Siemens Opens Pa. Ultrasound Factory

Today Siemens Healthcare celebrated the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art ultrasound systems factory in suburban Philadelphia. The 12,000 sq. ft. facility, located at 5168 Campus Drive in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., will manufacture Siemens’ new ACUSON Freestyle™ ultrasound system – the world’s first and only ultrasound system to feature wireless transducers. The ACUSON Freestyle represents Siemens’ innovative spirit and competitiveness – key components of the Healthcare Sector’s Agenda 2013 two-year global initiative.

“Siemens is proud to bring high-end, specialized manufacturing to the Philadelphia area through the production of the ACUSON Freestyle ultrasound system,” says Jeffrey Bundy, PhD, CEO, Siemens Ultrasound. “With this new facility, we will be able to offer Siemens customers worldwide a cutting-edge ultrasound system that eliminates the impediment of cables during ultrasound-guided procedures. The ACUSON Freestyle system’s wireless transducer technology offers greater flexibility and ease in obtaining accurate transducer placement, and simplifies sterilization in interventional settings. The ACUSON Freestyle system will enable ultrasound technology to be used more readily in a variety of point-of-care applications, including interventional radiology, critical care, anesthesiology, and emergency care.”

Siemens’ new Philadelphia area manufacturing site is its second ultrasound factory in the U.S. The company’s Buffalo Grove, Ill., facility houses an assembly line for Siemens’ ACUSON S Family™ of premium ultrasound systems.

Today’s grand opening of Siemens’ new ultrasound factory was marked by an afternoon ceremony that included remarks from Rep. Patrick Meehan (R) of Pennsylvania’s Seventh Congressional District; Bundy; and Gregory Sorensen, MD, president and CEO, Siemens Healthcare North America.

Launched in November 2011, Agenda 2013 is the initiative of the Siemens Healthcare Sector to further strengthen its innovative power and competitiveness. Specific measures, which will be implemented by the end of 2013, have been defined in four fields of action: innovation, competitiveness, regional footprint, and people devel-opment.

The Siemens Healthcare Sector is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry and a trendsetter in medical imaging, laboratory diagnostics, medical information technology and hearing aids. Siemens offers its customers products and solutions for the entire range of patient care from a single source – from prevention and early detection to diagnosis, and on to treatment and aftercare. By optimizing clinical workflows for the most common diseases, Siemens also makes healthcare faster, better and more cost-effective. Siemens Healthcare employs some 51,000 employees worldwide and operates around the world. In fiscal year 2012 (to September 30), the Sector posted revenue of 13.6 billion euros and profit of around 1.8 billion euros. For further information please visit: www.siemens.com/healthcare.

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