Becton, Dickinson and Company(NYSE:BDX) is a leading hospital supply company with 2007 revenues of $6,360 million. BDX generates revenues through three business divisions: Medical (54%), Diagnostics (30%) and Biosciences (16%). ^[1] Through its Medical divison, BDX is the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of products such as needles and syringes. In fact, BDX built the first factory in the U.S. specifically for producing needles, syringes, and thermometers. ^[2]The disagnostic division deals with safely collecting and analyzing various specimens to detect diseases and the Biosciences division sells research and clinical tools which are used in the study of cells. ^[3]

Although BDX built its business manufacturing basic instruments such as needles and scalpels, the company has grown in recent years by introducting safety engineered products. ^[4] For example, the company introduced the auto-disable injection device, which is a syringe that locks in automatically once used and cannot be reused. BDX's technological improvements also make their products safer for the staff that uses them. For example, BDX's safety-guarded sharps prevent needlestick injuries for doctors and nurses, and are now mandatory in most of the hospitals across the U.S. ^[5] One further benefit is that safety engineered products also carry higher margins than traditional products. ^[6]

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