DENTAL manufacturers are getting their teeth into Bolton.
The town is to become a leading supplier to the British dental industry after two firms joined forces in the state-of-the-art University of Bolton’s Queen’s Specialist Building.
SB Dental has joined with Sparkle Dental Labs Ltd, with the business being based at Sparkle’s new manufacturing facility at the University of Bolton.
The £1million facility is equipped with the latest plant and machinery, including milling, 3D printing, injection moulding and computer-aided design capabilities.
The integration is said to strengthen Britain’s capacity in dental technology and supports manufacturing in the UK.
Craig Howlin, chief executive of SB Dental, will become CEO of the business.
Mr Howlin said: “This deal brings together the knowledge and expertise of both sets of employees and management, reduces unnecessary overheads and builds on the technical capabilities and specialist skills of SB Dental and Sparkle.
“We are very excited about the potential of our new organisation and are looking forward to helping dental practices to deliver excellent patient care and become more profitable.”
The integration with SB Dental is the latest strategic development for Sparkle, which moved to the £14m Queen’s Specialist Building at the University of Bolton last September.
Mustafa Mohammed, founder and managing director of Sparkle, said: “We are delighted to welcome Craig and the staff at SB Dental to our team. We have invested more than £1m at our manufacturing facility and believe that by joining forces with SB Dental Labs we can become one of the best labs in the UK.”
The business operates with more than 100 staff, who will handcraft cosmetic, restorative and implant products to exacting regulatory requirements.
Sparkle and sister company Genix Healthcare have also established Europe’s first industrial training centre for dental technology at the Queen’s Specialist Building.
The new centre, developed in partnership with the University of Bolton, allows student technicians to experience cutting-edge developments in dental technology in a purpose-built environment.
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