Shofu Inc. takes over Merz Dental

The Japanese dental company Shofu Inc. agreed to acquire Merz Dental in Lütjenburg from the German pharmaceutical group Merz Pharma GmbH. Taking over the medium-sized company, specialized in the production and distribution of prosthetic acrylics and artificial teeth, Shofu Japan will expand its position as a leading global dental corporate group and simultaneously strengthen its competence in the area of dental prosthetics.

On February 5th, 2015, Shofu Inc. took over the competitor Merz Dental. Shofu, being one of the dental market leaders worldwide with innovative products for dentists and dental technicians, is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Japan. With the acquisition of the specialist in prosthetics Shofu brings in a strong partner: in the German speaking countries the medium-sized business Merz is one of the leading companies in its market segment.

The independence of Merz Dental and its global marketing and sales activities is very important to Shofu. Therefore, the company will maintain the existing operating structure with its headquarter independent from the Japanese group. Friedhelm Klingenburg remains Managing Director of Merz Dental with its almost 200 employees.

With the acquisition of the dental company located in Luetjenburg near Kiel, Shofu Japan expands both its international portfolio and its own potential for research and development in the field of dental prosthetics.