Swiss hearing aid group Sonova Holding, which had to give up the acquisition of Danish company GN Resound, is planning to upgrade by launching the Canadian company Unitron Hearing in Denmark.

Sonova Holding expects to achieve a total market share for hearing aids of over 20 per cent within two years, writes the company in a press release.

The Danish market for hearing aids is booming. New technology creates better and ever more refined hearing aids, and at the same time consumers are demanding more in regard to user friendliness and sound quality.

Expectations are that Unitron Hearing will achieve a market share of 5 per cent within two years. In addition, Sonova Holding already owns Phonak, which sits on 16 per cent of the Danish market, and with the introduction of Unitron Hearing Sonova Holding will be an even more important player on the market.

Consequently Sonova is intensifying the competition with the two listed Danish hearing aid manufacturers William Demant and GN Resound, as well as with the privately owned Danish manufacturer Widex. At GN Resound, Sonova's strengthened position was received with a shrug of the shoulders.