Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) is an American medical technology company that manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems, and reagents. BD also provides consulting and analytics services in certain geographies. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs nearly 76,000 people in more than 50 countries throughout the world.[2] In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, 60% of BD sales were generated from non-U.S. markets. The company’s customers include health care institutions, science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry, and the general public. BD was one of the first companies to sell U.S.-made glass syringes. It was also a pioneer in the production of hypodermic needles. Today, BD is divided into two segments: BD Medical and BD Life Sciences.[3] BD is ranked #251 in the 2018 Fortune 500 list.[4] The firm in October 2014 agreed to acquire CareFusion for a price of $12.2 billion in cash and stock.[5] In April 2017 Becton Dickinson agreed to acquire C. R. Bard for $24 billion.