GE Healthcare plans to make Bangalore hub of computed tomography (CT) imaging system production for south Asia

GE Healthcare has commenced production of high-speed dual slice computed tomography (CT) imaging system in Bangalore.

High-speed dual slice computed tomography (CT) is one of the fastest selling equipment globally and the indigenous version will be priced at Rs 90 lakh (US$ 2 lakh).

GE Healthcare can currently produce 40 CT systems annually. However, the company plans to double the capacity by 2012.

The Indian arm of the global electronics giant will import 70 per cent of the components meant for the production of CT systems, and the remaining will be sourced out of 15-20 suppliers in India.

The India produced CTs will be for local markets initially. GE has plans to make India a production base for ASEAN and South Asia markets.

CT imaging systems are also manufactured at its GE’s production facility in China which has a capacity to make 200 machines.

GE Healthcare has invested around US$ 1 million for the production centre. GE also has plans to manufacture magnetic resonance imaging systems (MRIs) in India.

GE Healthcare will partner with pharma majors which already have the sales expertise in critical care drugs to take care of the marketing aspect of the machines. This partnership programme would be through within a month. GE would provide extensive training for the pharma sales team to market the medical equipment, reports said quoting company officials.

GE expanded its manufacturing operations in India because of the ready availability of medical engineering skills and other cost advantage benefits. Besides, India has a huge market opportunity for affordable products, according to John Dineen. chief executive officer, GE Healthcare.

New hospitals and diagnostic centers in tier II and III towns are looking for affordable and reliable systems.

Currently, CTs and MRIs, are imported and lead to delays. Now these hospitals in tier II and III towns will have access to reasonably priced equipment.

GE also looks to redesign some equipment to cater to the space requirements of smaller hospitals.

GE Healthcare currently produces MAC 400, Lullaby baby warmers and Tejas XR 6000 x-ray system  at its Bangalore facility.

GE opened its first manufacturing centre for imaging at Bangalore in 1991. Last year, it set-up a dedicated plant which is a centre of excellence with a 300 unit capacity for production of GoldSeal standard hi-speed single/dual slice CTs that adhere to US FDA standards for domestic and exports markets. These systems are priced 30% lower than the new CTs. This unit is the only refurbishing centre globally for this equipment.

The company started the research and development lab at the John Welch Technology Centre, Bangalore in 2009 with a commited investment of around Rs 100 crore.

The R&D centre focuses on ultrasound, X-rays CT, MRI, life sciences and surgical sciences.

The large R&D centre would see upscale of product design and development of many more high-end systems in India, stated Dineen.

GE Healthcare centres located in India & China accounts for 10 per cent (US$ 1.5 billion) revenues to the total US$ 17 billion of the parent company in the US, reports said.