Becton Dickinson & Company (BD), founded in 1897 and based in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, provides health care institutions, life sciences researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmacies, physicians, public health agencies, blood banks, and the general public with medical supplies and devices, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic products. The firm encompasses the BD Medical, BD Diagnostics, and BD Biosciences businesses. BD Medical has been manufacturing syringes and needles since 1906. It provides clients with insulin injection, critical care monitoring, and ophthalmic surgery devices. The BD division is known for its Ace (R) elastic bandage products. BD Diagnostics develops diagnostic specimen collection and transportation, microbiology and infectious disease analysis, and other products. The division's Preanalytical Systems unit produces blood collection devices. The Diagnostic Systems unit manufactures microbiology systems. The BD Biosciences division provides life scientists and clinicians with fluorescence-activated cell sorters, cell imaging systems, diagnostic assays, drug discovery systems, and other clinical tools. BD developed the market's first disposable blood donor kit during the Second World War. It also introduced the BD Vacutainer (R) blood collection systems at that time. The company currently offers clients dozens of microbiology, home care, laboratory, diabetes care, injection, infusion therapy, surgical, and other products. In 2005, BD invested $271 million in its research and development operations. The firm went public in 1962. It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the BDX symbol. It had revenues of $5.415 billion in 2005. Half of the firm's revenues are generated from sales outside of the United States. BD employs 25,000 people across 212 offices in 50 countries. The firm was founded by Maxwell W. Becton and Fairleigh S. Dickinson.