Olympus is moving some medical device assembly to China, responding to Beijing’s push for hospitals to source equipment domestically. The Japanese medical technology giant has completed construction of a new factory in Suzhou to produce flexible endoscopes and other medical devices for the Chinese market.
The company will maintain production of core components in Japan while shifting final assembly to the mainland. The move comes as China’s healthcare sector faces increasing pressure to reduce reliance on imported medical equipment.
The strategy aligns with Olympus’s efforts to strengthen its position in China, where it controls over 70% of the flexible endoscope market. The company recently established a development hub focused on AI-powered medical imaging technologies, suggesting a longer-term commitment to the region.
According to Hidenao Tsuchiya, Olympus’s regional representative for China, the market shows strong growth potential due to China’s population size. The company’s China operations currently generate more than 10% of global sales, supported by an endoscope training center that has educated 160,000 medical professionals since 2009.
