Hill-Rom
Encyclopedia
Hill-Rom, Inc., is a company that makes hospital beds, furniture, other health care equipment, and medical technology systems.
Hill-Rom is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., and a former subsidiary of Hillenbrand Industries. Hill-Rom made up 65% of Hillenbrand Industries' revenue in 2004. In October 2008, Hill-Rom acquired Sweden-based Liko
, a manufacturer of mobile and stationary patient lift systems and associated accessories for $183M.
The company has their primary offices and manufacturing facilities in Acton, MA
, Batesville, IN
, Cary, NC
, Charleston, SC
, Montpellier, France, Pluvigner, France, Monterrey, Mexico, and as well as a multitude of offices and service centers around the world. The Batesville, IN location is the global headquarters of the company, and is the base of the company's manufacturing operations in the United States. Hill-Rom and its former sister companies and subsidiaries represent one of the largest employers in the city of Batesville. The Cary location is the headquarters of the company's IT Solutions division, focusing on medical systems technology for nurse communication, fetal monitoring, patient safety, patient workflow, and bed and medical equipment interfaces. The Cary location is strategically located to benefit from the technology-focused workforce and partnerships available in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina.
In 1927, William A. (Bill) Hillenbrand and his aunt Mary Mitchell initiated a project to open a community hospital. To staff the hospital, they turned to a family friend, Father Charles B. Moulinier, founder and president of the Catholic Hospital Association.
Father Moulinier had long admired the fine oak furniture being crafted by the local artisans and thought its beauty stood in harsh contrast to the cold metal furniture of hospital patient rooms. Bill realized he could "bring the home into the hospital" by offering hospitals wooden furniture to help create a warmer, more comfortable environment.
For the next two years, he researched his idea thoroughly by talking with doctors, nurses, interns, hospital administrators, and maintenance and housekeeping staff. Knowing his furniture had to be comfortable, functional and durable, he also studied safety designs.
In October 1929, as the country plummeted into the Great Depression, Bill founded Hill-Rom and began an unconventional marketing plan. He persuaded hospitals to furnish their private rooms with his wooden furniture for six months free of charge. If they weren’t satisfied, they could simply return the furniture. After the trial periods, none of the furniture was returned and some hospitals placed orders for more.
Hill-Rom is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., and a former subsidiary of Hillenbrand Industries. Hill-Rom made up 65% of Hillenbrand Industries' revenue in 2004. In October 2008, Hill-Rom acquired Sweden-based Liko
Liko
Liko AB is owned by Hill-Rom, a US based corporation located in Batesville, IN.The company develops, manufactures and markets mainly mobile and stationary patient lifts, slings and other lifting accessories....
, a manufacturer of mobile and stationary patient lift systems and associated accessories for $183M.
The company has their primary offices and manufacturing facilities in Acton, MA
Acton, Massachusetts
Acton is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States about twenty-one miles west-northwest of Boston along Route 2 west of Concord and about ten miles southwest of Lowell. The population was 21,924 at the 2010 census...
, Batesville, IN
Batesville, Indiana
Batesville is a city in Franklin and Ripley counties in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 6,520 at the 2010 census. Both the Batesville Casket Company and the Hill-Rom hospital bed manufacturer are headquartered in this town...
, Cary, NC
Cary, North Carolina
Cary is a large town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located almost entirely in Wake County, it is the second largest municipality in that county and the third largest municipality in The Triangle after Raleigh and Durham...
, Charleston, SC
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, Montpellier, France, Pluvigner, France, Monterrey, Mexico, and as well as a multitude of offices and service centers around the world. The Batesville, IN location is the global headquarters of the company, and is the base of the company's manufacturing operations in the United States. Hill-Rom and its former sister companies and subsidiaries represent one of the largest employers in the city of Batesville. The Cary location is the headquarters of the company's IT Solutions division, focusing on medical systems technology for nurse communication, fetal monitoring, patient safety, patient workflow, and bed and medical equipment interfaces. The Cary location is strategically located to benefit from the technology-focused workforce and partnerships available in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina.
History
Hill-Rom was founded on October 23, 1929 by William A. Hillenbrand. Originally, the company crafted wooden furniture for hospitals.In 1927, William A. (Bill) Hillenbrand and his aunt Mary Mitchell initiated a project to open a community hospital. To staff the hospital, they turned to a family friend, Father Charles B. Moulinier, founder and president of the Catholic Hospital Association.
Father Moulinier had long admired the fine oak furniture being crafted by the local artisans and thought its beauty stood in harsh contrast to the cold metal furniture of hospital patient rooms. Bill realized he could "bring the home into the hospital" by offering hospitals wooden furniture to help create a warmer, more comfortable environment.
For the next two years, he researched his idea thoroughly by talking with doctors, nurses, interns, hospital administrators, and maintenance and housekeeping staff. Knowing his furniture had to be comfortable, functional and durable, he also studied safety designs.
In October 1929, as the country plummeted into the Great Depression, Bill founded Hill-Rom and began an unconventional marketing plan. He persuaded hospitals to furnish their private rooms with his wooden furniture for six months free of charge. If they weren’t satisfied, they could simply return the furniture. After the trial periods, none of the furniture was returned and some hospitals placed orders for more.