Danaher Corporation

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Danaher Corporation logo

Danaher Corporation is an American globally diversified conglomerate with its headquarters in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded in 1969 by brothers Steven M. Rales and Mitchell Rales, it began as a real estate investment trust. The company refocused its operations in the 1980s towards manufacturing, and has since expanded through acquisitions to include companies in various sectors such as environmental and applied solutions, life sciences, diagnostics, and dental.

History

Danaher takes its name from Danaher Creek in Western Montana where the Rales brothers went fishing. The company's early focus shifted from real estate to manufacturing in the 1980s when it acquired a number of companies. This marked the beginning of its journey as a diversified technology leader. The strategy was to buy companies that fit into its vision of offering products and services in the fields of design, manufacturing, and marketing of industrial and consumer products.

Over the years, Danaher has developed a reputation for its Danaher Business System (DBS), a set of management processes and corporate culture practices aimed at driving growth, leadership, and lean manufacturing. DBS is considered a key factor in Danaher's success, influencing how the company integrates acquisitions and drives improvement.

Operations

Danaher operates in four main segments:

• Life Sciences - Provides a range of research and clinical tools that scientists use to study cells and biological molecules. Companies under this segment include Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, Leica Microsystems, and SCIEX.
• Diagnostics - Offers analytical instruments, reagents, consumables, software, and services used in diagnosing diseases and conditions. Notable companies include Beckman Coulter Diagnostics and Cepheid.
• Dental - Supplies dental professionals with products and services such as dental consumables, equipment, and services. Companies like Nobel Biocare and Ormco fall under this segment.
• Environmental & Applied Solutions - Provides products and services that help protect precious resources and keep global food and water supplies safe. This includes water quality and product identification brands like Hach and Videojet.

Acquisitions

Danaher is known for its aggressive acquisition strategy, having acquired numerous companies across its various business segments. Some of the notable acquisitions include the purchase of Pall Corporation in 2015, a provider of filtration, separation, and purification technologies, and the acquisition of Cepheid in 2016, a leading molecular diagnostics company.

In 2019, Danaher announced its intention to spin off its Dental segment into an independent publicly traded company, Envista Holdings Corporation, which was completed in December of the same year.

Corporate Governance

The company is led by a board of directors and an executive team that oversees the global operations and strategic direction of Danaher. As of the last update, Rainer M. Blair serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer.

Social Responsibility

Danaher Corporation is committed to social responsibility, focusing on sustainable business practices, ethical conduct, and community engagement. The company aims to address global challenges such as health, clean water, and environmental conservation through its technologies and services.

See Also

• List of conglomerates
• Life Sciences
• Diagnostics
• Environmental technology