Carestream Health Accelerates Localization Strategy in China with Domestic Launch of Multiple Innovative Imaging Products

For the global healthcare industry, CMEF serves as a veritable "barometer" of sector development. Many blockbuster products representing the pinnacle of global medical technology were launched at the event, signaling directions for industry innovation and development trends. This year, within exhibition halls spanning over 220,000 square meters, leading global medical device companies showcased their presence, with more than 4,000 medical device brands presenting tens of thousands of products. Medical imaging, as a highlight of CMEF, attracted widespread attention.

A review of the imaging exhibition area at the conference clearly reveals that development concepts such as digitalization and intelligence have been integrated into medical imaging products. A steady stream of innovative products closely aligned with market demands has emerged, while global leaders in the medical device industry are vigorously advancing their localization strategies. Many industry giants are establishing a local presence to seek partnerships, deeply exploring the value of application scenarios, and continuously expanding their product pipelines, thereby growing in tandem with China’s healthcare system.

Industry-Leading Experts Attend Carestream Health’s New Product Launch Ceremony

Carestream Health, spun off from the century-old Kodak, would certainly not miss such a grand event.On the first day of CMEF, Carestream Health unveiled two major new intelligent imaging solutions in the Chinese market for the first time: the DRX-Rise Mobile Radiography X-ray System and the Wave Power Injector.

Liu Jie, President of Carestream Health in Greater China, revealed to VCBeat that this marks a critical step for Carestream Health in the domestic market and represents an important strategic decision made by the company in response to changes in national policies and development directions.Liu Jie stated, “Carestream Health is striving to broaden its product pipeline. Leveraging a century of technological accumulation and deep insights into the Chinese market, Carestream Health has both the courage and the confidence to make this strategic decision. Moving forward, the company will continue to tailor products for various tiers of the domestic market and provide more comprehensive solutions, achieving full coverage across high-, mid-, and low-end segments in China while ensuring that innovations benefit a broader population.”

Through Carestream Health’s recent initiatives, it is evident that the company, dedicated to imaging innovation, has achieved another breakthrough in the Chinese market. This move represents an accelerated upgrade of Carestream Health’s localization strategy and reflects its exploration of domestic markets at all levels, in step with national development priorities.Behind these achievements, Carestream Health’s local strategy in China is gradually coming to light.

So, what is the value of Carestream Health’s newly launched DRX-Rise mobile digital radiography X-ray system and Wave power injector? At a time when the localization of medical devices in China is being strongly emphasized, how does Carestream Health anchor its position in the Chinese market? What achievements has its localisation strategy yielded? After the event, VCBeat conducted an exclusive interview with Liu Jie, aiming to provide reference insights on localization strategies for leading global medical device companies.

2007 marked the year Carestream Health officially began independent operations. According to Liu Jie, when Carestream Health first entered the Chinese market, China’s medical imaging sector was still in its nascent stage, with low penetration of medical imaging and radiotherapy equipment, leaving substantial room for growth. Although Carestream Health’s consumables and radiological imaging products had already secured a significant market share in coastal regions at that time, the company still spent several years exploring the pain points and development dynamics of the Chinese market, seeking to identify the next inflection point for growth.

The primary healthcare market has been the strategic focus that Carestream Health identified after years of exploration. Facts have proven that medical demand in third- and fourth-tier cities indeed experienced explosive growth at that time. This forward-looking strategic decision drove performance growth for Carestream Health; in 2012, its annual sales in the Greater China region reached $400 million, surpassing the U.S. market for the first time to become Carestream Health’s largest global market. Since then, the Chinese market has become a key area of focus for Carestream Health. Leveraging its keen insight into the Chinese market, Carestream Health has continuously adjusted its development strategy.

CARESTREAM DRX-RISE Mobile Radiography X-ray System

Over the years of development, Carestream Health has achieved many successes in the Chinese market.The DRX-Rise mobile radiography X-ray system and the Wave power injector launched by Carestream Health at this CMEF represent another milestone in its 15-year journey of localization in China.

From Liu Jie’s perspective, China is currently facing several critical challenges: a growing demand for imaging examinations, increasingly complex and dynamic clinical scenarios, difficulties in improving the efficiency of healthcare professionals during examinations, and a scarcity of high-quality medical resources in primary healthcare institutions. Carestream Health’s launch of the DRX-Rise, its first mobile digital radiography (DR) X-ray machine independently developed and manufactured in China, represents a significant step tailored to the domestic mid-tier medical market, based on the company’s in-depth insights into China’s medical imaging sector.

It is understood that this product features a lightweight chassis and a high-efficiency power supply unit. Its compact size, light weight, and self-contained mobility not only better meet the requirements for bedside examinations but also overcome spatial constraints, facilitating rapid deployment by medical staff across scenarios such as the ICU and emergency department. Furthermore, its high-efficiency power supply ensures robust continuous operational capability to support around-the-clock use. Meanwhile, the product enables triple-screen interaction, supports remote visualized exposure, and meets the needs for precise, low-dose positioning and imaging from a separate control room.

Another blockbuster product showcased by Carestream Health at this CMEF, the Wave high-pressure injector, marks the debut of Carestream Health’s contrast media injection solution.

