- published: 30 Jun 2011
- views: 8384
GE Healthcare is a division of GE Technology Infrastructure, which is itself a division of General Electric (GE). It employs more than 46,000 people worldwide and is headquartered in Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. GE Healthcare is the first GE business segment to be headquartered outside the United States. In 2004, just before the completion of the $9 billion acquisition of U.K.-based Amersham plc, the formerly named GE Medical Systems was renamed GE Healthcare.
In 1893 C.F. Samms and J.B. Wantz were making dental engines and beer pumps, and by October 1895 had a staff of 6 in a 30 square meter basement and a capital of $3,000 invested in Victor Electric Co.
Victor Electric plunged into the x-ray business and by 1896 (one year after Roentgen’s discovery) were making x-ray machines. The business grew rapidly and so, in 1896, moved into new premises three times the original size, but this did not solve the space problems and the company made 3 moves by 1899.
Victor Electric had competitors. In 1896 a G.A.Frye began making x-ray tubes and in 1897, that business was purchased by Swett & Lewis, and the first merger in the x-ray business had started.