Medtronic to Build Insulin Pump Manufacturing Facility in China

As part of the agreement, Medtronic will invest in a manufacturing facility for a next generation sensor augmented pump system with SmartGuard technology that will help provide better treatment management for the growing diabetes population in China. In addition, Medtronic will partner with the Chengdu government to enable habitants of the metropolitan area and the broader Sichuan province to access the locally produced technology, with software displayed in Chinese language.

The manufacturing facility is the second Medtronic plant to be built in Chengdu, following a previous announcement in August 2014 that stated the company would establish its first factory worldwide for portable hemodialysis equipment in in the city. Following that agreement, Medtronic and the Chengdu municipality signed a strategic partnership agreement in September 2015, with the intention of expanding access in China and other countries to proven solutions for the management of diabetes and other diseases.

“Medtronic and Chengdu share a commitment to transform diabetes care through advanced therapies that can provide greater freedom and better health to over one hundred million people living with diabetes in China,” said Alejandro Galindo, president of the intensive insulin management business at Medtronic. “By manufacturing both advanced insulin pumps and hemodialysis products in Chengdu, we will benefit from the expertise of this global medical technology hub, while expanding access of our innovative therapies to China's growing population.”

“The latest agreement marks another milestone in collaboration between Chengdu and Medtronic and confirms the potential of a public private partnership to improve health and quality of life for underserved diabetes population in China and beyond,” said Yuan Zongyong, deputy director of the Chengdu High Tech Zone.

Medtronic employs more than 85,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals, and patients in approximately 160 countries, and prefers collaborating with stakeholders in each country in which it operates. The Chinese government, on its part, is known to favor devices made locally through by promoting policies such as favorable reimbursement, giving them an edge over imported products.

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