Stryker Agrees to Acquire German Surgical Equipment Company

Kalamazoo, Mich.-based orthopedic and neurotechnology device company has made a deal to buy Berchtold Holding AG, a Germany company that sells surgical infrastructure equipment.

Berchtold has been providing customer-centric healthcare equipment for over 90 years with 2013 sales 2013 of approximately $125 million. Their product portfolio includes surgical tables, equipment booms, and surgical lighting systems geared towards maximizing efficiency and safety in operating rooms and intensive care units. Stryker hopes to combine Berchtold’s portfolio with its own endoscopy business’ operating room equipment portfolio.

“We are committed to offering innovative, best-in-class operating room infrastructure equipment,” said Timothy J. Scannell, group president of medsurg and neurotechnology. “This acquisition delivers on that commitment by strengthening our portfolio and allowing us to address rapidly evolving customer requirements for operating room design.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions including the expiration or termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act waiting period. Upon closing, the transaction is expected to be neutral to Stryker’s 2014 earnings per share excluding acquisition, integration-related and intangible amortization charges. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014.