Interview: Planmeca France's Brice Saint Jalmes believes in high technology and continuous learning

Planmeca France’s Brice Saint Jalmes took over the French branch of Planmeca Group last summer. Since then, he has been busy managing Planmeca’s network of French distributors as well as preparing for the opening of the company’s beautiful new premises in Nantes.

In August 2016, Brice Saint Jalmes was appointed Country Manager at Planmeca France, a subsidiary of Planmeca responsible for the company’s distribution network in France. In his ten months with the company, Saint Jalmes has infused the French office with both new ideas as well as in-depth knowledge of the financial sector. Read about his thoughts on his first year with the company and what he has envisioned for the future.

Last year, you were appointed Country Manager at Planmeca France. How has your first year been for you?

“Exciting! I’ve had several projects to manage and was able to dive into the work from the get-go. As my background is mainly in finance, I did have to familiarise myself with the industry, our partners and our range of products very quickly. However, thanks to my capable team in France, our wonderful partners and management at Planmeca Finland the transition was very smooth, and I’m looking forward to another good year!”

What’s changed for you in your new position with the company?

“Before joining Planmeca, I worked for nine years in investment banking, corporate finance and private equity. In my new position, my role is to manage and support Planmeca’s distribution network in France. This includes among other things providing our dealers with the resources they need in terms of sales and technical support, product knowledge and training. My experience in management and economics allowed me to quickly get to grips with the work, but has also enabled me to bring new ideas to the table.”

What’s currently happening at Planmeca France? What’s new?

“We’re just about to open our stunning new flagship office and showroom in Nantes. The new premises are not only a showcase of our technology and products, but feature conference and technical training facilities which will enable us to offer relevant training for both distributors and customers. At the same time, we are also investing both time and human resources in really talking to dental practitioners to find out what they want and need from us. I firmly believe listening, learning and training are the way of the future for us.”

What do you think gives Planmeca the edge in France?

“The design of our products and their interconnectivity through the dynamic Planmeca Romexis® software platform have been particular selling points. The Planmeca Compact™ i dental units and Planmeca ProMax® X-ray units have been especially strong in their respective categories and give us a leading position in France. At the same time, I’m very excited for the new products revealed at IDS 2017 to enter the market. Products like the lightweight and supremely fast Planmeca Emerald™ intraoral scanner and the simply stunning Planmeca Viso™ CBCT unit generated a lot of good buzz at IDS.”

How do you see the future of the French dental market?

“Although the political climate in France has been changeable of late, the key drivers of the market look good in the long term. The dental equipment market in France grew in 2015 and 2016 more than the French economy, and the demand for both dental care and same-day dentistry is on the rise. Dentists today are not only professionally, but personally interested in new technology, and this is an interest we naturally share as well.”

What does the future look like for Planmeca in France?

“Very good! Our product offering is solid, and we expect a lot from the new products presented at IDS as well. In France, Planmeca is perceived as one of the most innovative companies in the market – and rightly so. We are a high technology company and as such share our customers’ interest in both technological advancement and how it can be implemented in patient care. And these are not just our words, mind you – it’s what our customers really think of us.”

Text by: Aleksandra Nyholm