The Argen Corporation was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1963, as a small family business with a focus on refining x-ray films and precious metals for jewelry. In 1983, Bertie and Jackie Woolf, along with their family, moved Argen to the United States where they opened their first office in New York City selling precious metal alloy to dental laboratories. Just two short years later, they moved Argen Headquarters to San Diego, California where they bought their first 8,000 square foot facility.

Over the next 10 years, Argen experienced tremendous growth and established a presence in Germany and China where they began to distribute dental alloys. In 1995, Argen moved their San Diego headquarters to a larger, 40,000 square foot facility and by 2001 Argen had expanded to include subsidiary offices in both Canada and the United Kingdom.

In 2002 Argen became the largest manufacture of precious dental alloys in the United States and by 2005, the largest in the world.

In 2006, Bertie and Jackie’s son, Anton, assumed the role of Vice President of Argen, focusing on business development and acquisitions. Anton quickly recognized the direction the dental laboratory industry was heading and had a clear vision for Argen’s future. In 2008, Anton became CEO and strengthened the core of the business while diversifying and expanding into new significant, strategic businesses. His vision regarding the rapid changes in digital dentistry led him to build Argen’s state-of-the-art digital outsourcing center, to support and partner with dental laboratories nationwide.

By 2010, Anton had positioned the company to start fully integrating into digital and by 2011 Argen officially opened the digital outsourcing center – Argen Digital.

Today, Argen’s 40,000 square foot facility houses alloy production, Argen Refining and Argen Digital. In just four short years, Argen Digital has grown to 12 Selective Laser Melting (SLM) machines; 6 industrial precision mills dedicated to ArgenIS Custom Abutments; over 35 milling machines for ArgenZ Zirconia, ArgenPMMA and ArgenWAX; 9 digital wax printers and 8 3D printers support their digital model service.

This rapid growth has fueled expansion and the purchase of a new 80,000 sq. foot building in San Diego, CA. Coupled with their existing 40,000 sq. foot facility, it is clear that Argen is dedicated to the future of digital dentistry and has positioned themselves for continued advancement and success.