Siemens Healthineers Expands Tennessee Manufacturing and Research Operations

Tennessee's healthcare and advanced manufacturing sectors continue to grow as Siemens Healthineers announces a $43.6 million expansion in Blount County that will create more than 90 new jobs over the next five years.

The expansion will take place at the company's Dunavant Drive facility in Rockford, which houses Siemens Healthineers Molecular Imaging's PET Detector Center for research and development and material production. The investment will increase production capacity for PET detector technology and support the launch of new PET/CT product lines.

The project is notable from a workforce perspective because it combines healthcare technology, advanced manufacturing, and research and development. The PET detectors produced at the facility are used in PET/CT scanners, which help clinicians visualize and measure activity associated with conditions including cancer, cardiac disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

The more than 90 positions created through the expansion will add to the region's growing demand for workers with technical and specialized skills. As medical technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, employers need employees who can work in manufacturing environments while also meeting the technical and quality standards required by the healthcare industry.

For the Upper Cumberland, developments like this reinforce the importance of preparing workers for careers that cross traditional industry boundaries. Healthcare is not limited to hospitals and clinics. It also includes medical manufacturing, research, technology, engineering, and other technical occupations that support the healthcare system.

Workforce Connections works with employers throughout the Upper Cumberland to strengthen these kinds of workforce pipelines through programs including Incumbent Worker Training, apprenticeship development, recruitment assistance, and connections to qualified job seekers.

Siemens Healthineers' expansion demonstrates how investment in advanced manufacturing and research can create new career opportunities while strengthening Tennessee's position in the growing healthcare technology industry. As companies continue bringing innovative operations to the state, workforce development will remain an important part of making sure Tennessee residents are prepared to fill the jobs of the future.