News & Events
BD, Sumter County Announce Major Facility Expansion
|
Contact: Colleen T. White Corporate Communications (201) 847-5369 Email: colleen_white@bd.com Patricia A. Spinella Investor Relations (201) 847-5453 Email: patricia_spinella@bd.com
Franklin Lakes, NJ (July 27, 2004) - BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE:BDX), a global medical technology company, today announced that it reached an agreement with Sumter County officials on July 20, 2004 to expand its operations in Sumter County. The agreement is expected to bring $65 million in new investment by BD and more than 120 new jobs to the area.
"BD has found the Gamecock City a great place to do business since 1970," said Jim Sanyi, General Manager of the Sumter facility. "We'll be inaugurating our 35th year here with an expansion that will further deepen our commitment, and produce new jobs in the community. We're delighted."
"In addition to offering a skilled workforce and a wonderful way of life, Sumter County has continued to create an environment that allows businesses and the community to grow in partnership," said County Development Board President Steve Rest. "That's the combination that will allow us to stay competitive in the high-tech global economy."
The project will add four production lines in the Sumter facility, which has been a manufacturing site for BD since 1970. The project will also bring upgrades and enhancements to existing operations in Sumter.
Construction will begin in late summer, and is planned for completion in early 2005. BD anticipates that the project will add more than 120 jobs over the next two years. BD currently employs 740 associates in Sumter, mostly in high-value technical manufacturing positions.
Details of the expansion plans and inducement resolution will be made public at County Council meetings on July 27, August 10 and August 24, with a public hearing on August 24.
BD is a medical technology company that serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry and the general public. BD manufactures and sells a broad range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2003, BD reported total revenues of $4.528 billion. This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements (as defined under Federal securities laws) regarding BD's performance, including future revenues, products and income, or events or developments that BD expects to occur or anticipates occurring in the future. All such statements are based upon current expectations of BD and involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially from anticipated results described, implied or projected in any forward-looking statement. Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to: competitive factors; pricing and market share pressures; changes in interest or foreign currency exchange rates; changes in BD's sales volume and product mix; BD's ability to achieve its cost savings objectives; difficulties inherent in product development and delays in product introductions; changes in regional, national or foreign economic conditions; increases in energy costs; fluctuations in costs and availability of raw materials and in BD's ability to maintain favorable supplier arrangements and relationships; uncertainties of litigation; and changes in healthcare or other governmental regulation; issuance of new or revised accounting standards, as well as other factors discussed in this press release and in BD's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not intend to update any forward-looking statements.
|