Company description: Stryker is one of the world's leading medical technology companies and, together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better. The Company offers a diverse array of innovative products and services in Orthopaedics, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine that help improve patient and hospital outcomes. Stryker is active in over 100 countries around the world. Mission statement: Together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better. Quality policy: At Stryker, quality is first in everything we do. We are driven to make healthcare better for our customers by providing innovative products and services that meet regulatory requirements through our effective quality system. History The Company was founded in 1941 by Dr. Homer Stryker and incorporated in 1946 as the Orthopedic Frame Company. In 1964, the Company’s name was changed to Stryker Corporation. Quick facts • $13.6 billion in annual sales in 2018; annual revenue has grown for 39 straight years • 17.1% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) in sales over 39 years • ~36,000 employees globally in 2018 • 43 manufacturing and research & development locat...ions worldwide • Included in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index • Ranked # 233 on Fortune Magazine’s “FORTUNE 500” list for 2019 • Ranked # 3 on Fortune Magazine’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list for the “Medical Equipment” industry for 2019 • Ranked # 11 on Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” list (U.S.) for 2019 • Spent $862 million on R&D in 2018 • 7,784 patents owned globally in 2018 • Initial public offering of stock was in 1979 • Listed on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker SYK