Beckman Coulter Announces New Contract with Orlando Regional Health Care Systems.

BREA, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Nov. 18, 1999--

Beckman Coulter, Inc. (NYSE:BEC) today announced that the company is providing clinical diagnostics instrumentation for six hospital systems within the Orlando Regional Health Care Systems -- a contract representing more than $5 million over the next five years.

Under the terms of the agreement, Beckman Coulter is currently installing one (1) SYNCHRON LX(R)4201 clinical chemistry system, one (1) SYNCHRON LX20, three (3) SYNCHRON CX(R)9 ALX clinical systems, three (3) SYNCHRON CX3 clinical systems, one (1) ChemExpress modular automation workstation, reagents and supplies.

Recipients of the equipment are core laboratory Orlando Regional Health Care, South Seminole, Sand Lake, St. Cloud, M.D. Anderson and Ovida Clinic.

"We had several objectives when we started this project more than two years ago," said Cindy Kuehn, Director of Laboratories for ORHS. "We wanted workstation consolidation, the ability to eliminate redundancy and the most efficient instrumentation for Orlando Regional Medical Center and the Community Hospital Laboratories, the flexibility to automate lab processes and the ability to reduce suppliers and operating costs while expanding our test menu. We selected Beckman Coulter because it met or exceeded all those objectives."

After successful installation of all instruments, the health system claims it will consider additional acquisitions of a Hematology and Immunology product solution from Beckman Coulter.

Orlando Regional Health Care System, a rapidly growing health care network, is part of the Central Florida Alliance and has recently purchased Lucerne Medical Center.

According to Jeff McHugh, Vice President, Director of NAO Field Operations for Beckman Coulter, "This health system is extremely influential in their purchase decisions and is a very positive reference for us. They are now on-line with most instruments and are currently preparing for the installation of the ChemExpress. They are confident they have entered into a business partnership that is a win-win relationship."

Beckman Coulter, Inc. is a leading provider of instrument systems and complementary products that simplify and automate processes in life science and clinical laboratories. The company's products are used throughout the world in all phases of the battle against disease, from pioneering medical research and drug discovery to diagnostic testing that aids in patient treatment. Annual sales for the company totaled $1.7 billion in 1998, with approximately half of this amount generated outside the United States.