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NT Bureau
Chennai, Sept 24:

        Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has announced a joint venture between Trivitron group of companies and Japan-based Aloka to manufacture ultrasound equipment in India.

        The joint venture would have an investment of Rs 50 crore from both the companies followed by capital infusion in due course. The JV would manufacture medical equipment to suit the needs of the developing countries.

        In the first phase of the joint venture, portable ultrasound scanners, floor model, high resolution scanners and colour dopplers would be produced. The investment pooled in by the two companies would therefore be used for acquiring capital equipment and infrastructure for setting up the manufacturing unit. Being a medical technology firm, Trivitron would additionally extend its distribution network in India for sales and engineering support for the new products. Apart from meeting the needs of the Indian market, the products manufactured by the joint venture would be exported to many developing countries.

        ‘Currently only 10 per cent of health-related equipment is produced domestically and 90 per cent are imported. The government will soon launch its first Medical Park near Chennai to enable health industry to manufacture a range of medical equipment on a large scale,’ said Ramadoss. The Health Ministry have requested the Finance and Commerce Ministries to provide subsidy for setting up such parks across the country. ‘With these medical parks the domestic industry will be able to manufacture products catering to the Indian population,’ he said.

        Ramadoss welcomed the initiative of Aloka and Trivitron in the healthcare field as such moves would help to bring down the cost of medical treatment, he said.

        In his address, Yoshihiro Yoshikawa, president, Aloka Co Ltd, said India has the potential to set itself as a manufacturing hub for medical equipment and meet the rising global demand. Moreover, the export markets for such equipment made in India was all set to grow rapidly in the next few years. ‘Aloka is looking forward to set up its base for developing embedded and application software for ultrasound systems in India,’ Yoshikawa said.

        The joint venture was an extension of seven years of relationship between Trivitron and Aloka and together they aim to capture 20 per cent of the market share for ultrasound equipment in the next two years. As part of the deal, the Japanese firm would bring in their patented technology for manufacturing ultrasound systems, probes and related equipment. The training requirements for the new plant would be met through special sessions for skill induction to be held in Japan and hand holding assistance given by Japanese engineers based in India.

        ‘The current market for ultrasound equipment in India is Rs 500 crore and is growing at 20 per cent per annum. Our partnership with Aloka will give us a leading edge and a first mover advantage to top the potential in the field of medical equipment,’ said Dr GSK Velu, managing director, Trivitron group of companies.

        Aloka is also planning to use premier institutions in India as clinical research and product development sites for adopting innovation in ultrasound technology in the years to come.