Company
Chronology of the company’s development
- 1890
- Dr. h.c. Wilhelm Herbst founds the "Bremer Goldschlägerei" which manufactures gold leaf for use in fillings, amalgams and dental instruments.
- 1895
- Dr. h.c. Wilhelm Herbst publishes his influential book "Methods and New Developments in the Field of Dentistry".
- 1899
- Theodor Herbst, the son of the company's founder, joins the business.
- 1910
- Founding of the dental laboratory.
- 1911
- Setting up of a mechanical workshop for the manufacture of casting centrifuges, preheating furnaces and "Herbst-Kronenringmaße".
- 1924
- Dipl.-Ing. Fritz Weiss becomes a member of the company's management, one year later he becomes a partner.
- 1925
- Founding of a branch in Berlin.
- 1943/45
- Destruction of works.
- 1945
- Reconstruction. Joachim Weiss joins the company.
- 1950
- Joachim Weiss becomes a partner.
- 1953
- Introduction onto the market of Wironit®. Founding of the Wironit®-advertising group.
- 1960
- Opening of the new works premises in Neuer Vahr. Introduction onto the market of Wirovest®.
- 1965
- 75th anniversary.
- 1968
- Wiron®, the non-precious metal alloy for metal ceramics, is introduced. Large-scale production of investment materials.
- 1972
- Introduction onto the market of the Co-Cr alloy WIRONIUM®.
- 1976
- Opening of the BEGO training centre.
- 1979
- Expansion of production facilities by 700 m². Introduction onto the market of Fornax®. Patent for WIRONIUM® and Wiron® 77.
- 1982/83
- Introduction onto the market of Wiron® 88, patenting.
- 1984
- Introduction of microprocessor technology: Nautilus® MP high-frequency vacuum pressure casting machine and Miditherm MP preheating furnace. The new works complex is completed.
- 1985
- Joachim Weiss celebrates 40 years with the company. The BEGO laboratory has been in existence for 75 years.
- 1986
- New developments: Bellavest® and Wiroplus® investment materials.
- 1987
- New developments: Wirosil doubling system, BegoStone super-hard plaster, Duostar and Topstar blasting devices.
- 1988
- New production plant for investment materials. Expansion of the BEGO training centre.
- 1989
- BEGO Canada is founded, introduction onto the market of Wiron® 99.
- 1990
- 100th anniversary of the founding of the company.
- 1991
- Founding of BEGO USA. Training centre in Berlin opened. BEGO Hungary sales office opened. Christoph Weiss joins the company.
- 1992
- BEGO Semados® GmbH founded. New developments: Semados® implant prosthetics, WIRONIUM® plus. Founding of I.W.C. - INTERNATIONAL WIRONIUM®-CIRCLE. Acquisition of a site for the planned new works premises at the Bremen Technology Park. 150th anniversary of birth of Wilhelm Herbst.
- 1993
- Laying of foundation stone of new premises at the University Technology Park. Christoph Weiss becomes Marketing/Sales Manager. Introduction onto the market of Wirobond® C, the nickel-free enamel alloy. Branch opened in Kuala Lumpur. Introduction of Semados® implants.
- 1994
- Move into new premises. Certification in accordance with ISO 9001. The 1st BEGO DIALOGUE in Bremen.
- 1995
- Marking of BEGO products with CE symbol. Certification according to EN 46001. Official opening of new building in March. Joachim Weiss celebrates his 70th birthday and 50 years with the company.
- 1996
- Introduction of BEGO-LaserStar. The BEGO Training Center offers an extensive programme of guest lecturers for the first time.
- 1997
- BEGO presents LaserStar, a high-quality laser welding device for the dental laboratory. The panta-rhei laboratory concept is presented at the IDS. Innovations in this year: Paraskop M, the precision cutter, TopTec, the modular blasting unit, NautiFile, the archiving and welcome protocol software for Nautilus® MC plus. First trade convention in Bremen.
- 1998
- Expansion of BEGO's Internet presence to over 1,000 documents. Almost 100 visitors a day to BEGO's pages are counted. The BEGO catalogue appears for the first time on CD-ROM. Changeover from Beikis to Baan as mainframe computer solution.
- 1999
- BEGO presents outstanding innovations at IDS '99: Nautilus® T, the vacuum pressure casting device as a Desktop solution. Wiron® NT, a new non-precious alloy manufactured using the sintering method. The Easy line of equipment is launched with the new EasyBlast blasting unit and the EasyMix stirrer. BellaStar is the new star in the investment material sky, an innovative K+B embedding material with a completely new formula. VITA and BEGO start the VIGO LIBERTY project, , the first dual ceramic alloy system with the freedom of choice of alloy. Semados® presents the Ø-5,5-mm implant and a new insertion technique.
- 2000
- Popularity of the BEGO homepage continues to grow with over 100 visitors a day. Two online shops – BEGO-GOLD and SEMADOS® – are launched. They are a huge success from the outset. New GOLD advertising campaign: "Go for gold". LaserStar LYNX consolidates the success of BEGO lasers.
Wirtschaftswoche magazine names Christoph Weiss, BEGO’s managing director, one of the "Future Elite". - 2001
- IDS highlights: Fornax® T, the desktop solution for one of the most successful casting units in existence. Wirobond® LFC, a new non-precious alloy. Wiroquick neu and BellaCer – new investment materials. New blasting unit design. Public launch of Futuredent. New eye-catching "go for gold" exhibition stand design. Despite the Rhine’s dramatically high level at Cologne, the two BEGO floating hotels welcome more than 1,200 guests. New marketing structure established. BDC is founded, initially in Hungary.
- 2002
- The BEGO-DIALOGE at the Düsseldorf Hilton in November is one of the year’s main highlights. BEGO MEDICAL is presented to the wider public. In Paris BEGO attends the ADF with its own stand for the first time. China and Russia continue to grow in significance as export countries. Phasing in of customer management program ADITO. BEGO becomes an Olympic sponsor and co-partners the German Olympic team. Joachim Weiss is awarded an honorary medal by the University of Bremen. The academia dental is founded. The Virtual Academy appears on CD for the first time.
- 2003
- This year at the IDS: for the first time BEGO MEDICAL attends the world’s leading dental show with its own stand. BEGO launches the innovative Nautilus® CC and a new generation of lasers – LaserStar T and LaserStar PW. Other milestones: the founding of BEGO France, BEGO Semados goes independent; the "go for gold" design now characterises the overall corporate image. Bio PontoStar® XL rounds off the precious metals portfolio; by now 40% of precious metal sales are made online. Publication of "Precision Milling and Partial Denture Constructions".
- 2004
- At the Olympic Games in Athens, BEGO runs its own dental practice in the Deutsches Haus (official residence of the German Olympic team). The initiative elicits considerable attention from the trade journals. The 6th BEGO-DIALOGE is held in Berlin. "BEGO – the film" is released. An impressive company presentation in DVD form. BegoLLoyd® LFC completes the precious metals range with an alloy for low-fusing dental ceramics.
- 2005
- Joachim Weiss celebrates his 80th birthday and publishes a 350-page long BEGO company chronicle: "Questioning the status quo" (only available in German).
Product innovations at this year’s IDS: Motova mixing units, Nautilus® CC plus, Gelovit 400. BEGO Security and BEGO FAIR FINANCE are launched and immediately accepted by customers. Over 900 guests are welcomed aboard the MS Rhine Energy during the IDS. The logistics project kicks off, restructuring of business divisions.