Under the Fractured Global Supply Chain, How Is United Imaging Shaping a Global "Chain" Connection?
Creating Innovation, Advancing Health Equity
Since officially launching its globalization strategy in 2018, United Imaging has rapidly expanded its global footprint, now serving nearly 80 countries and regions. As a young brand, United Imaging adheres to a long-term global vision, committed to applying humanity’s technological advancements to the field of medicine, improving health and quality of life worldwide.
United Imaging’s strategy is built on four key pillars:
1、Integrating into Global Markets from the Outset
Unlike the traditional concept of “going global,” United Imaging prioritizes global perspectives during the design and development stages. “We fully consider the diverse needs of doctors, patients, and regions worldwide from the very beginning.”
2、Building a Global Brand Beyond Equipment Sales
“A truly global company achieves business expansion worldwide and establishes a broad market and brand influence. That, in itself, defines globalization.”
3、Innovation-Driven Core Capabilities
“Technology innovation is the foundation of our globalization strategy,” United Imaging emphasizes. By partnering with top-tier collaborators, the company delivers world-class products and services through joint efforts.
4、Localization as the Essence of Globalization
“Actively integrating into local communities, humbly learning local cultures, and establishing mutually beneficial relationships built on trust are fundamental to the brand’s long-term growth and success.”
By strengthening local operations, nurturing local professional talent, and collaborating with leading international medical institutions, academic research organizations, and local partners, United Imaging is rapidly evolving into a global leader in medical innovation. The company continues to enhance access to advanced medical equipment and services worldwide.
On December 19, the "2024 Going Global Hundred-Person Forum & Emerging Industries Globalization Forum," organized by EqualOcean, was held in Shanghai. Dr. Xia Jusong, President of International Business at United Imaging, attended the event and delivered a keynote speech titled "Opportunities in Global Business Layout Amid Fractured Global Supply Chains." During his presentation, Dr. Xia shared United Imaging’s strategic insights into globalization, exploring how the company adheres to its principle of "high-profile strategies with full-scale breakthroughs" while practicing long-term localized deployment to "chain" the world together.
Key Highlights from Dr. Xia Jusong's Speech
Good day, everyone. The topic of globalization is vast and lacks a single definitive answer. Different industries, companies, and even different stages of a company’s development can lead to highly varied globalization strategies. Today, I will share some of United Imaging's experiences and lessons learned over the past few years. While these insights may not be universally applicable, they are rooted in our practical operations.
Currently, United Imaging holds a leading position in the fields of medical imaging and radiotherapy. Our advanced medical imaging devices—such as CT, MRI, PET/CT, and X-ray systems—not only serve hospitals across China but have also gained recognition and adoption by world-class medical and research institutions.
From the perspective of the medical industry, many well-established medical device companies have realized that the market's significance extends beyond China to the global stage. According to our research, as of the first half of 2024, among the top 20 A-share medical device companies by market capitalization, approximately 7% of companies had overseas sales surpassing domestic sales. About 40% of companies reported overseas business accounting for 25%-50% of their revenue, while the remaining 60% had less than 25% of revenue from international markets, indicating they are still in the early stages of growth.
A comparison of data from 2023 to the first half of 2024 reveals a significant acceleration in the globalization efforts of Chinese medical device companies. From 2022 to the first half of 2023, about 47% of medical device companies experienced faster growth in overseas business compared to domestic operations. By the first half of 2024, this proportion had surged to 80%, demonstrating that most companies have entered an accelerated phase of overseas market expansion.
This trend not only underscores the increasing role of global markets in driving the growth of China’s medical device industry but also reflects the growing emphasis and investment companies are placing on international development. United Imaging has deeply felt this shift as well.
In the niche market we focus on—medical imaging and radiotherapy—the global market is vast and demonstrates strong growth potential. Currently, annual revenue from new equipment amounts to approximately $35 billion, which is projected to grow to $54 billion by 2030, representing a significant growth rate.
North America is the largest global market, with a market size of about $9.9 billion in 2023, expected to grow to $15 billion by 2030. China is the second-largest market globally, with a current market size of approximately $7.1 billion, projected to expand to $12 billion by 2030. The European market currently stands at $6.4 billion and is expected to reach $9.4 billion by 2030.
Additionally, other emerging markets also present substantial growth opportunities, providing ample development prospects for the industry. Overall, the global medical imaging and radiotherapy sector is a highly attractive arena, brimming with possibilities for innovation and breakthroughs.
To Be a Global Leader in Medical Innovation
United Imaging Healthcare (UIH) is a relatively young company, founded in 2011 with its headquarters in Jiading, Shanghai. In 2014, we installed our first device in China. Over the years, UIH has emerged as a leader in the domestic medical imaging industry, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with GE, Siemens, and Philips in the Chinese market. Leveraging our deep understanding of the industry and market, UIH has undertaken comprehensive global expansion and made sustained investments worldwide.
