Stryker Corporation is an American company that makes medical technology products. It is based in Portage, Michigan, United States. The company’s products are used in medical surgery and brain and nerve-related technologies, which include surgical tools, equipment to keep patients and caregivers safe, tools used to look inside the body during surgery, equipment to move and care for patients, tools used in emergencies, and items used in intensive care units. These products also include implants for brain, blood vessel, and mouth surgeries. The company also makes products for bone and joint surgery, such as implants used to replace hips, knees, and shoulders, and tools for treating broken bones and injuries in arms and legs.
Stryker’s products are sold in more than 75 countries and used by 150 million patients each year. In 2024, 75% of the company’s money came from the United States. The company is ranked 195th on the Fortune 500 list and 331st on the Forbes Global 2000 list.
History
In 1941, The Orthopedic Frame Company was started by Homer Stryker, an orthopedist from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Stryker created the Turning Frame, a mobile hospital bed that helped move injured patients while keeping their bodies still; the cast cutter, a tool that removed casts without harming skin or tissues; and the walking heel, among other inventions. In 1964, the company’s name was changed to Stryker Corporation.
In 1977, John W. Brown became president and CEO and was named chairman in 1981. He remained chairman until 2003. In 2009, Brown retired after working with the company for 32 years. During his leadership, the company’s revenue increased from $17 million to $6.7 billion.
In 1979, Stryker became a public company through an initial public offering.
In 2003, Stephen P. MacMillan joined Stryker as president and CEO.
In 2007, Stryker sold its Physiotherapy Associates division to Water Street Healthcare Partners, a private equity firm, for $150 million.
In 2007 and 2008, the company received three warning letters from the FDA. The first letter, sent in 2007, pointed out problems at an Irish manufacturing facility, such as delays in fixing equipment failures and incorrect testing procedures. The second letter, sent in November 2007, described issues at a facility in Mahwah, New Jersey, including weak hip implant parts that sometimes required surgery to fix, unsafe levels of germs in areas where implants were cleaned and packaged, and a lack of steps to prevent these problems from happening again. The third letter, sent in April 2008, mentioned issues at a biotechnology facility in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, such as poor quality control and falsified documents related to products sold to hospitals under government rules. Stryker said employees involved in the falsification were fired.
In August 2010, the company paid $1.35 million to resolve claims that it sold unapproved medical items and gave incorrect information to healthcare providers about its products.
In 2012, Stryker recalled several models of medical vacuums sold under the Neptune Waste Management System brand. Some of these devices had not been approved by the FDA and caused a fatal accident when a vacuum was mistakenly used on a drainage tube.
In 2012, the FDA issued a warning about the Stryker Rejuvenate hip replacement after it was found to be defective and cause problems similar to those from DePuy Synthes hip implants. In 2014, Stryker was fined $1 billion and $2.5 billion for its defective Rejuvenate and ABG II hip replacements, which caused severe pain.
In February 2012, MacMillan resigned, and Curt R. Hartman became interim CEO, vice president, and CFO. William U. Parfet was named non-executive chairman of the board. In October 2012, Kevin A. Lobo was appointed president and CEO.
In 2013, the company paid $13.2 million to settle charges that it made illegal payments totaling about $2.2 million in Argentina, Greece, Mexico, Poland, and Romania. In 2018, Stryker was fined $7.8 million under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act for failing to detect risks of improper payments in sales in India, China, and Kuwait.
In 2016, a subsidiary of Stryker, Stryker EMEA Supply Chain Services BV, challenged the Dutch government’s interpretation of rules about implant screws used in the human body. The case was sent to the European Court of Justice for a legal review.
Stryker continued its business in Russia during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine despite international sanctions. Research from Yale School of Management found that Stryker was in the "Grade F" category of companies that refused to reduce operations in Russia.
In 2023, Stryker introduced a minimally invasive bunion treatment system called Prostep MIS Lapidus. This system aims to reduce bunion recurrence, minimize scarring, and lower opioid use.
On March 11, 2026, during the 2026 Iran war, the Handala Hack Team used Microsoft Intune to remotely wipe company computers. This attack caused delays in some surgeries. By early April 2026, Stryker reported that it was fully operational again.