The recent years have been marked by the consolidation and strengthening of the leading world manufacturers of ultrasound scanners: Hitachi-Aloka, Samsung-Medison, Mindray-Zonare. As a result of combining of financial resources, technologies and distribution network of the above stated companies the strengthening of the competition on the world market of ultrasound scanners is expected.

1. On April 1, 2011 the company Hitachi Aloka Medical Ltd. was formed as a result of the merger of two companies – Aloka Co., Ltd. and Hitachi Medical Corporation. The most popular manufacturer of ultrasound scanners in Russia – the company Aloka became a 100% owned subsidiary of Hitachi Medical Corporation.

Aloka Co., Ltd.

The share of Aloka ultrasound scanners on the world market was about 7%. 1150 persons worked at the firm Aloka, established in 1950. In 2011,the sales volume of ultrasound scanners was Yen 41,6 bln (US$472 mln). The share of Aloka ultrasound scanners on the Russian market has been steadily decreasing and was bout 4% in 2011. For comparison, this share reached 70% in the USSR.

Hitachi Medical Corporation

Hitachi Medical was established in May 1949. In March 2011, the firm’s capital amounted to Yen 13,9 bln, the number of personnel was 5402. The firm produces ultrasound scanners, MRI and CT computers and other equipment. The share of ultrasound scanners of Hitachi Medical on the world market was above 4%.

2. At the end of 2010, the company Samsung Electronics purchased the controlling stake of Medison. By using the financial and technological potencial of Samsung the new company Samsung Medison will be able to compete on equal with the leading world manufacturers of ultrasound scanners.

Samsung Electronics

The company Samsung, one of the world leaders in the field of information technology and audio-visual equipment, was founded in 1969. Samsung has 124 offices in 56 countries in the world. The main activities of the Samsung Electronics are semiconductors and LCDs, digital media technology, consumer electronics, information technology and telecommunications.

The company's turnover in 2011 amounted to US$247,5 bln, the net profit was US$18,3 bln. The number of personnel is 369 thousand.

Medison

The company Medison was founded in 1985. It is exporting its products to more than 100 countries in the world. Within the last two years Samsung Medison was on the second place in Russia in the volume of supplies of ultrasound scanners in terms of value.

3. June 12, 2013 - Mindray Medical International Limited announced about the purchase of ZONARE Medical Systems, Inc. (ZONARE) at US$105 mln. The company Mindray expects that this transaction will both increase the sales of ultrasound scanners of the company in USA and will allow the company Mindray to become a leading supplier of the high quality ultrasound scanners to the world markets. Recently there has been some pullback in this merging, probably the talks to buy ZONARE are continuing.

Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.

The company Mindray was founded in 1991 as the developer and manufacturer of inexpensive medical equipment. In 2001, Mindray produced its first ultrasound scanner, and in 2006 the first ultrasound scanner with the color Doppler was manufactured. Today the company Mindray is No. 1 on the world market of black-and-white ultrasound scanners.