CEO of Invisalign Braces Maker Is Confident in China
*By Conor White*
With the company's first manufacturing plant in China up and running, the chief executive of Align Technology, the maker of Invisalign orthodontics, isn't concerned about a possible trade war between the United States and China.
"By the end of the year we'll have a good, contained business in China, and be able to service our Chinese business," said Joe Hogan, the CEO of Align Technology. "So I feel great about the moves we've made there, given the talks that are going on."
Align's stock was the top performer on the S&P 500 in the last year, soaring 132 percent in 2017. The company's management has said sales could top $2 billion by 2020.
To reach that goal, the company is reaching out directly to consumers who may need its Invisalign products: clear, plastic teeth aligners taking the place of traditional metal braces.
"We have a really strong consumer business, in the sense that we advertise to consumers, and direct them toward doctors," Hogan said in an interview Tuesday with Cheddar. "So the consumer awareness part of this is a big part of this strategy also."
Consumers are increasingly aware: Invisalign shipments are up more than 30 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of this year.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/stars-align-for-invisalign).
Angelo Zino, Senior Vice President and Technology Equity Research Analyst at CFRA, breaks down Big Tech earnings, AI spending, and what's next for the Mag 7.
Big Tech is pouring billions into AI. Ray Wang, CEO of Constellation Research, explains what Meta and Microsoft's earnings reveal about those investments.
Morningstar equity analyst Nicolas Owens explains Boeing's latest earnings, deliveries, rising fuel costs, and what they mean for airlines and investors.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is more than just a tournament. With over 6.5 million fans expected to attend, it's become one of the world's largest economic events.
Variety Senior TV Editor Brian Steinberg breaks down media mergers, streaming, cord-cutting, and the biggest trends reshaping the future of television.