Barco, a Belgium technology company that designs and develops visualization solutions for the entertainment, corporate and healthcare markets, is set to further capitalize on the rapid development of the Chinese healthcare market with its healthcare research and production base in the Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu province.

Opened on March 29, Barco (Suzhou) Healthcare Technology Co Ltd is fully focused on developing medical imaging solutions and providing a full suite of services to its clients, according to Wang Hongbo, managing director of Barco China.

"The Chinese medical sector is in a stage of growth and upgrading. The demand for upgraded hospital equipment in the healthcare market and the development of digital infrastructure are opportunities for Barco Healthcare in China," Wang said.

Barco's global CEO Charles Beauduin, who flew in for the opening ceremony of the new R&D base in Suzhou, said investing in China is an important strategy aimed at seizing new opportunities.

"Over the years, Barco has adhered to the concept of developing 'in China, for China, and with China' and has been deeply involved in the Chinese market," Beauduin said.

"Featuring a combination of Barco's global design, development resources and supply chain management system, the new base will not only serve China but also the rest of the world."

Beauduin pointed out that the growing demand for upgrading healthcare products has presented the company with a multitude of growth opportunities, noting that China aims to upgrade 1,000 county hospitals from the secondary level to the tertiary level during its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period. Thus, demand is high for more advanced equipment, which includes high-quality imaging solutions.

According to a survey conducted by the Chinese Society of Radiology in 2022, more than 60 percent of China's county hospitals have an urgent need to upgrade their equipment.

"Our development goal is to help accelerate China's medical intelligence upgrade, promote the popularization of medical imaging and digital operating rooms, meet the needs of regional markets through local intelligent manufacturing, and drive innovative research and development," said Beauduin.

Barco started building the healthcare hub in the Suzhou Industrial Park in 2019. The hub consists of an R&D center and a production plant capable of producing up to 100,000 display units per year.

Wang said that Barco's sales in 2022 increased by 70 percent year-on-year after the plant started operating in the fourth quarter of 2021.