit in the future from growth worldwide.