Our journey in international expansion began relatively late. While UIH was founded in 2011 and installed its first commercialized device in China in 2014, it wasn’t until 2018 that we fully launched our global strategy. The company identified North America, Europe, and Japan as key focus areas for the first phase while also laying the groundwork in Africa and other emerging markets. After years of effort, UIH has successfully established a presence in major markets across five continents, achieving extensive global market coverage.
Our approach to globalization differs from others. Many companies enter international markets by first dominating a specific region or sector before gradually expanding. UIH, however, adopted a strategy of comprehensive deployment, aiming for high-impact, full-scale breakthroughs. Alongside the launch of highly competitive and innovative products, we rapidly built local teams, spare parts depots, and professional service networks. This strategy reflects our confidence in global markets and a deep understanding of their demands. We believe that by quickly establishing a broad and efficient global service network, we can better meet the needs of customers and lay a solid foundation for long-term development in international markets.
Currently, UIH operates manufacturing facilities in Shanghai, Changzhou, Wuhan, and Houston, USA. Our Changzhou facility is one of the largest medical device production sites globally. Upon completing its second-phase expansion, production capacity will be further enhanced. The Shanghai Jiading facility is under a second-phase expansion set for completion in 2025, which will make it the world's largest integrated medical device industrial park for R&D, production, and international conferences. Additionally, we are enhancing production capabilities in the United States and plan to strengthen manufacturing networks in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Europe to build a more resilient global supply chain and achieve efficient and flexible global operations.
To date, UIH’s business spans nearly 80 countries and regions, with regional headquarters established in key markets to drive global business development.
In China, UIH equipment is widely used in leading tertiary hospitals, with overall performance metrics reaching international standards and some products and technologies leading globally.
In revolutionary device development, UIH has achieved remarkable milestones. Our industry-first ultra-high-field whole-body MRI system, uMR Jupiter 5T, received FDA approval in May 2024, accelerating our North American market expansion. The uMR OMEGA features the largest bore size in the 3.0T MRI category—75 cm—making it particularly accommodating for patients with claustrophobia, pregnant women, and children. This design enhances comfort and safety, advancing MRI technology and offering a superior patient experience.
The groundbreaking Total-body PET/CT uEXPLORER allows real-time molecular-level observation of whole-body physiological and pathological processes. With sensitivity tens of times higher than conventional systems, ultra-low dose scanning, and full-body imaging within seconds, the uEXPLORER revolutionizes medical imaging, providing a high-performance platform for clinical applications and cutting-edge research in areas such as cancer micrometastasis studies, immunotherapy, drug development, and human physiology. This device has earned international acclaim and was dubbed the "Hubble Telescope for the human body" by a prominent U.S. medical journal. At the 2024 SNMMI (Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging) Annual Meeting, a brain scan captured by Yale University researchers using UIH’s PET/CT system won the prestigious “Image of the Year” award.
Another world-first innovation by UIH is the integrated CT-Linac system, which combines diagnostic-grade CT with a linear accelerator, making it the only medical device of its kind globally. This system enables patients to complete the entire radiotherapy process—from simulation to precision treatment—on a single device without moving between multiple locations. With intelligent software workflows, patients can undergo their first treatment within 30 minutes on the same bed. The system also features uCT-ART online adaptive radiotherapy, which adjusts treatment plans in real time based on high-definition CT imaging during daily treatments. This significantly enhances the efficiency and accuracy of cancer treatment while offering a more comfortable patient experience, earning widespread praise in global markets.
Overseas Business Expansion and Growth
In terms of our own overseas business contribution, United Imaging Healthcare (UIH) saw overseas revenue account for approximately 11.7% of total revenue in 2022. This figure grew to 14.7% in 2023, and in the first three quarters of this year, it has surpassed 20%. While the overall proportion is not yet high, we place significant emphasis on the scale and growth potential of international markets. In the long run, we believe the company’s greatest market opportunities and growth will come from overseas expansion.
Since 2018, UIH has been strategically building its presence in global markets. Today, our equipment is deployed in over half of the U.S. states, with hundreds of units installed across the country. In Europe, since installing our first self-developed device in 2019, we have expanded to numerous countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Romania, Greece, and Croatia. Additionally, we established our European headquarters in the Netherlands this year, intensifying our investments to comprehensively enhance market operations, after-sales services, and logistics capabilities. This initiative aims to strengthen UIH’s business performance and brand influence in Europe.
As of August 2024, UIH has set up over 30 regional headquarters, branches, subsidiaries, and offices worldwide, with more than 20 of these located overseas. Our services now cover nearly 80 countries and regions, reflecting the global reach of our business operations and our commitment to meeting the needs of diverse international markets.
United Imaging Healthcare (UIH) has established its regional headquarters for Latin America in Colombia and is actively advancing the construction of subsidiaries in key countries within the region. For emerging markets, UIH is committed to enhancing the overall healthcare standards of these countries and regions through innovative products and highly targeted solutions. Currently, UIH has provided efficient Chinese solutions for healthcare development in over 30 countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative, gradually establishing a solid market foundation.
