Align looks to cash in on China’s growing demand for ‘beautiful looks’
US firm sets up facility in Chengdu to cater to country’s growing demand for confident smiles and straightened teeth
In China where there are dozens of touch-up applications for people to have the perfect self-portraits, the desire for actually looking better -- not just in online posts -- is spiralling and boosting demand for nose jobs, double eyelid surgeries and orthodontic treatment.
Align Technology, a United States-based firms that makes and markets clear aligner therapy services used in dentistry, orthodontics and dental records storage, on Thursday opened its first software facility on the mainland in Chengdu to cater to the country’s growing demand for confident smiles and straightened teeth.
The Nasdaq-listed company , which makes a clear brace that can replace the old-fashioned metal brace, has seen a rising demand in China for its teeth straightening devices, which costs up to US$10,000 as Chinese consumers are becoming “more sophisticated and understand what they want”, said Julie Tay, Align’s managing director for the Asia-Pacific region.
According to Tay, the Chengdu facility will help orthodontists to design the best treatment solutions and halve waiting times for patients in China, the largest market outside the US for Align Technology.
The unit is the second of its kind in the world and a reflection of Align Technology’s long-term commitment in the country, said Tay in an interview to the Post on Thursday.
Tay, however, refused to disclose the investment on the Chengdu facility. It is “not small” as the facility is equipped with locally trained, locally hired technicians as well as Chinese language software, all designed to offer quality experiences for customers, she said.