New program at Kigali College of Rwanda Polytechnic puts RIX factory-level compressor training within reach of hospital biomedical technicians across the continent

BENICIA, Calif., Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — RIX Industries, a recognized leader in advanced gas compression, gas generation, and precision-engineered technologies, today announced a formal training partnership with Build Health International (BHI), a nonprofit organization specializing in designing and building healthcare infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Through the partnership, BHI will deliver RIX factory-equivalent training on high-pressure oxygen compressors at its training center at Kigali College of Rwanda Polytechnic in collaboration with the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC). This program provides the hands-on technical instruction biomedical technicians need to keep equipment running across sub-Saharan Africa.

The Kigali training center houses RIX 2PS and RIX 2V3 compressors alongside an operating pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plant and oxygen distribution system. Sessions cover booster compressor safety, routine maintenance, component identification, and troubleshooting.

“Access to medical oxygen is one of the most fundamental gaps in healthcare across sub-Saharan Africa, and a well-maintained compressor is the difference between a hospital that can provide care and one that cannot,” said Andrew L. Johnston, Director of Medical Oxygen and Training, Build Health International. “A primary barrier to effective maintenance in many contexts is the lack of the required knowledge and skills. This partnership with RIX closes that gap by bringing factory-level instruction to Kigali in a way that is practical, affordable, and sustainable.”

RIX and BHI have worked together informally for years. RIX compressors can be found in hospitals throughout Africa, which prompted BHI’s biomedical teams to build some of the most widely used repair guides and video resources available for that equipment. To launch the formal program, RIX sent two of its U.S.-based engineers to Kigali to train the full BHI Rwanda team on the 2PS and 2V3. The BHI team then demonstrated their readiness by training an in-person cohort of biomedical engineers from Ethiopia while the RIX engineers observed. At the end of the training, one Rwanda Polytechnic biomedical faculty member commented that the training experience felt like being transported from Africa to the RIX factory.

“RIX oxygen compressors are a standard sight in hospitals across Africa, but equipment requires maintenance and getting people in the region trained to maintain it has been a longstanding issue,” said Doug Richmond, Technical Sales Manager, RIX Industries. “BHI has been in the field with these systems for years, and they know exactly what technicians need to know. Partnering with them to bring that training to Rwanda means we can reach the people who need it most, at a cost that works for them.”

BHI has trained more than 2,700 biomedical and management personnel across 41 countries since 2022, 31 of them in Africa. Its Rwanda team supports real-time remote troubleshooting channels that hospital biomeds across the continent use when equipment goes down. The team has also produced some of the most widely circulated open-access repair guides and instructional videos available for RIX equipment — resources that are free and used by technicians who have never attended formal training.

The training program is a targeted market-shaping intervention that has the potential to increase demand for spare parts and consumables and increase production of bottled medical oxygen. BHI views this partnership with RIX, the leading provider of booster compressors, as well aligned with its mission of improving the quality of healthcare in low-resource settings through increasing access to medical oxygen. RIX booster compressor training is an investment in both RIX’s continued growth in Africa and in emerging markets more broadly and in ensuring the availability of lifesaving medical oxygen.

Training sessions are open to biomedical technicians, distributors, hospital equipment operators, and others with a professional need to work on RIX compression systems. Biomedical technicians, distributors, and equipment operators can reach BHI through bhioxygen.org or contact RIX Industries directly for information on upcoming program dates and availability.

About RIX Industries
Serving critical infrastructure markets, RIX Industries is a global leader in the design, development, and manufacturing of gas generation systems, precision compressor solutions, and cryogenic cooling technologies. A provider of mission-critical solutions to the U.S. Navy for over 135 years, RIX innovation solves challenges in complex applications across global markets, including marine, aerospace, land, energy, industrial, and medical.

Founded in 1878, the company is headquartered in Benicia, California, and operates additional production facilities in Sparks, Nevada. For more information, visit RIX Industries or call 707.747.5900.

About Build Health International
Build Health International (BHI) is a nonprofit design-and-build organization specializing in architecture, engineering, construction, and facilities maintenance for healthcare facilities in low- and middle-income countries. Through its oxygen program, BHI provides technical training, remote support, and field resources to biomedical technicians and healthcare administrators working to keep medical oxygen systems operational. BHI’s 120 team members, representing 20 countries of origin, work alongside ministries of health, global health nonprofits, and equipment manufacturers to strengthen healthcare infrastructure worldwide. For more information, visit buildhealthinternational.org.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/856a34f4-ec0c-4e59-9d17-fe7a5dca1558

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