WAVE INJECTION SYSTEM High-Pressure Injector

“In recent years, the promotion of tiered diagnosis and treatment, along with the increased installation base of medical imaging equipment across China, has driven growth in demand for high-pressure injectors.”For Carestream Health, the launch of the Wave high-pressure injector marks a strong start. Moving forward, the company will continue to refine its radiological imaging ecosystem, bringing “Created in China” to the global stage and further enhancing the worldwide influence of both Chinese technology and Carestream Health.” said Liu Jie.

The launch of the Wave high-pressure injector undoubtedly signals that Carestream Health’s product pipeline has begun to expand from traditional medical imaging and film/consumables into other radiology-related fields, including high-pressure injectors and their associated consumables.This represents the company’s exploration to better serve the Chinese market and address the actual needs of China’s healthcare sector.

It is reported that this product is suitable for various contrast-enhanced procedures in CT rooms. Its dual-syringe design can more effectively save contrast agents and reduce the metabolic burden on patients. The floor-mounted plus ceiling-mounted one-to-two configuration can improve work efficiency while meeting different clinical needs. In terms of safety, in addition to real-time pressure monitoring, there are two levels of overpressure alarms to provide maximum protection for patient safety. Regarding interoperability, the Wave high-pressure injector supports importing patient worklists from RIS, exporting injection reports to PACS for archiving after completing the injection, and allowing other departments to obtain contrast imaging site information in the background, achieving seamless information connectivity.

In fact, the growth driver of China’s medical device industry is shifting from demand-driven to innovation-driven. The market structure has evolved from being dominated by tier-1 core markets to a multi-tiered market landscape. Meanwhile, the participants in the medical device market have become more diversified. To better adapt to these changes, companies must continuously make adjustments in the context of the Chinese market.

Through Carestream Health’s new product launches and strategic adjustments, it is evident thatSince the beginning of this year, Carestream Health has not only placed increasing emphasis on localization but also deepened its roots in the Chinese market, continuously upgrading and refining its China strategy.

Liu Jie told VCBeat, “To achieve success in the Chinese market, localization is particularly critical. However, localization encompasses not only local production and localized development strategies, but also localized personnel and services. A key reason why our deep-rooted grassroots strategy has stood out is our comprehensive approach to localization.”

To truly achieve over 90% domestic procurement of components and localize R&D and production, Carestream Health has established factories in Shanghai and Xiamen, shifting the production of an increasing number of products to its manufacturing centers in these two cities.In terms of the localization of personnel and services,Carestream Health’s entire core team in Greater China is 100% Chinese, enabling local customers to communicate with local sales representatives without time zone differences or language barriers, thereby securing their support.

Over the past decade, Carestream Health has cumulatively invested more than US$1 billion in the Chinese market to strengthen its sales, R&D, production, and supply chain management systems, thereby enhancing its high-end manufacturing capabilities.Whether in terms of the comprehensiveness of its layout in China or the scale of its R&D and production, the efforts made by Carestream Health are rare among global leaders in the medical device industry. The presentation of Carestream Health’s latest achievements has further demonstrated to the industry the significance of its years of dedication.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of Carestream Health. Despite numerous market shifts, the company’s unwavering commitment to deepening its expertise in the medical imaging field has remained constant over the years. However, through the launch of new products, the expansion of its product pipeline, and the presentation of its corporate development strategy, it is evident that Carestream Health has taken a significant step forward from its established foundation, undergoing noticeable transformation.

Reflecting on Carestream Health’s 15-Year Exploration of the Chinese Market: From the formal establishment of independent operations in Greater China in 2007, to the launch of its “Second Kitchen” initiative at the Shanghai Global R&D Center in 2018—aimed at better developing localized products for the Chinese and other emerging markets—to the present-day achievement of localized innovation upgrades and an expanded product portfolio.Carestream Health’s solutions, rooted in China for 15 years, have achieved comprehensive coverage across high-, mid-, and low-end product segments, extending from major cities to grassroots levels, from coastal regions to the central and western parts of the country, and from public healthcare institutions to private hospitals, with its localization transformation nearly complete.

However, for the Chinese market, Carestream Health has done more than just that; it has also made numerous explorations, contributions, and attempts.

As early as 2007, Carestream Health invested RMB 10 million to launch the “Rural Medical Informatization Pilot Project” in collaboration with the former Ministry of Health and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, becoming one of the first multinational corporations to venture into China’s regional healthcare sector. During the implementation of this pilot project in Ningxia, Carestream Health identified widespread critical shortages of medical personnel at primary healthcare institutions, along with persistent challenges in recruiting and retaining talent. In response, the company joined forces with the former National Health and Family Planning Commission and the China Population Welfare Foundation in 2014 to jointly initiate and implement the “Health Warmth – Carestream Grassroots Physician Training Program for Poverty-Stricken Areas (Runtu Plan),” aiming to address the shortcomings in training for grassroots medical professionals.

In 2020, Carestream Health donated medical equipment worth RMB 5 million to Wuhan through the National Health Commission of China, including mobile DR systems, laser cameras, and medical films urgently needed for epidemic prevention and control.

At the end of the interview, Liu Jie told VCBeat:“Emerging markets, with China as a representative, offer broad prospects. Today, as Carestream Health deepens its roots and further refines its system construction in the Chinese market, it will be better positioned to provide more innovative products that meet local needs. We remain unwavering in our commitment to making technology universally accessible, while actively responding to policy calls and adapting to local conditions to deliver affordable and high-quality technological solutions for China.”