'Grand platform' provides big boost for Olympus

Each year, long-time participants in the China International Import Expo such as Olympus, the Japanese optical medical technology company, experience positive spinoffs from showcasing their products and services at the event.

Since its establishment in China in 1972, Olympus has considered this market an indispensable component and a catalyst for growth in the company's global strategic blueprint. To Wang Xiaoyong, executive general manager at Olympus Global for medical services in China, the CIIE serves as a "grand platform" for unveiling new products, cutting-edge technologies and innovative services, an "accelerator" for deeper immersion into the Chinese market and a "telescope" for recognizing industry trends.

Each CIIE witnesses the premieres of numerous global products, technologies and services, with many of them making their debut on a global, Asian, or Chinese scale. Over the past five years, Olympus has introduced almost 90 medical technology products in various fields, including digestive health, respiratory health, otorhinolaryngology, urology, gynecology and surgery. Many of these state-of-the-art products have made their first appearance at the CIIE, attracting significant attention.

At the 2020 CITE, Olympus launched Visera Elite II, a surgical product with a multifunctional video imaging platform powered by advanced algorithms and optical sensitivity. Its release attracted considerable industry attention, with extensive media coverage. At last year's expo, the company debuted OER-Smart, an innovative endoscope cleaning and disinfection device. The product gained exposure to more than 190 million person-times through coverage by over 40 media outlets that visited the Olympus booth.

Its presence at the CIIE for five consecutive years has allowed Olympus to better understand China's market demands and build closer relationships with its Chinese clientele, said Wang. The company has set forth the goal of "China playing a pivotal role in driving business development in the future" and in 2021 it initiated a "China Strategy" to underline its unwavering commitment to the market.

In April, Olympus officially inked an agreement to establish a production and research and development base in Suzhou, Jiangsu province. This project stands as the company's inaugural venture into medical equipment production and R&D within China, signifying a significant stride in the pursuit of its "China Strategy".

This year, the company will celebrate its participation in six consecutive CIIEs by unveiling its latest and most cutting-edge digestive endoscopy system to Chinese clients.