Danaher Corp.

	'96 (in $ 000s)	% Change From '95
Revenue	1,811,878	21.9
Net Income	207,770	91.8
Rank Last Year: 14

Description:
Danaher Corp. is a rapidly expanding conglomerate. The company controls a number of manufacturing businesses that primarily make hand tools, including the Craftsman line for Sears and process-environmental controls such as leak-detection sensors for fuel tanks. The company has been built through acquisitions financed largely with borrowed money or Danaher common stock.

Business Resume: Contact Info -- 1250 24th St., NW Washington, D.C. 20037 202-828-0850 Main Business -- Manufacturing--diversified Founded -- 1969 Chairperson -- Steven M. Rales President -- George M. Sherman (CEO) Employees -- 11,600 D.C.-Area Employees -- 20

Developments:
Over the past 23 months, Danaher has continued its aggressive acquisition strategy. In June the company snared Acme-Cleveland Corp., an Ohio-based maker of test equipment and industrial controls, after a four-month battle by raising its bid for Acme-Cleveland to $200 million and offering to pay cash.

The deal allowed Danaher to expand its presence in the telecommunications test equipment market, in which Acme is a player.

In January Danaher gained a foothold in the Asian market by announcing the acquisition of a group of hand-tool companies from a Chinese family that owns three factories in China and a factory and distribution center in Taiwan. In February Danaher agreed to pay $27.5 million for a unit of Buffton Corp. that makes surge suppressors and other equipment that helps distribute power properly in a building. Yet another company that Danaher sought, Tylan General Inc. of San Diego, fled into the arms of another suitor, Millipore Corp.—and Danaher sold its 10.4 percent stake in Tylan for a profit.