Sonova
| Public | |
| Traded as | SIX: SOON |
| Industry | Hearing instruments |
| Founded | 1947 (company), 1985 (holding) |
| Headquarters | Stäfa, Switzerland |
Key people |
Robert F. Spoerry, Chairman Beat Hess, Vice-Chairman Lukas Braunschweiler, CEO |
| Products | Various |
| Revenue | 2,035 Mil. CHF (2014/2015)[1] |
Number of employees | 10,184 (31.03.2015)[1] |
| Website | www.sonova.com |
Sonova (Sonova Holding AG) – Phonak (Phonak Holding AG) before 31 July 2007 – is a Swiss company that specializes in hearing and wireless systems. Sonova develops and markets hearing care solutions in two segments, hearing aids and cochlear implants. The group operates through its core business brands Phonak, Unitron, Advanced Bionics and Connect Hearing.
On August 1, 2007 Phonak AG officially changed its name to Sonova Holding AG.
History
Sonova, Phonak traces its roots back to the "AG für Elektroakustik" which was founded in 1947. The company was bought by Ernst Rihs in 1965. As of September 2007, the group employed about 4,200 employees worldwide.
Phonak was the title sponsor of the UCI ProTour team Phonak Hearing Systems, active between 2002 and 2006.
On October 2, 2006, the Phonak Group agreed to a share-purchase agreement with GN ReSound in an acquisition worth a total of $2.65 billion. However, European regulatory agencies blocked the merger bringing an end to a period of large scale consolidation within the industry.[2]
In the fall of 2006, Phonak launched the initiative "Hear the World" which creates awareness for the topic of hearing and hearing loss and promotes good hearing across the planet. The goal of Hear the World is to educate the public about the importance of hearing, the social and emotional implications of hearing loss, and the available solutions for those with hearing impairment. World-renowned musicians such as Plácido Domingo, the Vienna Philharmonic, Bryan Adams, and Joss Stone support Hear the World as ambassadors. In October 2012, the foundation became an initiative of the entire Sonova group.[3]
The company produces the following products:
- Hearing aids and assistive devices
- Wireless communication (Roger) systems
- Hearing protection devices
- Cochlear implants
- Covert communication systems and accessories
- Tour guiding systems