News & Events

Brezins, France (November 12, 1996) -- At the end of October, Becton Dickinson and Company sold Vial Medical Infusion Systems, the Brezins, France firm it had acquired in 1987. Vial Medical was purchased by Fresenius, a worldwide health care group employing 35,000 people, for $24 million.

"The divestiture of Vial is part of the phased process we are engaged in to transform our company. The direction we have taken has been to clarify those businesses that have good performance and market strength, and divest those we don't feel we can support but that can grow as part of another company," explained Clateo Castellini. "In this way, we have been able to simplify our organization so that each of our worldwide businesses can achieve performance consistent with its strength. Vial concludes the divestitures we envisioned at the time of the strategy revision two years ago."

According to officials at Fresenius, the acquisition of Vial will strengthen its European activities in the infusion syringe pump business. Vial will continue to be based in Brezins, a small town north of Grenoble, a positive outcome for both employees and the community. The 120 Vial employees will be employed by Fresenius and Frederic Denerolle will continue as General Manager of the facility.

"This was perhaps our most complicated and most successful divestiture, resulting from the combined efforts of our U.S. and European staffs," said Mark Throdahl, Senior Vice President. "It was important to us that we find the right buyer for Vial -- one that considers electromechanical pumps a core business and was willing to maintain the Brezins facility and its employees."