-- Company commended for the superior price-performance ratio of its product portfolio and for outstanding technical support

LONDON, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the general X-ray devices market, Frost & Sullivan recognises Shimadzu Corporation with the 2013 South Africa Market Share Leadership Award.  

Shimadzu Corporation, together with its South African representative, Africa X-Ray Industrial & Medical (Pty) Ltd (AXIM), has positioned itself as the market leader principally in the public healthcare sector and is poised to make rapid strides within the private sector as well.

"The company is lauded for offering a product portfolio at an exceptional price-performance ratio," noted Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Shalena Naidoo.  "It has been able to overcome the financial restraints within the highly price-sensitive public sector through its high quality, reliable offerings that cover the spectrum from high-end to mid-range, and provide outstanding value for the cost."

Shimadzu Corporation/AXIM imparts hardware and software skills training to radiographers and radiologists through regular training workshops and conferences.  Such initiatives have been critical to improving the skill sets of professionals handling general X-ray devices, while also strengthening Shimadzu Corporation's competitive positioning in the South African market.

"The company's strong, geographically dispersed technical support network helps rapidly service device units across the country," stated Naidoo. "Through this, the Shimadzu brand represents service excellence within the general X-ray device market in South Africa."

The company offers technical support in regions that are not accessed by other competitors.  Smaller regions, such as East London and Bloemfontein, are effectively serviced by AXIM's technical staff, enabling it to strengthen customer loyalty to the brand.

"Shimadzu Corporation/AXIM have set the industry standard in terms of service excellence," remarked Naidoo. "The company's strong regional technical support capacity remains the gold standard for other leading competitors in the market."

The company continues to pioneer easy-to-use, highly efficient and top quality products. Currently, it has about seven device model units available in the South African market.  

The top selling model that features mainly within the public sector is the RADspeed Series . An ergonomic design and ease-of-operation have underlined the appeal of this model in public hospital settings.

"With technology research and development conducted in Japan, Shimadzu continues to bring in world-class medical imaging devices to South Africa, thereby aiding in improved diagnosis and patient treatment," concluded Naidoo.

The Frost & Sullivan Award for Market Share Leadership is presented to the company that has demonstrated excellence in capturing the highest market share within its industry.  The Award recognizes the company's leadership position within the industry in terms of revenues or units, as specified.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

About Shimadzu Corporation

SHIMADZU is one of the world's leading manufacturers of advanced imaging systems and equipment for use in medical diagnosis and treatment. Experience in this highly specialized field dates back to 1909 when Shimadzu produced Japan's first X-ray apparatus for medical use. We have remained at the forefront of technology and design for nearly 100 years. Today, we develop, manufacture and distribute a broad range of diagnostic systems in all areas of clinical application - Digital Subtraction Angiography, Cardiovascular Systems, Digital Radiography & Fluoroscopy Systems, and general radiography equipment. To meet your clinical demands, SHIMADZU always proposes the BEST SOLUTION.For information about Shimadzu, and to contact your local office, please visit our Web site as www.shimadzu.com

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Contact:

Kenjiro Takayanagi
International Business Department
Shimadzu Corporation
T: +81-3-32195645
E: takayan@shimadzu.co.jp

Kristina Menzefricke
Best Practices Group
Frost & Sullivan
T: +44 (0) 207 9157862
E: kristina.menzefricke@frost.com

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan