IRVINE, CA, May 07, 2013 (Marketwired via COMTEX) -- BIOLASE, Inc., a leading dental laser manufacturer and distributor, has entered into an Affiliation Agreement (the Arrangement) with Sun Dental Laboratories, LLC ("Sun Dental Labs") to form a strategic partnership to sell the Trios® family of intraoral scanners ("IOS") manufactured by Copenhagen-based 3Shape A/S. BIOLASE® is currently a non-exclusive distributor for the Trios IOS in the United States and Canada, and in negotiations for additional distribution internationally.
Federico Pignatelli, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BIOLASE, stated, "We are extremely pleased with the opportunity to partner with Sun Dental Labs, which currently has thousands of doctors utilizing their digital dental laboratory network in the United States alone. Their significant customer base represents nearly a 5% market share of the dental offices in North America. This is a tremendously valuable network and Sun Dental Labs has already provided our sales force with several qualified referrals."
Under the Agreement, BIOLASE will provide the primary inside and outside sales teams, installation and training services, and after-sales support. Sun Dental Labs will provide access to its expansive customer base of dentists and dental laboratory associates, provide marketing material, schedule appointments for BIOLASE sales representatives, and provide a rebate to BIOLASE Trios owners who utilize its services. All IOS sold under this Arrangement will be pre-programmed with Sun Dentals Labs' direct connect as the preferred laboratory provider.
Fred Furry, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of BIOLASE, said, "This presents a sound opportunity for BIOLASE. Not only will this generate incremental sales of Trios IOSs, but it will also create prospects for our core WaterLase® and diode laser products, as well as our CBCT digital imaging equipment at hundreds of high-tech dental practices. This warrant is purely performance-based. By way of example only, if the Agreement ultimately results in 500 Trios IOS's being sold over the next 12 months, then it would translate into approximately $16 million to $20 million in gross revenues and contribute significantly to the cash we generate from operations over the next 12 months."
"Sun Dental Labs' preference of the warrant over a conventional commission or discount also demonstrates the conviction that Sun Dental Labs has in BIOLASE and the potential value Sun Dental Labs sees in our stock. The warrant will also preserve BIOLASE's full margin on the Trios IOS product line. The Agreement will also give us an entry into the high-tech dental practices currently serviced by Sun Dental Labs," concluded Furry.
Chuck Stapleton, Vice President of Global Operations of Sun Dental Labs stated, "We have leveraged 3Shape's superior scanning and software solutions into our dental technology manufacturing to streamline productivity, decrease costs, and improve quality. We believe that with BIOLASE supporting the Trios IOS, it will be just as successful for the clinician in the dental office."
