IBA, the world leader in particle accelerator technology and electron beam and X-ray solutions for industrial advanced irradiation, announced it has signed a contract with China Gold Irradiation (CGI), the largest high standard irradiation service company in China, to install a Rhodotron in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, as a first step of the transition of China’s irradiation processing industry to a new stage of high-quality development.

The Jianxing centre in East China will be the first CGI centre to install X-ray technology. It will provide expanded irradiation capacity to this medical device centralised area as well as abundant capacity to nurture related industries where high-standard irradiation service is needed, such as biological and traditional Chinese medicine products.

While cobalt availability is becoming increasingly constrained, X-ray represents a sustainable and strategic alternative for the sterilisation industry. CGI is determined to invest into X-ray technology to meet the increasingly diversified industrial needs, to further reinforce its leadership in high-end irradiation service domain.

The IBA Rhodotron TT1000 system is equivalent to a five million curies gamma irradiation center using cobalt and can treat over 60,000 pallets per year. The typical price this X-ray system ranges from EUR 12 million to 15 million, depending on the configuration and options.

Fang Zhonghua, Chairman of board China Gold Irradiation, commented: "The introduction of IBA Rhodotron represents an important step in the technological diversification of China Gold Irradiation and a concrete action toward high-quality development and the “Healthy China” strategy.”

Thomas Servais, President of IBA Industrial, added: "This agreement reaffirms the growing momentum of X-ray technology in China and also represents a key asset and a strategic milestone in addressing the scarcity of cobalt while highlighting the sustainable nature of X-ray sterilization solutions. CGI stands out as a pioneering service center and one of the early adopters of X-ray technology. With the acquisition of an IBA X-ray accelerator, there is no doubt that CGI’s strong reputation, both in China and globally, will help accelerate X-ray market adoption in China and support the ongoing transition from Gamma to X-ray technologies.”