In addition, the Asia-Pacific region is one of our key development areas. The company has already set up subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, and several countries in Southeast Asia. UIH aims to fully leverage its core competitive advantages in products, combined with timely and professional responses and services, to further enhance its localization strategy. It will deepen comprehensive cooperation with local leading medical universities, teaching hospitals, and research institutions, continue to increase brand investment in the region, and optimize the local system structure. In the Indian market, UIH has achieved the installation of hundreds of devices and systems, with four out of the five top medical groups choosing to cooperate with UIH. As a neighboring country to China with significant development potential, India is also a key market where UIH will continue to invest in the future.
Making a Difference for Shared Health
In the field of medical imaging, UIH has become a symbol of China's technological achievements. In the past, we followed others and learned from them; now, we are rapidly growing into a world-class leader in medical innovation. Although the scale of UIH is still relatively small, we have already demonstrated remarkable competitiveness in technological innovation, product development, and market services.
For a long time, the U.S. has been a focal point, and there are widespread concerns about the potential decoupling between the U.S. and China. However, through multiple visits to the U.S., we have found that the reality is different from what is described in the media and social platforms. Although political factors play a significant role, the overall market remains highly standardized.
As a company dedicated to becoming a globally leading brand, UIH has not slowed its expansion in the U.S. due to these external challenges. Adhering to the global strategy of long-termism, we hope to apply the crystallization of human technological development in the medical field to improve the health and quality of life of people worldwide. At this year's Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting, UIH announced that it will continue to increase investment in the North American market, further promote local construction in the U.S., expand production capacity, and provide high-quality products and services to a broader range of patients and medical institutions.
Regardless of whether it is a mature market in developed countries or an emerging market, UIH's strategy has never been limited to selling equipment. We focus on the actual needs of different countries and regions under their respective development stages and social environments.
Taking some developing countries as an example, what they lack is not only advanced medical equipment but also the ability to effectively utilize them. Even if they have the purchasing power for equipment, the lack of professional doctors and technicians to operate and maintain them remains a significant challenge for clinical application. Therefore, UIH places great importance on cultivating medical technology talent, providing professional pre-sales and after-sales services, and launching sustainable and holistic solutions tailored to their needs. For instance, through partnerships with leading hospitals in China, we invite doctors and technical staff from Belt and Road countries to receive training in China. At the same time, we dispatch Chinese medical experts to overseas locations for training and industry exchange activities. Through regular and in-depth two-way empowerment, we help improve the diagnostic and treatment capabilities and technical expertise of local regions.
Four Key Elements of United Imaging Healthcare’s Globalization Strategy
Finally, regarding the topic of "expanding overseas," I would like to share the four key elements of United Imaging Healthcare’s (UIH) globalization strategy. I often reflect on whether globally competitive companies like GE, Apple, and Tesla can be described as "expanding overseas." In reality, they cannot; what they have built are global brands.
The first element is that "expanding overseas" is not equivalent to globalization. Many Chinese companies have created brands with global influence. If a company has established a global presence and gained widespread market impact, it is inherently globalized and not merely "expanding into overseas markets." UIH is a global enterprise. Our headquarters is in Shanghai, China, but our technology development and innovative products have been designed for the global market from the very beginning. Just as GE’s headquarters is in the U.S., Siemens’ in Germany, and Tesla’s in the U.S. (despite its significant success in China), UIH is not "expanding overseas" but integrating into the global market from inception. In our design and R&D phases, we carefully consider the diverse needs of doctors, patients, and regions worldwide.
The second element is that products and technology are UIH’s core competencies. We rely on technological innovation to support our high-profile globalization strategy. UIH actively showcases its technological advancements by participating in major industry exhibitions, expanding relationships with local distributors, and establishing close collaborations with leading hospitals, research institutions, and industry key opinion leaders (KOLs). Beyond this, we grow alongside our partners through professional training, academic exchanges, and promoting research collaborations, consistently investing in these relationships. From a long-term perspective, UIH prioritizes localization efforts, progressively building local teams and service networks to ensure high-quality and efficient service delivery.
The third element is that, as a young brand, particularly in the healthcare industry, our customers’ decision to choose UIH is not merely a one-time transaction. The lifecycle of high-end medical equipment can extend ten years or longer, and establishing trust with hospitals and clients is a complex decision-making process. Thus, we always collaborate with high-quality, exceptional business partners worldwide. By joining forces, we collectively deliver world-class products and services to our clients.
The final element is that for a brand to truly excel in a local market, it must actively integrate into local society, humbly understand and deeply learn about the local culture and customs, seek policy support, and build trust-based relationships across multiple stakeholders. Achieving win-win development is not only essential for commercial success but also critical for a brand’s ability to take root and sustain long-term growth in the local market.
