Hill-Rom acquires new manufacturing plant in Mexico

RP news wires, Noria Corporation

Hill-Rom, the health care operating company of Hillenbrand Industries Inc., announced February 5 the completion of its acquisition of a low-cost manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico.

 

"This is another major milestone in the execution of our strategic plan to align our production cost with the manufacture of products for patients in low acuity settings," said Hillenbrand Industries and Hill-Rom CEO Peter H. Soderberg. "We have set an aggressive timeline to ramp up production in Monterrey and plan to have the facility on-line by the end of the fiscal year 2007."

 

The modern facility, located in Apodoco, Monterrey, state of Neuvo Leon, Mexico, is ideally positioned to serve both North American and Latin American markets. The new facility is scheduled to produce Hill-Rom's line of stretchers and low acuity frames.

 

Mark Baron, senior vice president of operations and product development, said, "After extensive due diligence throughout Northern Mexico, Monterrey was a natural selection because of its long and rich history of industrial success coupled with its leading academic institutions and health care."

 

Vice president of human resources John Dickey said, "We have worked openly with the union to minimize involuntary job losses in our Batesville manufacturing operations through employees electing to participate in the enhanced early retirement package and through natural attrition."

 

About Hillenbrand Industries
Hillenbrand Industries is organized into two operating companies serving the health care and funeral services industries.

 

Hill-Rom is a leading worldwide manufacturer and provider of medical technologies and related services for the health care industry, including patient support systems, non-invasive therapeutic products for a variety of acute and chronic medical conditions, medical equipment rentals and workflow information technology solutions. Hill-Rom's comprehensive product and service offerings are used by health care providers across the health care continuum in hospitals, extended care facilities and home care settings, to enhance the safety and quality of patient care.

 

Batesville Casket Company is a leader in the North American death care industry through the sale of funeral services products, including burial caskets, cremation caskets, containers and urns, selection room display fixturing and other personalization and memorialization products.