August 26, 2024- BD celebrated the 75th anniversary of its manufacturing operations in Columbus, Neb., and reinforced the need for and value of domestic production for critical medical devices. The milestone was celebrated in a ceremony recognizing the achievements of the site and its 2,100 employees. Alongside BD business leaders were Nebraska state and federal officials, including Gov. Jim Pillen, Sen. Pete Ricketts, U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, Mayor Jim Bulkley, the Columbus Chamber of Commerce and others.
BD Columbus opened in 1949 with 25,000 square feet and a staff of 15 employees manufacturing glass fever thermometers. Today, the company employs 2,100 associates in Columbus across three locations and one million square feet. It is one of largest plants in BD’s network and is one of only two remaining large-scale syringe manufacturing sites in the U.S., the other being BD’s site in Canaan, Conn.
The company’s rich history in Columbus started after World War II when the U.S. government requested that the company diversify the geography of where goods were produced and help strengthen the resiliency of the medical supply chain, which still holds true to this day. Henry Becton and Fairleigh Dickinson Jr. traveled to 30 states before deciding on Platte County and the town of Columbus, after being impressed by the people’s work ethic and state’s eagerness to diversify from its agricultural base.
As part of the celebration, BD recognized their longest tenured associates in Columbus, including two employees who have been with the company for 47 and 48 years, and 164 who have been with the company for over 25 years. Learn more about these associates and their stories here.
Read the BD Press Release here.