COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 5047

Wholesale Trade--Medical, Dental, and Hospital Equipment and Supplies

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

20companies1835–1984founding years20still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedGEHE AGFoundedGEHE AG
1835
FoundedFuqua Enterprises, Inc.FoundedFuqua Enterprises, Inc.
1900
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedPatterson Dental Co.FoundedPatterson Dental Co.
1925
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedBaxter International Inc.FoundedBaxter International Inc.
1931
FoundedHill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.
1935
FoundedSmith & Nephew plcFoundedSmith & Nephew plc
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedMoore Medical Corp.FoundedMoore Medical Corp.
1969
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedKinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI)FoundedKinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI)
1976
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedPhysician Sales & Service, Inc.FoundedPhysician Sales & Service, Inc.
1983
FoundedChronimed Inc.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

GEHE AG →
Active · founded 1835 · Germany
GEHE AG is the largest drug wholesaler in Europe.
GEHE AG →
Active · founded 1835 · Germany
GEHE AG is the largest drug wholesaler in Europe.
Fuqua Enterprises, Inc. →
Active · founded 1900
Fuqua Enterprises, Inc., through its principal subsidiaries, is a leading supplier of processed leather to…
Fuqua Enterprises, Inc. →
Active · founded 1900
Fuqua Enterprises, Inc., through its principal subsidiaries, is a leading supplier of processed leather to…
Patterson Dental Co. →
Active · founded 1925
Patterson Dental Co.
Patterson Dental Co. →
Active · founded 1925
Patterson Dental Co.
Baxter International Inc. →
Active · founded 1931
Baxter International Inc.
Baxter International Inc. →
Active · founded 1931
Baxter International Inc.
Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. →
Active · founded 1935
Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.
Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. →
Active · founded 1935
Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.
Smith & Nephew plc →
Active · founded 1937 · England
Smith & Nephew plc is the fifth-largest health care products supplier in a worldwide market worth £5 billion.
Smith & Nephew plc →
Active · founded 1937 · England
Smith & Nephew plc is the fifth-largest health care products supplier in a worldwide market worth £5 billion.
Moore Medical Corp. →
Active · founded 1969
A leading distributor of health-care products, Moore Medical Corp.
Moore Medical Corp. →
Active · founded 1969
A leading distributor of health-care products, Moore Medical Corp.
Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI) →
Active · founded 1976
Kinetic Concepts, Inc.
Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI) →
Active · founded 1976
Kinetic Concepts, Inc.
Physician Sales & Service, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Within just a few years, Physician Sales & Service, Inc., has grown into the first national physician supply company in…
Physician Sales & Service, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
Within just a few years, Physician Sales & Service, Inc., has grown into the first national physician supply company in…
Chronimed Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Chronimed Inc.
Chronimed Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Chronimed Inc.
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