BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) yesterday celebrated the 75th anniversary of its manufacturing operations in Columbus, Nebraska.
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.
"It's critical we support domestic manufacturing like BD's facility in Columbus in order to have a resilient domestic supply chain for critical medical products," said Sen. Ricketts. "BD's commitment to the state of Nebraska is providing jobs for generations of Nebraskans and playing an important role in protecting our national security and public health. I appreciate BD's continued support of local businesses and their investments in its Columbus operations, which includes $200 million in capital investment over the last four years."
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, Connecticut.
The company's 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 Mary Jones, who has been with the company 47.5 years, and Carol Ternus, who has been with the company for more than 48 years. More than 160 employees have been with the company for more than 25 years.
