Gambro BCT, Inc., (to be CaridianBCT, Inc., as of July 14) is the largest medical device manufacturer headquartered in Colorado, with worldwide revenues approaching $500M and 2300 employees. The company had previously been a subsidiary of Gambro AB, a publicly traded, multinational healthcare company based in Sweden. The name CaridianBCT combines two words "care" and "meridian" to highlight the manufacturer's commitment to care and global reach.
Denver, Colo. (PRWEB) June 20, 2008 -- Gambro BCT, Inc., to be known as CaridianBCT, Inc. as of July 14, is the largest medical device manufacturer headquartered in Colorado, with worldwide revenues approaching $500 million and 2300 employees. The announcement is made by Jack Wheeler, Chairperson of the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) Board of Directors, who says the Lakewood, CO-based company was previously a subsidiary of Gambro AB, a publicly traded, multinational healthcare company based in Sweden.
"Our industry is absolutely ecstatic that Gambro/CaridianBCT is now officially Colorado-based. With 1,800 Colorado-based employees, the company has 10% of all bioscience employees in the State. They are a powerhouse partner in building and promoting the industry in Colorado," Wheeler says.
Colorado's medical device sector employs 49% of Colorado's 18,000 bioscience employees and ranks 13th among the states and Puerto Rico in relative employment concentration for the device sector. Since 2004, employment in the device sector has increased by 3.4% in Colorado, compared to 2.8% nationally. In the Denver/Aurora MSA, which includes Jefferson County, medical device employment increased by 19.8% from 2001 - 2006. With more than 200 medical device and related companies in Colorado, the sector provides average annual wages of $60,615 (2006), which compares to $43,664 for the entire private sector in the State.
Earlier in the month, Gambro BCT announced its name change to CaridianBCT, which combines two words "care" and "meridian" to highlight the manufacturer's commitment to care and global reach.
"Our company is built on a 44-year tradition of partnering with customers to provide superior products, services and technology," says President and Chief Executive Officer David B. Perez. "Our vision, for better blood and better lives, is accomplished by being a leading global provider of products and services in automated blood collections, therapeutic systems, whole blood processes and pathogen reduction technologies."
The company is a leader in the blood bank technology industry, investing in research and development focused on enhancing blood quality, safety, supply and efficiency. The Trima Accel®, COBE® Spectra and Spectra Optia® as well as our European Mirasol® and Atreus® systems are widely recognized as delivering the highest value and quality to customers around the world. Under the new name, CaridianBCT will continue to be a pioneer in blood banking and transfusion medicine, developing and commercializing innovation that meets the needs of our customers and the patients they serve."
The company's origins date back to 1964 when founders Bob Collins and Ran Bellows established COBE Laboratories to meet emerging needs for custom heart-lung tubing packs. COBE evolved into a market leader in the blood component technology and medical specialty products industry. In 1990, Gambro AB became the parent company.
About Gambro BCT (CaridianBCT on July 14):
Gambro BCT, soon to be CaridianBCT, Inc. improves lives through innovation, quality and services delivered by its people, products and processes in blood component technology. It is a leading global provider of technology, products and services in automated blood collections, therapeutic systems, whole blood processes and pathogen reduction technologies, serving blood banks, hospitals and clinical and biotech research facilities. Headquartered in Lakewood, CO., the company has global operations in 32 countries and employs 2300 people. Mirasol and Atreus systems are not for sale in the U.S. Visit www.caridianbct.com.
About Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA):
CBSA is a not-for-profit corporation providing services and support for Colorado's growing biosciences industry. With more than 400 members, CBSA actively works to promote the growth of the industry by working for a better business environment, grow the state's biotech workforce, fight for policies that support a strong bioscience industry in the state and speak with a single voice on behalf of the industry. For more information, visit http://www.cobioscience.com.
Contacts:
Christine Shapard, Colorado BioScience Association, 303-592-4089,
Lisa Hayes, Gambro BCT/CaridianBCT, Inc., 303-231-4201
Maggie Chamberlin Holben, APR, Absolutely PR on behalf of Colorado BioScience Association, 303-984-9801
###
|
