Stryker: A Detailed Timeline
1930s:
Late 1930s: Dr. Homer Stryker, an orthopedic surgeon at Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan, begins tinkering with tools and metal in the hospital basement, frustrated by the limitations of existing medical equipment.
1940s:
Early 1940s: Dr. Stryker invents the Turning Frame bed, a cast-cutting saw, and a walking heel for leg casts.
1941: Encouraged by interest in his inventions, Dr. Stryker officially founds The Orthopedic Frame Company.
World War II Era: The U.S. Army orders significant numbers of Dr. Stryker's Turning Frames for wartime use.
Wartime Collaboration: To meet demand during wartime shortages, Dr. Stryker partners with a local toy wagon factory to manufacture Turning Frames.
1947: Dr. Stryker patents the oscillating cast saw.
Late 1940s: The Orthopedic Frame Company transitions from a side project into a small business focused on healthcare innovation.
1950s:
1950s: The Circ-O-Lectric bed, a fully rotating hospital bed, is developed by Dr. Stryker.
1956: Dr. Homer Stryker unveils the Circ-O-Lectric Bed.
Throughout the 1950s: The Orthopedic Frame Company experiences steady growth, with Dr. Stryker dividing his time between surgery and invention.
Mid-1950s: Lee Stryker, Dr. Stryker's son, joins the business as general manager.
1958: The Orthopedic Frame Company reaches $1 million in annual sales for the first time.
1960s:
1964: Dr. Homer Stryker retires from his medical practice to focus solely on his company.
1964: The Orthopedic Frame Company is renamed Stryker Corporation.
Late 1960s: Stryker Corporation expands its product line to include new surgical instruments and early powered tools.
Late 1960s: The company moves to a larger headquarters on Alcott Street in Kalamazoo, employing hundreds.
1969: Lee Stryker assumes the role of President and Chief Operating Officer.
1970s:
Mid-1970s: Stryker Corporation has approximately 280 employees and is approaching $10 million in annual sales.
1976: Lee Stryker, his wife Nancy, and two family friends are killed in a plane crash in Wyoming.
1977: John W. Brown is hired as the new President and CEO of Stryker Corporation.
1977 - 1990s (The John Brown Era):
1979: Stryker Corporation goes public with an initial public offering (IPO) of stock.
1979: Stryker acquires Osteonics Corporation, entering the orthopedic implant market.
1980s: Stryker broadens its horizons, venturing into endoscopy and craniofacial implants (later with the acquisition of Leibinger in 1996).
1990s: Stryker's sales teams expand across the US, Europe, and Asia.
1998: Stryker makes a significant acquisition by purchasing Howmedica, the orthopedic division of Pfizer, for $1.65 billion, becoming a leading global orthopedics company.
By the end of the 1990s: Stryker transforms into a multi-division corporation with sales exceeding $2 billion by 1999.
2000: Stryker is added to the S&P 500 stock index and the Forbes "Platinum 400" list.
2000s:
2003: John Brown steps down as CEO and is succeeded by Stephen P. MacMillan.
Mid-2000s: Stryker continues to expand through acquisitions, including Surgical Dynamics (spine surgery), SpineCore (artificial disc technology), PlasmaSol (sterilization technology), and Sightline Technologies (flexible endoscopy).
2006: Stryker acquires eTrauma (surgical navigation software).
2009: Stryker acquires Ascent Healthcare, creating its Sustainability Solutions division for reprocessing medical devices.
By 2010: Stryker's annual sales reach $7.3 billion, with approximately 17,000 employees globally.
2011: Stryker earns a spot on Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the first time.
2010s:
2011: Stryker acquires the Neurovascular Division of Boston Scientific.
Late 2012: Kevin A. Lobo is appointed President and CEO of Stryker, succeeding Stephen MacMillan.
2013: Stryker acquires MAKO Surgical Corp., entering the field of robotic-arm assisted surgery.
2016: Stryker acquires Sage Products (infection prevention tools) and Physio-Control (defibrillators and emergency medical equipment).
2017: Stryker launches the MAKO Total Knee application.
2017: Stryker acquires Novadaq Technologies (fluorescence imaging).
2017: Fortune names Stryker to its list of the World’s Best Workplaces.
2018: Stryker acquires K2M Group Holdings (complex spinal surgery implants).
End of 2010s: Stryker's revenue surpasses $14 billion, and its workforce grows to over 40,000 worldwide. Development of MAKO for spine and shoulder surgeries is underway.
2020 - 2025 (Recent Milestones and Innovations):
Early 2020: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Stryker rapidly develops and produces the Emergency Relief Bed.
2020: Stryker finalises the acquisition of Wright Medical Group N.V. (extremities implants).
2021: Stryker acquires OrthoSensor (smart sensor technology for joint replacements).
2022: Stryker acquires Vocera Communications (hands-free communication badges and software for hospitals).
2022: Stryker introduces the Q Guidance System with Spine Guidance Software.
2023: Stryker introduces the Prostep MIS Lapidus system for bunion surgery.
Late 2024: The first surgeries with a prototype Mako Spine robot are successfully completed.
By 2025 (estimated): Over 150 million patients worldwide are treated each year with a Stryker product.
By 2024: Stryker holds over 14,000 patents.
