GC India : THE PREEMINENT DENTAL PRODUCTS MANUFACTURING, INTRODUCING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS IN EMPLOYEE CENTRIC ENVIRONMENT
New technologies and innovations are transforming the world at breathtaking speed – all the more so in medicine. There can be no medical progress without technical progress, and there is no “healthy” future without innovations. Launching innovative products and establishing operational efficiencies to achieve customer delight and raising standards of oral healthcare, GC India is a one-stop solution for dental practitioners to focus on achieving excellence in clinical dentistry. Apart from its significant role in society through dental products, it is also a trailblazer for its unique employee-centric work culture.
GC products are sold in over 100 countries across the world, which include well-known brands that have been used and trusted by dentists for decades. Patients value the pleasant environment, excellent service, and modern equipment just as highly as the expertise of their dentist. With GC providing a wide range of quality products, it makes the life of a dental practitioner quite easy.
THE GUIDING FORCE
Presently, GC India is progressing under the guidance of a versatile and visionary leader, Dr. Sriram Mudambi. He is the Managing Director of the Company and has been instrumental in GC’s growth for two decades. Dr. Sriram holds extensive experience and industry knowledge. He did his post-graduation Restorative Dentistry from the National University of Singapore.
THE INFANCY STAGE
GC is the fairy tale of nurturing dreams, struggles, success, and growth. GC was founded in Tokyo during the hard times of the Great Depression in 1921 by a young chemist Kiyoshi NAKAO with his two friends ENJO and Tokuemon MIZUNO. The three founders had to deal with several disappointments and bitter setbacks trying to bring innovation in dental material. However, it was exactly these difficulties that led to unforeseen changes of direction and turning points that would later be crucial for the long-term success of the company.
GC’s first product, “Standard Cement,” was a big flop in the marketplace. However, this experience provided a great learning ground for the three founders, who realized the “importance of making products by thinking from the customer’s standpoint” and fostered an “uncompromising commitment to quality.” Three years later, they created “Crystalline Cement,” which offered excellent quality comparable to imported materials. The dedication of the founders to making quality products has been kept alive through generations of GC men and women, and it continues to drive the company’s growth through the philosophy of “SEMUI”. This theory originally comes from the Buddhist concept, “Always think and act from the viewpoint of your opponent or partner”. In the broadest sense, it represents a combination of selflessness, pure objectivity, charity, and great wisdom.
From the foundation until today’s journey of NAKAOs there lies a success story of what GC is today as one of the world’s largest and most successful manufacturers & suppliers of dental products.
SERVICE & PRODUCT PORTFOLIO
GC is known for gifting new concepts, technologies, and products to the dental fraternity. From the then “crystalline Cement” to glass ionomer restoratives materials all have the uniqueness of their own. Some of the widely acclaimed products of GC to Dental Industry are:
- Gold Label 1 which is India’s highest-selling luting cement.
- All-round restorative with outstanding invisible aesthetics G aenial with new injection moulding technique for Gaenial Universal Injectable.
- New Fibre reinforced materials EverX Flow.
- New generation nanohybrid technology of Sculpt series.
- Evolution in glass ionomer restorative to glass hybrid Ionomer Equia Forte.
- Celebrating over 5 years of successful Flexceed in India: the vinylpolysiloxane impression material whose flowability of Putty-Wash is better than any other brands.
GC is a pioneer in taking the initiative not only to advance product development but also to support the evolution of the latest concept of dentistry, namely ‘Minimal Intervention dentistry’. GC instituted a unique MI (Minimal Intervention) concept in 2000 by rephrasing the original MI concept proposed by the FDI in 1999 and defining the three approaches of ‘Identity’, ‘Prevention’ and ‘Treatment & Control’ to better fit the clinical situation. Since then, GC’s MI concept has always formed the basis of the company’s product development. In Digital Dentistry too GC India is at the forefront with the digital product portfolio like Aadva IOS, Cerasmart, Proceed ceramic, Optiglaze, Lustre Paste and G- CEM LinkForce- the universal luting solution.
A GLIMPSE OF HEALTHCARE SECTOR
In the dental industry, there are several trends going on today but all of them have one clear link: minimally invasive dentistry. The ultra-conservative approach is gaining more relevance as technology provides us with better materials that allow minimum thickness while keeping the same physical properties with unrivalled aesthetics. So in the fast-moving time, it’s very much required to keep pace with the market demand and update the products accordingly.
