Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs nearly 50,000 people in more than 50 countries throughout the world. In fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, 60% of BD sales were generated from non-U.S. markets.The company's customers include healthcare 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 three segments: BD Medical, BD Diagnostics, and BD Biosciences. BD is ranked #336 in the 2014 Fortune 500 list.The firm in October 2014 agreed to acquire CareFusion for a price of $12.2 billion in cash and stock. In April 2017 Becton Dickinson agreed to acquire C. R. Bard for $24 billion.
