INDIA – Siemens Healthineers, a major German manufacturer of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, has opened its new manufacturing plant in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

In the pilot phase. the Bengaluru-based manufacturing facility for MRI machines is projected to manufacture MAGNETOM Free.Star, the company’s most affordable MRI system ever.

This news comes after Siemens Healthineers established a new CT scanner production line in Bengaluru in 2022.

Siemens Healthineers said in an official statement that the MAGNETOM Free.Star is a cost-effective whole-body magnetic resonance scanner designed to help improve patient access to MRI.

The new plant will currently manufacture MAGNETOM Free.Star, a disruptively simple approach to high-quality MRI in India,” the company claimed.

MAGNETOM Free.Star is a designed-for-purpose scanner that can be deployed to healthcare facilities to improve the lives of people by helping to diagnose and treat the most prevalent diseases.

Addressing the need of the hour, it is built on the latest DryCool technology and is a virtually helium-free scanner with an ultra-compact footprint that is far easier to install

With the launch of its manufacturing unit in Bengaluru, Siemens will produce Computed Tomography (CT) and MRI devices as part of the Government of India’s (GoI) Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.

The new facility is approved under the Radiology and Imaging Medical devices segment of the Production Linked Incentive scheme by the Government of India and the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP),” outlined Siemens Healthineers.

Siemens is expanding its presence in the country following the introduction of the PLI scheme by the Department of Pharmaceuticals to support domestic manufacturing and attract significant investment in the industry.

In a separate statement, the Government of India underscored that medical device manufacturing is a priority industry for the flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative.

The PLI scheme builds on India’s goal of becoming a major hub for the production of medical devices and the investor-friendly initiatives of the Government of India.

This regulatory approval comes as the medical devices company has laid the foundation stone for its new campus in Bangalore, in a bid to expand its presence in India.

The futuristic campus aims to strengthen collaboration and creativity, alongside environment-friendly, sustainable, energy-efficient solutions,” the German manufacturer disclosed.

Siemens Healthineers has begun the construction of its upcoming campus that integrates R&D, manufacturing, innovation hub, and India headquarters, making India a core center of competence for the design and development of entry-level products.

Similarly, the company has opened new premises of its Siemens Healthineers “Academy Egypt” in Cairo.

Siemens Healthineers has also partnered with the Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER) to leverage core scientific advances in healthcare technologies, particularly in MRI and Linear Accelerators (LINAC).

Commenting on the investments, Vivek Kanade, Managing Director of Siemens Healthcare, asserted: “With the expansion of our manufacturing footprint in India, we are thrilled to be able to contribute even more to India’s growth story and pioneer healthcare for everyone, everywhere.”  

He underscored that the German medical device company will continuously expand its operations in India in line with its core beliefs in holistic growth, adding that the Indian government is consistently fuelling their ambitions.

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