Company Profile
Cardinal Health, Inc.
Company Overview
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a Fortune 18 health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals and ambulatory care sites focus on patient care while reducing costs, improving efficiency and quality, and increasing profitability. As one of the largest health care companies in the world, Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 40,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation's largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com.
Company History
We were founded in 1971 as Cardinal Foods, a small food distributor in Columbus, Ohio. Today, Cardinal Health is a multinational healthcare industry services provider that applies vast resources, knowledge and expertise to help our customers -- from healthcare manufacturers to providers of patient care -- meet their most pressing challenges. Our founder, Robert D. Walter, has led the company's transformation and serves today as Cardinal Health's chairman and chief executive officer.
Cardinal Health's early years were spent growing its position in food distribution, and the company became a strong regional player. By 1979, however, the food-distribution industry had consolidated into a few large national players, limiting the company's growth potential. Walter and his partners turned to pharmaceutical distribution, an industry that had yet to consolidate and whose principal service offered strong growth prospects. The company purchased a drug distributor in Zanesville, Ohio, 60 miles from Columbus, and became known as Cardinal Distribution, reflecting its presence in food and pharmaceutical distribution.
Cardinal Health went public in 1983, in part to raise capital to expand its fast-growing pharmaceutical-distribution business. Over the next decade, the company acquired more than a dozen drug distributors throughout the United States. By 1987, the pharmaceutical segment of the business was nearly twice the size of the food-distribution business. Cardinal Health sold the food-distribution business the following year.
Focusing entirely on pharmaceutical distribution, Cardinal Health's growth accelerated. Revenues exceeded $1 billion for the first time in 1991. By 1994, Cardinal Health had established itself as a leader in the drug-distribution business with a nationwide presence and annual revenues of about $6 billion.
Since then, Cardinal Health has evolved beyond drug distribution by acquiring leading companies that serve healthcare manufacturers and providers of patient care. In doing so, Cardinal Health has redefined its role in healthcare, while increasing its value to customers and prospects for continued growth.
These acquisitions include Pyxis Corporation in automated supply and pharmaceutical dispensing; Owen Healthcare in hospital pharmacy management; Medicine Shoppe International in pharmacy franchising; R.P. Scherer Corporation and Automated Liquid Packaging in drug-delivery formulation and contract manufacturing; PCI Services, Inc. in pharmaceutical packaging; Allegiance Corporation in medical-surgical product manufacturing and distribution; Bergen Brunswig in medical-surgical distribution to hospitals and care continuum; and Bindley Western for pharmaceutical distribution.
Today, Cardinal Health provides an integrated offering of leading, innovative products and services to help customers across healthcare meet the growing challenges of a dynamic industry.
Benefits
Cardinal Health offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including 401K plan and an employee stock purchase plan. Pre-employment drug and background screening are required for all positions. Cardinal Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer, M/F/D/V – Diversity Works Here.