Align Technology's Smart Manufacturing Base in China Fully Operational, Pioneering a New Era of Global Digital Clear Aligner Technology

September 12, 2020 – Align Technology (NASDAQ: ALGN) officially commenced operations at its new intelligent manufacturing facility in Ziyang, Sichuan Province, located within the “China Dental Valley.” Relevant officials from the Ziyang Municipal Government and experts in stomatology visited the site for inspection and guidance.

Align Technology’s Smart Manufacturing Base in China covers a total planned area of 120 mu, making it the largest digital production facility in the Asia-Pacific region. By introducing advanced 3D printing technology and fully automated digital production management processes, Align Technology has achieved high-precision, traceable, large-scale customized production of Invisalign clear aligners and iTero intraoral scanners. The successful commissioning of Align Technology’s Smart Manufacturing Base in China underscores the company’s determination and commitment, as an industry pioneer, to accelerate the development of digital clear aligner technology in China through close collaboration with Chinese dentists and dedicated service to Chinese patients.

China is the only country in the world where Align Technology has design, manufacturing, commercial, and training teams. The full-scale operation of Align’s intelligent manufacturing base in Ziyang fully demonstrates Align’s determination and commitment to being rooted in China and serving Chinese doctors and patients.

The construction of Align Technology’s intelligent manufacturing base in Ziyang has received strong support and recognition from the Sichuan Provincial People’s Government, as well as the Ziyang Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Ziyang Municipal People’s Government. Oral medicine is one of Ziyang City’s five pillar industries, and “China Dental Valley” is a world-class industrial base for the full supply chain of dental equipment and materials. Positioned to “be rooted in Ziyang, lead across China, and embrace the global market,” China Dental Valley integrates industry, academia, research, sales, medical care, and wellness, spearheading the development of advanced dental technologies and intelligent manufacturing in China. As a pioneer in clear aligner therapy both globally and in China, Align Technology continues to drive the advancement of digital clear aligner technology, helping propel China’s oral health sector to the forefront of the international stage and contributing Chinese wisdom and innovation to the global field of clear aligner orthodontics.

On the day of the production launch ceremony, Align Technology invited dental experts to visit its Ziyang manufacturing facility for guidance. The experts toured the new Invisalign-iTero digital production workshop and observed Align’s fully digital service workflow, spanning from intraoral scanning and treatment planning to intelligent manufacturing, while jointly exploring the development and future of digital clear aligner therapy.

Address by Ms. Yue Lin, Secretary-General of the Chinese Stomatological Association

Professor Zhao Zhihe, Vice Dean of the West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, delivered a speech.

Ms. Zhu Huazhen, Vice President of Align Technology China, stated, “The vigorous development of China’s oral healthcare industry,inseparable from the comprehensive support and strategic guidance provided by the government in areas such as policy and talent, and the strong promotion of academic development by oral health experts. Aligning with shared goals and aspirations, Align Technology is deeply committed to the Chinese market, steadfastly pursuing localized development, actively advancing digital clear aligner technology and local innovation capabilities, and contributing to the realization of universal oral health and the Healthy China initiative.”

Address by Ms. Zhu Huazhen, Vice President of Align Technology China

Align Technology designs and manufactures the world’s leading clear aligner system—the Invisalign System—and provides iTero intraoral scanners and related services, as well as CAD/CAM software. Under the Align Technology umbrella, the Invisalign brand has served more than eight million patients. By leveraging iTero intraoral scanners and exocad’s CAD/CAM software, Align Technology is advancing digital dentistry, establishing digital workflows for orthodontics and restorative care, and driving the modernization of oral healthcare to help dental professionals enhance clinical efficiency and optimize patient outcomes.