Liechtensteiner Bonyf goes public in Paris
ORAL HYGIENE
From Liechtenstein to the Paris Stock Exchange
Bonyf AG produces oral and dental care products in Buchs – including olive oil. The company, which is more than 40 years old, went public yesterday – in Paris.
Jean-Pierre Bogaert is delighted that this is a first, and twice as much. His Bonyf is not only the first company from the oral and dental care sector to be listed on the Paris stock exchange Euronext. “We are also the first Swiss company there,” he says.
Jean-Pierre Bogaert founded the company in Liechtenstein more than 40 years ago. Important products are the adhesive cream Oliviafix and the brush solution Periotabs. Research is carried out in Liechtenstein and the products are manufactured in Buchs. A total of 30 people work for Bonyf, the products are exported to 36 countries.
Invested in research
In recent years, sales have tended to decline, most recently between two and three million francs. This has been due to the corona crisis, which many customers have drawn attention to. Bonyf also focused on proving with research results “that our products are better than the competition,” says Bogaert.
Now shall die Bonyf grow. That takes money, also for marketing. This is one of the reasons why Bogaert goes public on the Paris Stock Exchange. “Being traded there not only brings us capital, but also awareness” – especially in certain target markets: Bonyf products can already be bought from the French retail giant Carrefour, now things should go even better there.
Small exchange with fewer editions
The Bonyf shares are traded on the Paris Euronext Access. This is a marketplace for SMEs and young companies. “It is not subject to the same regulations as the normal Paris stock exchange,” says SGKB stock market analyst Matthias Müller. In particular, the companies traded there also have to meet fewer requirements. In this way, smaller companies could also get involved on the stock exchange and increase capital and awareness. “But there are also fewer investors on these small exchanges, there is less trading,” says Müller.
Jean-Pierre Bogaert, who previously owned all shares in the company together with his wife, also knows this. Being listed on the stock exchange gives him the additional opportunity to involve executives in the company. Under does not want to stay on Euronext Access. “The goal is to switch to the next largest Euronext Growth in nine to twelve months,” says Bogaert.