Baxter was founded in 1931, however our history doesn’t have one starting point. Our commitment to addressing unmet needs was built on the shoulders of healthcare pioneers whose work resulted in first-of-its-kind innovations in IVs, renal care, nutrition, respiratory, hospital beds and today’s connected care.
Innovative Beginnings
In the beginning, Drs. Ralph Falk and Don Baxter launched the Don Baxter Intravenous Products Corporation, the first commercial manufacturer of prepared IV solutions.
Dr. Francis Welch and William Noah Allyn developed the world’s first handheld, direct illuminating ophthalmoscope and established Welch Allyn. William (Bill) A. Hillenbrand revolutionized the industry with the idea to “bring the home into the hospital” with warmer, more comfortable wooden furniture. More than a century later, Hillrom and Welch Allyn became a part of Baxter.
These innovations strengthened our storied history of driving healthcare advancements, and by the end of the 1930s, we changed our name to Baxter Laboratories, Inc. and opened our first manufacturing facility in a renovated automobile showroom in Glenview, Illinois.
