Beckman Coulter Acquired by Danaher as In Vitro Diagnostics Industry Consolidates
Clinical pathology laboratory customers of Beckman Coulter shouldn’t see major changes
Yesterday came news that Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR) of Washington, D.C., would acquire Beckman Coulter, Inc., (NYSE: BEC) of Brea, California, in a transaction valued at $6.8 billion. Beckman is among the world’s larger manufacturers of in vitro diagnostics (IVD) analyzers and automation for clinical pathology laboratories.
For pathologists and medical laboratory administrators, the significance of the acquisition is that consolidation continues in the IVD testing industry. Beckman Coulter itself grew to substantial size through a series of acquisitions it completed over the past two decades. For 2009, Beckman Coulter reported revenue of $3.3 billion.
