The engineer – Siemens Healthineers announces £250 million installation of new MRI cooling technology
Siemens Healthineers said it has started construction on the 56,000m2 site, which will be the first major UK production site for the company’s DryCool technology, which reduces the amount of helium needed in an MRI scanner from 1,500 liters to less of a liter.
The new facility will also include a research and development center that will design and manufacture some of the smallest and lightest full-body scanners in the world.
The company said the site is expected to support more than 1,300 jobs when fully operational, including retaining more than 600 Oxfordshire-based jobs currently at an existing Siemens Healthineers facility in Eynsham.
The phased transition is estimated to be completed by 2030, Siemens said, subject to variable demand for products developed locally.
In a statement, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “I am delighted that Siemens Healthineers has chosen Oxfordshire for its new facilities…reinforcing the region’s status as a vanguard in healthcare and R&D.
“But as well as the incredible local benefits it will bring, this cutting-edge facility also presents an opportunity to improve patient care around the world – meaning British innovation is saving lives around the world.”
The 1.5 Tesla Magnetom Flow system is Siemens Healthineers’ second MRI scanner equipped with Dry Cool technology -Siemens Healthineers
With the support of developer Tritax Symmetry, the building was designed to be carbon neutral in operation, with consideration for the community and the environment, and strategies that aim to reduce energy demand and increase health and well-being, according to Siemens.
In addition to employment, public benefits include financial investment in the local economy, along with improvements to the local road network and environmental benefits in terms of net biodiversity gain. This is in addition to educational commitments such as guidance services for students at nearby schools and a quarter increase in the number of apprentices in a three-year program.
“MRI technology plays a vital role in diagnosing disease, helping patients get and stay healthy. As a world leader in medical imaging, we are very proud to open the next chapter of our story here in Oxford,” said Bernd Montag, CEO of Siemens Healthineers.
“This factory will be the global hub for our innovative low-helium magnetic technology, meaning we consume much less of a scarce natural resource and enable access to MRIs for many more patients.”
