Siemens Healthineers invests ₹20 cr in medical imaging unit in Bengaluru

Siemens Healthineers inaugurated a new Medical Imaging manufacturing facility in Bengaluru that is strategically co-located with the company’s R&D centre to delivery value to customers faster.

The ₹20-crore investment in the 53,819-sq ft manufacturing facility builds on the ₹2,500 crore invested in the R&D centre so far, underscoring the company’s commitment to India. Operations will start immediately in this new ISO13485(2016) certified unit with around 70 employees, with the workforce to be extended in three phases by fiscal year 2025.

“Siemens Healthineers will integrate manufacturing, technology and innovation functions at Bengaluru. The new facility will make computed tomography (CT) systems based on our trendsetting Somatom go.platform that we co-created with 500 customers in 11 countries. We will also make the Cios Fit, our latest mobile C-arm which was created to address the tough demands of India with high patient loads and the need to perform multiple procedures,” said Andre Hartung, Executive Vice-President, Computed Tomography, and incoming President, Diagnostic Imaging, Siemens Healthineers.

The new Somatom go.platform combines numerous software-led innovations with the company’s detector technologies for radically enhanced workflow efficiency, expanded clinical applicability, improved patient experience and meeting the financial requirements of healthcare providers. The Cios Fit, which was designed, developed and manufactured in India for the world, offers clear images on a touchscreen monitor, which is simple to use and has fewer moving parts for higher reliability.

“We plan to sell 200 units of the Somatom go.Now CT scanners priced around €1,25,000 this year in India, which already has an installed base of 350 units. We plan to start selling the Cios Fit priced around €20,000 in India and then take it to international markets in the next 12-18 months,” said Hartung.

“Over the years, the R&D centre at Bengaluru has grown into a digital hub for the company, accounting for over half of all the software engineering talent within Siemens Healthineers,” said Gerd Hoefner, MD and President, Siemens Healthcare Pvt Ltd.

A leader in medical technology, Siemens Healthineers generated revenue of Euro13.4 billion in fiscal 2018, ended September 30, and adjusted profit of Euro2.3 billion and has about 50,000 employees worldwide. In India, the company has 3,100 employees of which 1,900 are in software R&D, 120 in manufacturing (Baroda & Bengaluru) and the rest are in sales, services and administration across 56 locations.