News & Events
BD Commits to Major Expansion in Columbus, Nebraska
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$50 million capital investment committed to expansion;
75 new jobs expected to be created
Contact: Colleen T. White Corporate Communications (201) 847-5369 Email: colleen_white@bd.com Columbus, NE (November 12, 2004) -- After months of negotiations with the Columbus City Council and the Platte County Board of Supervisors, the stretch of 12th Avenue that had long divided two parcels owned by BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) has been vacated to allow for a major expansion of the medical technology company's operations. BD announced that plans will now move forward for the $50 million capital investment project, which is expected to generate 75 new jobs for the community.
"The Mayor, City Council and County Supervisors have been thorough in their consideration of what this project means for BD and for deepening our 55-year commitment to Columbus," said Steve Bohnet, Plant Manager for BD Medical Surgical Systems. "Their spirit of cooperation was crucial to BD's final selection of Columbus for this expansion. Because we were able to come to this agreement in a spirit of partnership, there are a lot of excited people here at BD. We're glad to be able to say we're continuing to grow in Columbus."
BD's two Columbus facilities currently employ approximately 1,100 associates and produce a variety of medical technology products, including safety-engineered syringes and needles, syringes prefilled with IV flush solutions, prefillable injection devices provided to pharmaceutical companies, and bulk needles utilized for a wide range of medical device applications.
"Prior to the agreement to vacate 12th Avenue, expansion was limited because we did not have the room to extend our production lines or add new ones," said Bohnet. "With this land, we can do both and still maintain the controlled environment that our sterile products require."
The expansion will include two production lines for prefilled syringes, along with a sterilization process. This will permit BD to conduct its own sterilization, which is currently outsourced, as part of a more efficient and integrated manufacturing process. The expansion will add 75,000 sq. ft of plant space at BD West and an expected 75 jobs, including line work, technical and managerial staff.
Construction on the two new manufacturing lines will also begin immediately, with completion of one line anticipated in the early part of 2005 and another in the early part of 2006. A new sterilization building will be built on the property that is now on the other side of 12th Avenue; it will be joined to the new manufacturing lines, which will extend across the vacated 12th Avenue. About BD 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, 2004, BD reported total revenues of $4.935 billion.
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