Spain's demographic growth represents a strategic opportunity for Amplifon due to the large number of potential new customers.
Gaes focuses on providing tailored solutions for people with hearing problems, and has a network of more than 700 hearing centres in Spain. Founded in Barcelona in 1949, it became part of Amplifon in 2018. For the Italian group, it was its largest acquisition to date, strengthening an international network that now exceeds 10,000 outlets in 26 countries and 5 continents.
Gaes grew even more recently in Spain with the purchase of the OirT hearing centre network, which adds 31 hearing centres to its offer, mainly located in Malaga, Seville, Granada, Cadiz, Cordoba and the island of Minorca. 60 specialists in the custom fitting of hearing aids who worked at these centres have joined the company's workforce.
How does the addition of the OirT centres strengthen the Gaes network?
Gaes already had a strong presence in southern Spain. The addition of OirT Hearing Centres to our network strengthens our position as a company to continue offering the best hearing solutions in the country. With the acquisition of the OirT hearing centre network, Gaes now has 31 hearing centres and our staff has grown to a team of 60 highly qualified professionals, whose focus on personalisation and quality of service aligns perfectly with our values. The OirT Hearing Centre network stands out for its specialisation in children's audiology and healthcare professionals, which bring significant value to Gaes and that will now reach an even greater number of people throughout Spain, especially in Andalusia.
What has its integration into the Amplifon group six years ago meant for Gaes?
Gaes was founded in 1949 to improve communication for people with hearing loss and today it is the leading hearing care company in Spain. The integration into the Amplifon group has enabled us to strengthen our position in the Spanish market and expand our international presence. Other benefits include access to more resources and technology, an expanded distribution network, improved branding, process optimisation and better training, among other aspects. This fusion has provided us with a significant boost in resources and positioning, making competition easier in a market that demands constant innovation in hearing solutions.
How has the Gaes network of centres and workforce grown over the last few years?
Thanks to the integration into the Amplifon group, Gaes has expanded its network of centres and has increased its workforce to meet the growing demand. In addition to opening new centres, we have refurnished existing ones to align with Amplifon's standards, enhancing the customer experience with modern, digitalised settings. Amplifon has invested in training our employees, strengthening their technical and customer service skills, and has generated new employment opportunities in a number of areas. Overall, this support has consolidated Gaes' leadership in the hearing industry and improved the quality of its services.
And how do you foresee further growth?
Gaes' goal is to continue to strengthen our position in the market and to offer added value to our customers, exploring all opportunities that enable us to expand our presence and improve our offer. We are always on the lookout for options that fit with our strategic vision, whether through organic growth, developing our internal capabilities, or through other collaborative opportunities that arise in the marketplace and provide significant synergies to our business.
How important is Spain for the company's strategy?
Spain is key to Amplifon's strategy because of its growing hearing healthcare market driven by a growing population and increased awareness of hearing health, leading to an increase in demand for hearing solutions. This demographic growth represents a strategic opportunity for Amplifon, as the country has a large pool of potential new customers who could benefit from its products.
What role does prevention play in hearing health?
Prevention is key for us, because taking care of your hearing is essential to improve people's quality of life. For over seventy years, we have been providing solutions to hearing issues and promoting a responsible listening message to help prevent hearing problems. We are committed to making people aware of the importance of protecting their hearing before complications arise, encouraging them to implement practices that reduce exposure to harmful noise and to go for regular check-ups. We believe that good hearing health is key to a full and healthy life.
How does the social area policy at Gaes help those who cannot afford treatment?
Gaes is committed as a company to the hearing of those who need it most. For years, it has been carrying out a project through its social area policy, the objective of which is to help people with hearing problems and economic difficulties to recover a fully satisfactory communication that enables them to enjoy a good quality of life. To this end, and in coordination with a variety of professionals, we facilitate access to hearing aids and communication systems. We provide counselling for people who qualify for this state aid programme for hearing aids. Through the social area policy, those who are most in need can benefit from advantages such as free hearing tests and check-ups, free hearing aid tests with no obligation, subsidies on state-of-the-art hearing aids and a comprehensive and personalised after-sales service.
What does the work of the Gaes Solidaria Foundation consist of?
The Gaes Solidarity Foundation was born in 1996 and is one of the brand's main hallmarks. It was founded by María José Gassó and for more than twenty years it has brought together employees, managers, collaborators and clients with the goal of improving the quality of life of people with hearing loss and without economic resources. In 2018, with a track record of 23 years and more than 300 volunteers and 800 employees signed up to Teaming, it went a step further in its commitment to the hearing health of people who need it most and was set up as a foundation. A new phase began in 2019 with, the Amplifon Ibérica Foundation merger. Thanks to the merger of the two foundations, the new Gaes Solidaria Foundation is expanding its projects in order to help even further. All the projects promoted by the Gaes Foundation aim to raise public awareness regarding the importance of caring for hearing health as a basic element of our well-being.
Photos: Gaes