Top medical laser enterprise opens comprehensive base in Pudong
Consul General of Israel in Shanghai Edward Shapira (fifth from left) and local officials are present at the unveiling ceremony of Lumenis' first innovation base in China.
The world's largest medical laser equipment enterprise Lumenis officially opened its first innovation base in China in the Waigaoqiao Bonded Area on Friday.
For its next stage, the Tel Aviv medical laser equipment manufacturer will produce three types of lasers with strong pulse light and radio frequencies at the new base, with an annual output of about 500 million yuan (US$70.2 million) after reaching full capacity.
As the first production base set up by the Lumenis in China, it will be a multi-functional composite innovation base with manufacturing, technical services, research and development, training, user experience and trade settlement.
It aims to realize comprehensive transformation and upgrading of the Israeli company in China, from the import and export trade of medical devices to the technical trade of medical devices, service trade, local R&D and manufacturing, as well as local innovation.
The first made-in-China Lumenis M22 strong pulse light and laser system – multi-functional medical beauty platform prototype – was also unveiled on Friday.
In 2020, China stipulated that "foreign-funded enterprises established in China can produce Category II and III imported medical devices in China, after obtaining the registration certificate of imported medical devices," which not only shortens the period of obtaining the certificate, but also lays a policy foundation for the local production of foreign medical devices.
With the unveiling of the M22 prototype, the application work for the registration certificate of "import to local production" of medical personnel has also officially started.
Hence, Lumenis will actively explore and strive to become the first batch of enterprises in Shanghai that have the registration certificate of "import to local production" of three types of medical devices.
Qiying Zhai, senior vice president, president Asia Pacific at Lumenis, said that Lumenis took Waigaoqiao as the starting point and made full use of the relevant policy to introduce more of the world's most advanced laser medical technologies into China, so as to better meet the needs of the domestic market and benefit domestic patients.
Zhao Yugang, deputy director of Bonded Area Administration of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Administrative Commission, told Shanghai Daily that the bonded area will take the initiative to seize the new opportunity of international medical device production transfer, build an international medical device smart manufacturing base in Waigaoqiao.
By virtue of the policy superposition advantages of the special customs supervision zone and the free trade zone, the bonded area has gathered a group of top medical devices and medical science and technology enterprises throughout the world.
In 2021, the bonded area managed imports of 38 percent of medical devices and 27 percent of medical materials and drugs in China, forming a new development mode of biomedical industry with diverse business types, complete industrial chains and unique "bonded" characteristics, according to Zhao.
