Unitron takes on new corporate name

Unitron will remain the brand for all product lines

KITCHENER — The signs outside their Kitchener facilities may look a bit different, but the Unitron brand is here to stay.

Unitron, a 54-year-old company specializing in hearing aids and related technology, has adopted the Sonova Canada name for public, investor and employee communications. Unitron has been a member of the Swiss-based Sonova Group since Sonova acquired it in 2000.

The well-established Unitron brand name will still identify all products and customer-facing activities, said Lilika Beck, vicepresident, marketing for Unitron Global. “Our brand stands for something,” she said. “It has positioning and it has equity.”

It’s a recognized name, both in the medical community and with consumers around the world, Beck said. “We have our own positioning and our own appeal which is unique.”

But by introducing the Sonova name as an “endorser brand,” the company can leverage its global presence and position as a world-leading hearing health care organization.

“The ability to more fully leverage the Sonova global brand also opens up a wealth of worldwide professional and volunteerism opportunities for employees,” Sonova Canada director of human resources Julie Dopko said.

It also reflects the growing scope of the work being done here in Kitchener.

“Sonova decided to invest more and more in this facility as the research and development facility for a number of Sonova brands,” Beck said.

That speaks to the breadth of talent close at hand, through the University of Waterloo’s audiology program and its proximity to the region’s tech sector, she said.

There are 230 employees in Kitchener, working out of three locations. The largest houses the product development and research and development group, audiology, logistics and global marketing for Unitron. Another is used for testing and app development.

As part of an expansion and renovation effort almost two years ago, sales staff moved to a third location.

There currently are more than 20 positions available in Kitchener, in research and development, and marketing. “I do believe this site will continue to expand, not only in size but in how we serve the Sonova organization,” said Beck.

Sonova employs another 200 people in Mississauga. It has a corporate presence in more than 100 countries and more than 14,000 employees worldwide.