Title	Korea Economy Daily With Business Noted Business: Humanscan, 5 Patents in Ultrasound Diagnostic Imaging ’Probe’
No.	15	Date	2011-08-08 10:17:45
In 2000, Humanscan (CEO Rhim Sung Min), a venture company, was established to become the first in the world to mass produce probes for ultrasound diagnostic imaging machines that use piezoelectric single crystals. The probe that this company developed is an innovative product that differentiates from the existing probe using PZT ceramics by achieving great distinction in performance. A member of the company explained ”By increasing performance by more than double, it is able to diagnose diseases that are not diagnosable by the existing PZT product.” The performance of the probe this company has made is being acknowledged to the point where it will be installed and used in GE and Siemens’ high end equipments. The ultrasound probe is largely classified into cardiac, internal medicine gynecology, and the carotid (artery). The company’s explanation regarding ‘the cardiac’ is that a technique of high degree is necessary in order to diagnose a heart because it moves quicker and has a more complex structure differing from the other organs. The ultrasound probe for the heart is this company’s main product. CEO Rhim Sung Min commented that ”present product requires using different probes depending on Asian, Westerner, child or adult, and the physical size and shape. However, our company’s product’s diagnosis bandwidth is more than double so has the advantage of being able to diagnose with only one probe.” Furthermore, the product’s superiority in sensitivity and resolution allows the diagnosis of diseases which previously had to use CT(Computed Tomography) or MRI(Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to find. Especially, the fact that diagnosis is still possible under serious abdomen obesity is this product’s strong point. This company has 5 patents on single crystal probe manufacturing technologies. Because the company has been acknowledged for the advancement in the field, in 2007, the company even gave a speech on ’Single Crystal Probe’s Trend) at the International Ultrasound Wave Symposium held by IEEE (International Electrical and Electronics Engineers); an academic society with membership from 175 countries all over the world. The company has been registered as medical equipment manufacturer not only in Korea but also in USA and Japan. The company has obtained quality certifications from Korea, USA and Japan. Starting 2005, the company focused on export of cardiac probes to the overseas market. Currently, with 80% of sales on export, the company is growing as a very important global enterprise. Today, they are exporting to America, Norway, and Germany. This year they will begin exporting to Austria. A member of the company stated ”for the expansion in the global market, they will expand to such countries like Canada, Italy, Japan, China”. Major sales are GE 40%, Siemens 25%, Medison 20%, and other overseas businesses 15%. After raising sales of $900,000 in 2007, the company is showing rapid growth by selling 3 million dollars in 2008, and 6 million dollars last year. With an increase to 40 employees this year, the goal is 11 million dollars in sales this year. CEO Rhim emphasized,”we plan to expand business by developing ultrasound diagnostic machines for the veterinary and industrial usages where higher performance equipments are being required.” 2010-01-13 Lee Gae Joo Reports Leerun@hankyung.com