“I feel personally honored and particularly happy to participate in the inauguration of this building, which is very important for us. The DNA of the Straumann Group and the roots of its success are strongly implanted in the Bernese Jura,” Guillaume Daniellot told guests. 

The Villeret site is the first production site that the Group ever built and was originally inaugurated on the 18 August 2000. Production has grown almost every year, and the building has grown to keep up with it. A second floor was added to the original building in 2009.  When production continued to grow, it became obvious that more space was needed. In this context the investment of building a new factory costing some CHF 40 million in Villeret, is fully in line with Straumann Group’s strategy of innovating for growth.

“We are happy to have the second state-of-the art facility and enable our employees to work in a bright and open environment, and also enjoy better work conditions,” said site manager Eric Fromentel.

The new building, Villeret 2, is on the site of an old parking area, a few metres away from Villeret 1, the original building. What once was a road between the two sites, has now been closed off and made into a bright and airy atrium between the two buildings, and as guests were shown during the visit, the atrium is enclosed by firewalls as workplace safety is naturally our highest priority.

Villeret 2 has some solar panels installed on the roof, and further panels will be installed on the historical building. During the inauguration, COO Sébastien Roche emphasized how much Straumann Group is committed to “grow further by doing business the right way”, sharing the Group’s ESG commitments to be at 100% renewable electricity by 2024 and net-zero by 2040. The Villeret site is a great example for this commitment, as 100% of the electricity is already from renewable source and the buildings are heated by wood pellets coming from the surrounding forests.

“We are also looking for support from the authorities when it comes to reducing the impact of our colleagues’ journeys to the site,” said Sébastien during his speech. “We look forward to working on this challenge as a priority.”

Villeret has produced 35 million implants in all its years of operation, generating some 17 million smiles throughout the world. This village of 900 people in the Bernese Jura is having a huge impact on the lives of millions of people, unlocking their potential and making oral health a source of confidence.