“We are Customer Focused. Continuous feedback and learning from the customer is vital to stay ahead of the competition and deliver impactful products”, asserts Dr. Sriram.
“The real KEY is to first gain the mindshare of our patients, followed by wallet-share. This sequence brings about factors such as “name, fame and respect” over a period of time. All this can be achieved if we first change our mindset. There is no such thing as cheap and best. Quality will have to be the focus,” he adds.
OVERCOMING THE HICCUPS, MEASURING THE SUCCESS
A few of the challenges in the pharma & medical device industries today are economic slowdown, Product liability, Customer cliff and not keeping up with Technology.
GC India has a consistent growth in terms of business and is constantly upgrading the product portfolio keeping in mind the Indian customers’ needs and requirements following all the industry regulations.
Because of differing requirements in the various overseas markets, GC has very deliberately localized its European, US, and Asian operations. GC has lost no time in optimizing its on-site activities, while at the same time fulfilling its obligation as a local enterprise to actively participate in each country’s dental industry associations. Human Resource is another biggest asset of GC India who is with the organization from a long period sharing and believing the philosophy of GC, even in the time when attrition tends to be higher in the industry.
EMPLOYEE ETHOS
All employees at GC act as members of a big family, where they remove themselves from egocentric
thoughts and respect their fellows, or “Nakama.” They also strive to think from the customer’s standpoint and make true products by placing a priority on the value these products provide for customers.
GC’s commitment to achieving excellent quality is firmly rooted in all employees irrespective of their departments whether to research, production sales or else. To encourage creativity & innovation, all GC employees are been given freedom of work and expressing and executing new ideas & concepts. The management is also concerned with the mental and physical fitness of every employee and through a balanced diet in office, regular exercise regime.
WORKING AT GC INDIA DENTAL
With the diversity of its Associates(employees), GC India Dental values and respects the dignity of all, and recognizes that the long-term success of our company is dependent on all our Associates working together as a family to meet the goals, objectives and directions of the organization.
Associate strengths of GC India Dental are tapped across the Regions. As such the working culture and environment in GC India is very diversified and professional. With the commitment of individual towards teamwork and high level of professionalism, working in GC India Dental would be a great advantage and experience.
The HR Department at GC India Dental always endeavours to ensure that Associates are provided with sound guidelines of the policies and procedures. The Department also ensures that all Associates fully understand their roles and responsibilities to the organization and the organization’s responsibility to them.
BUILDING LONG TERM CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS
The main Management Principles of GC are based on both external and internal customer:
- To contribute to society through the improvement of oral health.
- To improve corporate quality and meet customers’ trust and expectations.
- To create a team of GC Associates full of energy and respect.
Along with these, GC India constantly strives to listen and immediately address the customer’s requirement, complaints and queries through the VOC process. GC has started the GC Membership Society operates in order to build close relationships with the dental professionals and to share as much information as possible about the products and latest information to help facilitate their daily practices.
FEATHERS IN THE CAP
Today, with consistent daily quality activity, the GC entities have received ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 13485 certification. And over the year, with its excellence, it has been honoured with multiple awards:
- It is the first company in the dental industry to receive the internationally renowned Deming Award in 2000.
- GC also received the Japan Quality Medal in 2004, the highest recognition for quality man agement in organizations.
- GC received the Selection Committee Special Award of the 1st Japan Open Innovation Prize in 2019.
- GC was ranked second in the 10th Quality Management Level Research, conducted by the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers.
- GC ranked No.1 in the 9th Quality Management Level Research 2016.
- GC was ranked 2nd in the 2014 Quality Management Level Survey.
WHAT’S ON THE CARD FOR THE COMPANY
“Looking ahead to the 100th anniversary in 2021, GC is making continued efforts under Vision 2021 to become the number one dental company in the world through further contributing to a healthy, long-living society.
President Makoto NAKAO has presented five key phrases for vision 2021: “Human being,” “Innovation of technology,” “Globalization,” “Advanced information society” and “Value-creating management.” These five key phrases are considered to be intertwined to create a new business environment in dentistry.