Find out why and how presidents of MOBIO exhibitors started "INNOVATION and CHALLENGE" through the special interview. The latest "Meet the President" article is Mr. Sano of DENTALPRO CO., LTD. (More info.).
-Interdental brushes, Toothbrushes, Floss picks
(Left) Mr. Sano (Rught) Interdental brushes
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Stimulated potential demand of interdental brush by introducing affordable price and better quality
Today there are lots of new tools to remove dental plaque. And an interdental brush is one of them, developed by DENTALPRO.
"Since foundation our company had devoted into tooth brush manufacturing and received repuation in engineering and quality by marketing OEM and private brand business. It was the issue how to develop own brand business," Sano said.
In 1990 retail price of a tooth brush was 100 yen and that of an interdental brush was 150 yen. Sano and his team put it an important corporate goal to reduce product cost of interdental brushes and studied hard to find solution.
When one of his team visited German trade fair, he noticed a eyelash brush manufacturing machine. Sano remembered "Becasue we paid our attention to every possible ways, we could have noticed that machine." This machine bends the wire to plant the brush bristles by sandwitching and hardens a glip by heat in just for four seconds per piece.
During introductory study of the machine, Sano noticed one problem. "Because the wire is helically-wound, it tends to fall out during usage. So we have added the process to crush a part of wire, that had been registered as process patent."
With those two changes, DENTALPRO had developed mass-production system of interdental brush.
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Expanded the market by 10 times for 20 years with user oriented product services
When the company introduced an interdental brush in 1994, it was possible to price 45 yen as a store price. Its brush became national hot item and its straight type brush has been dominating in Japan at 37.7% market share (source: SRI Jul.5, 2017).
Additional a grand new marketing tool was developed by Sano in 1998. It is "Product Exchange Service" that allows consumers to repalce brushes if they do'nt fit their teeth. Sano said, "You all know suite and shoes sizes but interdental brushes". It is the first service that has never been followed by competitors.
He made this service strategically. When he receives the product, he sends the replacement interdental brush, the prepaid post card questionaire and the new toothbrush as a thank-you gift for reply in advance. That's why Sano is receiving card reply at 50% and is business core to have developed Japanese interdental brush drastically. He said "Unlike US competitors, we have technology to produce a thinner brush. We have the thinnest series ZEO in which you can insert the brush into the 0.5mm point sharp pencil. That's very rare to make in the world."
Another flagship item is "DENTALPRO BLACK" toothbrush, which is made to help prevent tooth decay by removing plaque effectively with just water only using special black bristle which contained Platinum Colloid Ceramics (PCC). The BLACK was accepted widely at the fourth design change, featuring "BLACK POWER" including black grip.
Through BLACK product marketing process, Sano noticed "We should cultivate non-competitive market demand with artistic design products and add new value to the selective demand!".
Additionally Sano has developed the new market, the cosmetic tooth brush designed for ladies to enjoy oral care treatment. He is challenging to open the market continuously.
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New system for yeras to come
DENTALPRO is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2017. And Sano is setting up future plan, "I have determined to make the profitable company based on the corporate strategy. So I am establishing the brand new integrated system for these few years and expect it to work effectively for next decades".
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Interviewed on May 18, 2017