News & Events

Franklin Lakes, NJ (January 29, 1998) -- Becton Dickinson announced today the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire the Medical Devices Division of Ohmeda, the health care business of The BOC Group for approximately $452 million. Ohmeda's Medical Device Division (MDD) is a leading European marketer of intravenous catheters for infusion therapy and has a strong presence in developing markets in Eastern Europe and Asia. In addition to peripheral catheters and other disposable devices for infusion therapy, the division supplies critical care products such as central venous catheters and pulmonary artery catheters in Europe and Asia.

MDD has manufacturing and development facilities in Sweden, Germany, the U.K. and Singapore, with sales offices worldwide. Sales of the division were approximately $200 million in 1997.

Clateo Castellini said, "The acquisition of this business is an important continuation of our strategy to increase our growth rate and our relevance to customers by making acquisitions that fit strategically with our businesses. The combination of Ohmeda's Medical Devices Division with our successful infusion therapy business will allow us to better serve customers worldwide, extending our global reach and taking advantage of the capabilities of both organizations to fulfill our company purpose of helping all people live healthy lives."

Dr. Robert Adrion, president of Becton's Worldwide Infusion Therapy business, noted that, "The Ohmeda and Becton Dickinson businesses are highly complementary in product lines and geographical presence. We look forward to joining with the people of Ohmeda to continue improving the delivery of innovative health care solutions to global customers and to grow the business to its full potential."

The BOC group announced its intention to sell its Ohmeda unit a number of months ago in order to more sharply focus on its strong positions in its core businesses: industrial gases, vacuum technology and distribution. Under separate definitive agreements signed today, the other parts of Ohmeda are being purchased by Instrumentarium Corporation, a Finland-based company, and by Baxter International Inc.