Varex Imaging's Strategic Expansion into India for Cost-Effective Radiographic Manufacturing in Q3 2025

Analysis of "India" in Varex Imaging Corporation's Q3 2025 Earnings Transcript

Varex Imaging Corporation discusses "India" primarily in the context of its strategic manufacturing expansion and supply chain initiatives. The mentions reveal a clear focus on leveraging India as a cost-effective manufacturing hub for radiographic components, aimed at enhancing global competitiveness and mitigating tariff impacts.

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1. Strategic Manufacturing Expansion in India

• Objective:
  The company is actively expanding its manufacturing footprint in India to produce radiographic detectors and components at a lower cost. This is positioned as a key enabler for growth in the radiographic components segment, especially in the value-tier market where competition from Asia-based companies is strong.

• Production Timeline:
  Varex expects to begin production and shipping of radiographic detectors from its India facility around the fiscal year-end (Q4 FY2025).

• Global Supply Role:
  The India plant is intended to serve global consumption, not just local or regional markets. This global orientation helps the company avoid tariffs by manufacturing outside the U.S. and shipping directly from India.

• Product Focus:
  The India facility will produce competitively priced radiographic detectors, including the LUMEN HD and HD Pro product lines, which combine innovation with cost leadership.

"So India, the main strategy for India for us is to be able to produce radiographic components in a more cost-effective manner so that we are more price competitive in the market. This is a value tier type of a market. So that is our strategy out of India. And so we plan to produce out of India for global consumption."

"In Medical, we continue to make progress with our India expansion plans and expect to begin production of radiographic detectors around fiscal year-end. As mentioned previously, our objective for India is to establish low-cost manufacturing for value tier radiographic components where we face competition from Asia-based companies."

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2. Tariff Mitigation and Supply Chain Resiliency

• Tariff Impact:
  India is part of Varex’s broader tariff mitigation strategy. By shifting production to India, the company aims to reduce tariff exposure on raw materials and finished goods, especially related to U.S. imports.

• Supply Chain Diversification:
  India is a relatively new initiative in the company’s supply chain diversification efforts. While there is some supply flow from India to the U.S., it is currently not significant. The company emphasizes dual and triple sourcing to enhance supply chain resiliency.

• Midstream Progress:
  Management describes the India-related initiatives as being in the "mid-innings" — not early but not fully mature — indicating ongoing progress but acknowledging that these changes take time.

"And a number of initiatives that we are in midstream, for example, redirect material spending to suppliers in a lower tariff region, so to say, and duty drawback and bonded warehouse and also more local-for-local manufacturing. So all of those initiatives are in play."

"Yes. There is not -- I mean, there may be small, but there is no significant dependence in the U.S. for product coming from India. And keep in mind, dual sourcing and triple sourcing has been some of the mantras for the supply chain folks and the team here. So we are slowly increasing our supply chain from a supply chain resiliency perspective, other countries. So -- and India anyway has been a new initiative for us."

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3. Competitive Positioning and Market Implications

• Value Tier Market Focus:
  India’s manufacturing is targeted at the value tier segment, where price competitiveness is critical due to competition from other Asian manufacturers.

• Growth Driver:
  The India factories are expected to be a key growth driver for radiographic components in the coming years, supporting Varex’s global market share ambitions.

• Regulatory and Operational Readiness:
  The company has obtained necessary regulatory licenses for the U.S. and Europe and has begun shipping from its Salt Lake City factory, with India production to complement and expand capacity.

"We expect our factories in India to be a key enabler for driving growth in radiographic components in the coming years."

"Our goal is to gain share globally with these detectors."

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Summary

Varex Imaging views India as a strategic manufacturing hub critical to its long-term growth and tariff mitigation strategy. The company is progressing steadily toward operationalizing production of radiographic detectors in India by fiscal year-end 2025. This initiative supports cost competitiveness in the value-tier market segment and enhances supply chain resiliency through diversification. While India’s current supply contribution to the U.S. is limited, the company is actively developing this channel as part of a broader global manufacturing and tariff strategy.

The tone from management is cautiously optimistic, acknowledging that these initiatives are complex and ongoing but essential for maintaining competitive positioning and managing external trade challenges.

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Key Quote Highlight:

"So India, the main strategy for India for us is to be able to produce radiographic components in a more cost-effective manner so that we are more price competitive in the market... We expect our factories in India to be a key enabler for driving growth in radiographic components in the coming years."

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This analysis reflects Varex Imaging’s strategic emphasis on India as a manufacturing and supply chain pivot point to support global growth and tariff risk management.