Siemens acquires US ultrasound manufacturer

The Siemens Medical Engineering Group based in Erlangen, Germany, successfully completed the acquisition of the US ultrasound systems manufacturer Acuson Corp. headquartered in Mountain View, California, in a transaction valued at approximately $700 million.

In the Philippines, Acuson is being marketed and distributed by Eximed. Together with Siemens Medical Systems Inc., the local business group responsible for Siemens’ medical solutions business in the country, the two firms participated as exhibitors in the Philippine Heart Association’s 32nd Annual Convention and Scientific Meeting held last week at the Shangri-La EDSA Plaza Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

The plenary sessions included professorial lectures by the country’s top heart specialists, sessions on acute coronary, myocardial infarction, and a special plenary on the PHA’s anti-smoking campaign.

Siemens’ acquisition of Acuson is viewed as part of its strategy to become an IT-driven company and to further its transformation to an e-company. In particular, in the healthcare sector is currently in a major transition toward Internet utilization.

The Siemens Medical Engineering Group is one of the largest suppliers of healthcare products and services in the world. It is renowned for its innovative products, services and complete solutions, ranging from imaging systems for diagnostics and therapy products for treatment, electromedicine and hearing instruments to IT solutions that optimize workflow and increase efficiency in hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices.

Siemens also offers data management solutions to its customers as an application service provider, including disease-oriented process management in prevention, cure and care.

In fiscal 1999/2000, the Siemens Medical Engineering Group had new orders of 5.3 billion euros, and sales of 5.1 billion euros. The company employs 27,000 people worldwide, including those in the newly acquired companies Shared Medical Systems and Acuson.