The market conditions in some of the countries where we sell our products vary considerably. Fresenius Medical Care successfully takes this disparity into account with its differentiated product range. Our R&D teams benefit from this: As our product development is decentralized, we can address regional requirements quickly. However, chronic kidney failure is increasingly becoming a global problem, leading to growing demand for improved, high-quality yet cost-efficient treatment methods. For our innovation teams around the world, this results in synergies that we intend to leverage by having a global R&D function.
In 2015, 649 highly qualified employees worked for Fresenius Medical Care in R&D worldwide (2014: 599). They come from various backgrounds: Physicians work side by side with software specialists, business economists and engineers in interdisciplinary teams. Most activities are carried out at our facilities in Schweinfurt and Bad Homburg (Germany). Other R&D sites are in St. Wendel (Germany), Bucharest (Romania) and Krems (Austria). In the U.S., the Company maintains centers of excellence for the development of devices in Concord and Lake Forest, California, and for dialyzers and other disposable products in Ogden, Utah. Development activities in Shanghai and Changshu (China) are focused on the growing demand for cost-effective dialysis systems for Asia and emerging markets. The global R&D organization coordinates collaboration and technology exchange among the various sites.
