EX-IM BANK SUPPORTS $59 MILLION EXPORT SALE OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FOR ROMANIAN HOSPITALS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 11, 2001
Media Contact Name/Phone
Marianna Ohe (202) 565-3200

Two Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) loan guarantees will support the export of $59 million of critically needed medical equipment by STERIS Corp., Mentor, OH, Simed International Inc., New York, NY, and numerous other U.S. suppliers to be used by hospitals and clinics throughout Romania.

  1. Ex-Im Bank is providing a $21 million guarantee of a loan by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, New York, NY, to support the purchase by Romania's Ministry of Health of $23 million of medical equipment from STERIS Corp. and suppliers Valleylab, Inc., Boulder, CO; ATL Ultrasound,Inc., Bothell, WA; Stryker International Ltd.; Kalamazoo, MI, and Radionics, Burlington, MA.
  2. Ex-Im Bank also is providing a $33 million guarantee of a loan by ABN AMRO Bank N.V., Chicago, IL, to finance the Romanian health ministry's purchase of $36 million of equipment from Simed International and at least 12 other U.S. suppliers, including: Agilent Technologies, Andover, MA; Baxter Export Corp., Miami, FL; Beckman Coulter Inc., Fullerton, CA; Datascope Corp., Fairfield, NJ; Instrumentation Laboratory Co., Lexington, MA; Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN, and Spacelabs Medical, Inc., Redmond, WA.
    In addition, five small businesses are supplying equipment for the Simed transaction: Array Medical Laboratory, South Bend, IN; Chrono-Log Corp., Havertown, PA; CR Bard, Inc., Murray Hill, NJ; Denver Instrument Co., Arvada CO, and EndoSonics Corp., Rancho Cordova, CA.

Ex-Im Bank Chairman James A. Harmon said the transactions will improve health care for Romanians and create jobs in both countries. I am particularly pleased that a variety of U.S. small businesses are participating.

U.S. Ambassador to Romania James C. Rosapepe said: These two sales are good examples of the continuing U.S. commitment to provide long-term financing to upgrade technology in Romania.

The equipment includes sterilization modules, electro-surgery units, patient monitoring displays, and echocardiography imaging systems to help Romania modernize its health sector. The Romanian government is expected to purchase substantial additional medical equipment in the future for this modernization program.

Simed International President Sietse Zoodsma said: Through this transaction, a great number of U.S. manufacturers will gain access to the Romanian market. We are very positive on the future co-operation between Simed International, Ex-Im Bank and the U.S. medical industry.

Les C. Vinney, President and Chief Executive Officer of STERIS, said: For STERIS Corp. and the other companies involved, working with Deutsch Bank and Ex-Im Bank enables us to more cost-efficiently offer products to the health care community in Romania, and is an example of how we can work together to improve health care around the world.

Ex-Im Bank is an independent U.S. government agency that helps finance the sale of U.S. exports primarily to emerging markets throughout the world, by providing loans, guarantees, and insurance. Ex-Im Bank supported $15.5 billion in U.S. exports in fiscal year 2000.