ALGN vs STE

Align Technology Inc.

Align Technology, Inc., a medical device company, designs, manufactures, and markets Invisalign clear aligners and iTero intraoral scanners and services for orthodontists and general practitioner dentists, and restorative and aesthetic dentistry. It operates in two segments, Clear Aligner; and Scanners and Services. The Clear Aligner segment consists of comprehensive products, including Invisalign comprehensive treatment that addresses the orthodontic needs of teenage patients, such as mandibular advancement, compliance indicators, and compensation for tooth eruption; and Invisalign First Phase I and Invisalign First Comprehensive Phase 2 package for younger patients generally between the ages of seven and ten years, which is a mixture of primary/baby and permanent teeth. This segment's non-comprehensive products comprise Invisalign moderate, lite and express packages, and Invisalign go; and non-case products include retention products, Invisalign training fees, and sales of ancillary products, such as cleaning material, and adjusting tools used by dental professionals during the course of treatment. The Scanners and Services segment offers iTero scanner, a single hardware platform with software options for restorative or orthodontic procedures; restorative software for general practitioner dentists, prosthodontists, periodontists, and oral surgeons; and software for orthodontists for digital records storage, orthodontic diagnosis, and for the fabrication of printed models and retainers. This segment also provides computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing services; ancillary products, such as disposable sleeves for the wand; iTero model and dies; third party scanners and digital scans; Invisalign outcome simulator, a chair-side and cloud-based application for the iTero scanner; Invisalign progress assessment tool; and TimeLapse technology, which allows doctors or practitioners to compare a patient's historic 3D scans to the present-day scan. The company sells its products in the United States, Switzerland, China, and internationally. Align Technology, Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

STERIS plc (Ireland)

STERIS plc provides infection prevention and other procedural products and services worldwide. It operates in three segments: Healthcare, Applied Sterilization Technologies, and Life Sciences. The Healthcare segment offers cleaning chemistries and sterility assurance products; accessories for gastrointestinal (GI) procedures, washers, sterilizers, and other pieces of capital equipment for the operation of a sterile processing department; and equipment used directly in the operating room, including surgical tables, lights, and connectivity solutions, as well as equipment management services. It also provides capital equipment installation, maintenance, upgradation, repair, and troubleshooting services; preventive maintenance programs and repair services; instrument and endoscope repair and maintenance services; and custom process improvement consulting and outsourced instrument sterile processing services. This segment offers its products and services to acute care hospitals and other healthcare settings. The Applied Sterilization Technologies segment provides contract sterilization and testing services for medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers through a network of approximately 50 contract sterilization and laboratory facilities. The Life Sciences segment designs, manufactures and sells consumable products, such as formulated cleaning chemistries, barrier and sterility assurance products, steam and vaporized hydrogen peroxide sterilizers, and washer disinfectors. This segment also offers equipment installation, maintenance, upgradation, repair, and troubleshooting services; and preventive maintenance programs and repair services. The company is based in Dublin, Ireland.