HEINE Optotechnik is a manufacturer of medical diagnostic instruments and is based in Gilching, near

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. The company was founded in 1946 by the German physicist Helmut A. Heine and has been a family run company ever since. A characteristic of the company is that from the initial idea to the finished product, almost all of the critical production steps are carried out in-house to ensure the high quality of the instruments produced. The company specializes in

otoscope An otoscope or auriscope is a medical device which is used to look into the ears. Health care providers use otoscopes to screen for illness during regular check-ups and also to investigate ear symptoms. An otoscope potentially gives a view of ...

ophthalmoscope Ophthalmoscopy, also called funduscopy, is a test that allows a health professional to see inside the fundus of the eye and other structures using an ophthalmoscope (or funduscope). It is done as part of an eye examination and may be done as part ...

dermatoscope Dermatoscopy also known as dermoscopy or epiluminescence microscopy, is the examination of skin lesions with a dermatoscope. It is a tool similar to a camera to allow for inspection of skin lesions unobstructed by skin surface reflections. The de ...

s, binocular

loupe A loupe ( ) is a simple, small magnification device used to see small details more closely. They generally have higher magnification than a magnifying glass, and are designed to be held or worn close to the eye. A loupe does not have an attached h ...

laryngoscope Laryngoscopy () is endoscopy of the larynx, a part of the throat. It is a medical procedure that is used to obtain a view, for example, of the vocal folds and the glottis. Laryngoscopy may be performed to facilitate tracheal intubation during ge ...

s, stethoscopes, proctological instruments,

fiber-optic An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means t ...

examination lights and hand-held

slit lamp A slit lamp is an instrument consisting of a high-intensity light source that can be focused to shine a thin sheet of light into the eye. It is used in conjunction with a biomicroscope. The lamp facilitates an examination of the anterior segme ...

s

HEINE Optotechnik is represented in over 120 countries around the world, with subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, the US and Switzerland as well as 3,000 representatives, importers and specialist dealers.

History

In HEINE & Co. Medizinisch-Physikalische Werkstätten GmbH, owner Helmut A. Heine initially manufactured otoscopes and direct ophthalmoscopes from 1946 (when he established the company). Many materials and commodities were in short supply in Germany, which was still being rebuilt at the time. Therefore, he improvised and used commodities that were available during the post-war turmoil to make the first diagnostic instrument: empty and thus sustainably recyclable cartridge cases. In 2020 the entire company moved from its former headquarters in Herrsching to newly built corporate headquarters in Gilching, just outside Munich. All of the corporate divisions, such as Development, Tool Construction, Optics and other production-related divisions, not to mention Administration, are now located under the same roof in the new building.

Quality system

HEINE has installed and maintains a documented quality system, which meet the international standards Deutsches Institut für Normung, DIN EN

ISO 9001 The ISO 9000 family is a set of five quality management systems (QMS) standards that help organizations ensure they meet customer and other stakeholder needs within statutory and regulatory requirements related to a product or service. ISO 90 ...

, DIN EN ISO 13485 and the European Medical Device Regulations MDD 93/ 42 EEC

Awards

2019: A German traditional brand, HEINE Optotechnik was awarded the ‘German Standards – Brands of the Century’ seal in the Primary Diagnostic Instruments category. 2020: GOOD DESIGN® Award 2020 in the category ‚Medical‘ for the dermatoscopes DELTA 30 und DELTAone.

Corporate social responsibility

HEINE signed the UN Global Compact and implements the UN’s Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour standards, environmental protection and corruption prevention. The company headquarters building in Gilching, south of Munich, is cooled in summer by a groundwater source

heat pump A heat pump is a device that can heat a building (or part of a building) by transferring thermal energy from the outside using a refrigeration cycle. Many heat pumps can also operate in the opposite direction, cooling the building by removing h ...

and heated in winter by recovering energy from the waste heat generated from production machines. Greenery covers almost half of the site, as well as the roof.

References

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External links

HEINE Optotechnik Website
Medical equipment