Its regional operations deliver cutting-edge medical and analytical technologies to sectors ranging from healthcare and pharmaceuticals to environmental monitoring and academia.
Gordan Tomac, Director of Shimadzu d.o.o. Croatia, shares how the company’s vision, local leadership, and long-term commitment have shaped its role as a trusted partner in advancing science and quality of life across the region.
Shimadzu has served the Croatian market since 1997, extending its presence to Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and beyond. How has your journey in the Adria region evolved over nearly three decades, and what key milestones define that growth?
Our journey in the Adria region began in 1997, when Shimadzu selected Zagreb as the site for a new subsidiary, following our involvement in a major project to rebuild Croatia’s hospital diagnostic imaging infrastructure.
This positioned us early on as a trusted partner in the healthcare sector. From there on, we expanded independently into neighboring countries, establishing a strong regional presence with offices in Sarajevo, Belgrade, and Skopje — thus creating a hybrid organization that functions as one integrated entity across several locations.
Today, Shimadzu Zagreb serves as a regional center, delivering high-performance medical and analytical solutions across several markets. Over the past 28 years, we have built a comprehensive platform of products, services, and expertise — driven by a dedicated team and guided by a clear mission: to improve quality of life through advanced technology. Our sustained growth and market leadership reflect our ability to evolve with the needs of science, healthcare, and industry. We remain fully committed to innovation, collaboration, and keeping our customers at the heart of everything we do.
For three decades, you have been building a presence in the wider regional market. What prompted you to recognize the importance of expanding beyond national borders, and how has that approach proven itself in the long term?
We recognized the importance of establishing a strong regional presence relatively early — to harness synergies that helped us turn local strengths into sustainable, cross-border growth, and to prioritize foreign direct investment over working solely through distributors. We saw great human potential in the region and wanted to connect it directly to Shimadzu, laying solid foundations for further expansion based on our own resources. At a time when many doubted the potential of small markets like ours, we saw opportunity — and we are pleased that this vision proved successful and has since served as an inspiration to others.
Our regional approach is not centralized in the traditional sense. While we operate as an integrated regional organization, we make a conscious effort to ensure that each office maintains its unique identity and operates almost as an independent entity. Our central strategy provides overall direction, but it is local knowledge that drives our teams. We believe in local leadership — tailored to the language, culture, and market dynamics of each country we serve. Each office has the autonomy to adapt to its environment, yet we work in close synergy, functioning as a strong, connected, and unified collective.
Shimadzu’s precision instruments are vital in healthcare, environmental testing, food quality, and more — including a strong presence in medical diagnostic equipment. Which sectors in Croatia and the wider region are currently driving the greatest demand for your technologies, particularly in healthcare, and what factors are fueling that growth?
Shimadzu’s precision instruments are in high demand across Croatia and the region, mainly driven by healthcare, pharmaceuticals, environmental testing, and food safety. Healthcare growth is fueled by an aging population and rising chronic illnesses, increasing the need for advanced diagnostic tools and medical equipment. Our imaging systems support early and accurate diagnosis, while our analytical instruments aid in faster, patient-focused drug development and treatment.
Environmental monitoring focuses on detecting pollutants like harmful residues in water. Food safety relies on accurate contaminant detection to meet increasingly stringent regulations. Additionally, industries like the automotive sector use our systems for quality control. The research and academic sector also plays a key role, requiring high-end systems that offer state-of-the-art performance.
Together, these sectors drive strong demand, reinforcing Shimadzu’s role in shaping a healthier, safer, and more sustainable future.
