26 May 2010 13:40

Smith & Nephew sets up new factory in Beijing

Shanghai. May 26. INTERFAX-CHINA - Smith & Nephew, the U.S. medical device manufacturer, has set up a new factory in Beijing, the company announced on May 25.

Located in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area, the 10,000 square meter factory will produce orthopedic products, according to the announcement.

According to a report on Chinese news portal NetEase on May 25, the company plans to invest a total of $100 million in the factory and other facilities in Beijing. It also plans to set up four surgery centers to train 5,000 doctors in China over the next five years.

The new factory is the company's second in China; its first factory in Suzhou cost $60 million and mainly produces advanced wound management devices, which are used on difficult-to-heal wounds.

The company hopes the factories will help reduce production costs and increase its share of the Chinese market. Ongoing healthcare reform has created new opportunities for the company in China.

Smith & Nephew entered China in 1994, and has offices in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. The company's silicon gel burn dressing and hydro gel burn dressing have been on the Chinese market for over 10 years.

- KZ