Our history
This is the story of a company from a small rural town in southern Sweden that grew into a global medical technology leader. This is the story of Getinge, today employing more than 10,500 people in 38 countries.
Agricultural roots
In 1904, the Swedish entrepreneur Olander Larsson started manufacturing agricultural equipment in the community of Getinge. He decided to name his company after the small town in southern Sweden. Soon, Getinge thrived and began to export its products.
Moving into medical technology
In 1932, Getinge made its first move into medical technology by starting to produce sterilizers for medical equipment. In the 1960s, Electrolux acquired Getinge. Being part of a giant appliance maker, with a vast international network, enabled Getinge to expand globally.
Leadership in Infection Control and Sterilization
In 1989, Swedish entrepreneurs Rune Andersson and Carl Bennet acquired Getinge from Electrolux. This was the beginning of an era of expansion and development. In the decades to come, Getinge acquired over 15 different infection control and sterilization companies across Europe and the United States. These acquisitions enabled Getinge to become a global leader in the field of Surgical Workflows.
Going public
Growing a financially strong and prosperous company is a core part of the Getinge story. The company went public in 1993 by listing its shares on the Stockholm Stock Exchange (NASDAQ OMX). At the time, Getinge had a revenue of 600 million SEK and employed 750 people.
Building the Patient & Post Acute Care business
In 1995, Getinge expanded its product range to medical beds, patient lifts and bathing solutions, by acquiring the Swedish company Arjo. In 2007, the focus on Patient & Post Acute Care continued to develop by the acquisition of Huntleigh Technology PLC. The merger of Arjo and Huntleigh made Getinge to a global leading player in the areas of patient handling, wound care and patient hygiene.
Expanding into Acute Care Therapies
In 2000, the acquisition of Maquet enabled the Getinge Group to start provisioning operating theatres. Founded in 1838, Maquet has a rich heritage in creating groundbreaking products, including the first motorized operating table and the table used for the world’s first heart transplant. The acquisition of Jostra (heart-lung machines) and Siemens LSS (ventilators) in 2003 made the offer within Acute Care Therapies even more competitive and patient-centric.
Growing presence in the cardiovascular field
Since 2008, Getinge has contributed to clinical progress in the field of cardiology. With acquisitions such as Datascope, Atrium and the Cardiac Surgery and Vascular Surgery divisions of Boston Scientific Corporation, Getinge now covers all needs in the operating room.
Continuous growth
Since its listing in 1993, Getinge sales have grown continuously, achieved through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions. Getinge is a leader in its chosen business segments, which focus on Surgical Workflows, Acute Care Therapies and Patient & Post Acute Care. In 2016, the three separate business areas merged into one single company as a step towards delivering even more customer value.
Arjo is spun off
In 2016 the Getinge Board of Directors announced its intention to distribute the subsidiary Arjo to Getinge's shareholders and to list Arjo on Nasdaq Stockholm. The decision was resolved in December 2017, and Arjo became a stand-alone company.