Businessweek

Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services in North America (the United States), Europe, Asia/Australia, and various other regions. Segments The company operates through five segments: Test & Measurement; Environmental; Life Sciences & Diagnostics; Dental; and Industrial Technologies. TEST & MEASUREMENT This segment provides electronic measurement instruments and monitoring, management and optimization tools for communications and enterprise networks and related services. This segment’s products are used in the design, development, manufacture, installation, deployment, and operation of electronics equipment and communications networks and services. Customers for these products and services include manufacturers of electronic instruments; service, installation, and maintenance professionals; manufacturers who design, develop, manufacture, and install network equipment; and service providers who implement, maintain, and manage communications networks and services. This segment consists of the following lines of business: Instruments Professional Test Tools: The company’s instruments business designs, manufactures, and markets various professional test tools, thermal imaging, and calibration equipment for electrical, industrial, electronic, and calibration applications. These test products measure voltage, current, resistance, power quality, frequency, pressure, temperature, and air quality. Typical users of these products include electrical engineers, electricians, electronic technicians, medical technicians, and industrial maintenance professionals. General Purpose Test Instruments: The company’s instruments business also offers general purpose test products and video test, measurement, and monitoring products used in electronic design, manufacturing, and advanced technology development. This business’ general purpose test products, including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, signal sources, and spectrum analyzers, are used to capture, display, and analyze streams of electrical data. The company sells these products into various industries with electronic content, including the communications, computer, consumer electronics, education, military/aerospace, and semiconductor industries. Typical users of these products include research and development engineers who use its general purpose test products to design, de-bug, monitor, and validate the function and performance of electronic components, subassemblies, and end-products. The company’s video test products include waveform monitors, video signal generators, compressed digital video test products, and other test and measurement equipment used to improve a viewer’s video experience. Typical users of these products include video equipment manufacturers, content developers, and traditional television broadcasters. Products in this business are marketed under the FLUKE, FLUKE BIOMEDICAL, TEKTRONIX, KEITHLEY, AMPROBE, and MAXTEK brands. Sales in the instruments business are made through independent distributors and direct sales personnel. Communications The company’s communications business offers network management solutions, handheld and fixed diagnostic equipment and security solutions, as well as related installation and maintenance services, for a range of private network applications, as well as fixed and mobile communications networks. Typical users of this business’ products include network engineers, installers, operators, and technicians. The company’s network management tools help network operators manage network performance and optimize the utilization, uptime, and service quality of the network. Products in this business are marketed under the AIRMAGNET, ARBOR, FLUKE NETWORKS, TEKTRONIX, and VSS MONITORING brands. Sales in the communications business are made through direct sales personnel, as well as independent distributors and resellers. Other Businesses Matco Tools manufactures and distributes professional tools, toolboxes, and automotive maintenance equipment through independent mobile distributors, who sell primarily to professi