The Invisible Market Leader
Interview with Serdar Baysan, Managing Director of German Special Alloys GmbH
In Willich, what is in billions of mouths worldwide is being produced: special alloys for dental prostheses. Serdar Baysan, Managing Director of German Special Alloys GmbH, has led his company to the top of the European market. With a share of 80%, he supplies the major dental brands and yet remains largely unknown to the public. A story about recycling rare earths and the struggle for young talent.
The rise to market leader was extraordinary. Serdar Baysan initially completed vocational training as a master dental technician, but had to give up his craft due to carpal tunnel syndrome. In 2008, he founded his own dental brand. The decisive turn came in 2011 at a trade fair in Cologne, when Dr. Hans-Werner Gundlach, until then a competitor, approached him. A strategic partnership developed from this rivalry. In 2015, both together founded German Special Alloys GmbH.
The Invisible Market Leader
The business model of the company is based on a position in the background of the value chain. German Special Alloys GmbH does not produce final products for dentists or patients,
but supplies established dental brands with special alloys. The team of ten processes rare earths such as cobalt, molybdenum, and tungsten into high-precision alloys using highly automated production facilities. The company gained a crucial competitive advantage due to tightened EU regulations from 2016. The new certification requirements for medical devices forced many competitors to reduce their product lines or rely on fully certified manufacturers. German Special Alloys positioned itself as the first company in the industry with direct production and complete medical product approval. This led to the previous competition no longer being able to keep up.
Circular Economy and Future Perspectives
A strategic focus is on the circular economy. In addition to fresh raw materials, the company also takes back partially recycled materials from various sources through wholesalers and reintroduces these materials to the production cycle, depending on chemical analysis, within allowable amounts. This reduces dependence on volatile raw material markets currently shaped by geopolitical tensions. Particularly cobalt, which makes up 60% of production, is subject to strong price fluctuations. For the future, Serdar Baysan plans moderate organic growth while focusing on core business. He categorically rules out a sale to Asian competitors. However, he sees the biggest challenge in succession planning. To attract qualified professionals and retain them in the long term, the company relies on flexible working hours, above-average pay, and modern communication structures. The hidden champion from Willich proves that success in a niche sector requires not only technological know-how but also the right approach to dealing with employees and the next generation.