On 1 October, the Minister of the Economy, Franz Fayot, and the Minister of Health, Paulette Lenert, inaugurated the extension of the B Medical Systems production site in Hosingen, for which the first sod was turned on 28 January in the presence of H.R.H. the Hereditary Grand Duke.
At the inauguration, the ministers were also shown a prototype of the first refrigerated vaccine transport vehicle (RVTV) certified by the World Health Organisation. It will be used to ensure the safe transport to the most remote locations of vaccines and other cold-chain sensitive pharmaceutical products. The vehicle is a Toyota land cruiser, with a B Medical Systems refrigerator attached, designed for delivery over rough terrain and capable of withstanding tropical temperatures (between +5° and +43°).
During the inauguration, the Minister of the Economy, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Action, Franz Fayot, said: "B Medical Systems is a key player in our health technology sector. This sector is in the midst of a major transformation and is facing important challenges as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and increasing digitalization. The Ministry of the Economy is of course standing by the companies to support them in their development."
As Paulette Lenert, Minister of Health, pointed out: "Given the current pandemic of COVID-19, cold chain solutions are crucial to ensure stable storage and transport of vaccines. I am therefore particularly pleased that a Luxembourg company is able to offer this kind of expertise, to develop and produce such important products, and to share them with us and the world. Let me also recall the importance of the Luxembourg private sector's expertise for developing countries, supporting them in their efforts to provide essential health services adapted to the needs of their citizens, and thus saving lives."
Finally, Luc Provost, CEO of B Medical Systems, said: "Today is a major milestone for us. The production capacity expansion reflects our strong commitment to the world in ensuring reliable medical cold chain solutions with the shortest lead times. Special thanks to the Government of Luxembourg, especially the Ministry of Economy and the commune of Hosingen for their constant support and assistance. Our aim is to make Luxembourg, a global leader in the end-to-end medical cold chain industry, and this facility takes us one step closer to realizing this dream."
Founded in 1979 in Luxembourg, B Medical Systems is a pioneer in the medical equipment industry and a world leader in the vaccine cold chain, present in over 140 countries and holding over 100 patents.
As a result of the pandemic, B Medical Systems has seen its order book from governments and major healthcare organisations around the world explode. As a result, the company has set out a major investment plan for 2020, including the expansion of its site, with a new production hall of approximately 4,500 m2 built in six months.
Thanks to this investment, B Medical Systems plans to double its turnover by 2020, while its workforce has increased from 209 to 337 in the space of a year. In total, the company has invested 15 million euros in several phases, partly funded by the Ministry of the Economy as part of the aid for an investment project for products to help combat the health crisis. While the construction of the new production hall and the installation of the new production lines has been completed, the construction of a new storage hall for semi-finished products and raw materials should be finished by the end of November.
Press release by the Ministry of the Ecomony/ Ministry of Health
