Siemens plans R&D expansion

Siemens Medical Solutions is planning to expand its research and development operations in India. The R&D and software development centre of the medical solutions arm of Siemens is located at Bangalore.

The company is planning to expand its R&D team by 10 per cent this year, with similar expansions in the pipeline. Currently, the Bangalore R&D centre has 1,100 scientists.

The ¤7.6 billion Siemens Medical is also planning capacity expansion at its manufacturing plant located at Goa.

It plans to add new product lines comprising new generation and regional specific diagnostic machines, including X-rays and CT scans, said Heinrich von Wulfen, president, Asia-Pacific.

Wulfen, during his recent visit to India for the global launch of Siemens' latest dual source computed tomography (CT) system, told Business Standard that the company was also planning to penetrate into rural markets by tying up with NGOs and government-sponsored mobile healthcare projects.

Wulfen, however, declined to divulge the size of fresh investments that the company would be making for these proposed expansion in India.

Siemens recently unveiled the world's first dual source CT system, a breakthrough that will redefine the role of CT.

The company has pushed the technical and clinical boundaries of CT with this latest innovation, the SOMATOM Definition, to be launched in India.