German-American Day Essay Contest Winners

Julie Martin of Oldenburg (Ind.) Academy took home first prize in this year's German-American Day Essay Contest sponsored by the Indiana German Heritage Society. Other winners were Melissa Riggio, Fishers (Ind.) High School, second prize; Kristen Giesting, Amy Malin and Chris Collins, all of Batesville (Ind.) High School, runners up.

This year, Indiana high school students submitted essays researching and discussing the lives of three to five German-Americans. Each submission was to be in PowerPoint format.

Julie's entry profiled John Peter Zenger, Joseph Pulitzer, Lisel Mueller in her discussion of freedom of speech and the press.

Hill-Rom Purchases Swedish Company

Batesville-based Hill-Rom has purchased Swedish company Liko, which supplies patient lifts and slings. The deal is worth approximately $183 million, reports Inside INdiana Business.

Liko (Liko Vårdlyft AB) had revenues of approximately $75 million during its fiscal 2008.

Hill-Rom to Sell Products in Japan

Batesville-based Hillenbrand Industries, Inc., announced that its medical technology subsidiary, Hill-Rom, has entered into a distribution agreement with Paramount Bed Co., Ltd.

The agreement will allow Paramount Bed to distribute certain Hill-Rom hospital bed systems in Japan.

Paramount Bed is Japan’s leading innovator and maker of medical beds and patient support prevention and therapy systems.

Hillenbrand buys factory in Mexico

Hill-Rom, the Batesville-based health care operating company of Hillenbrand Industries, Inc. has announced completion of its acquisition of a low-cost manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico.

The modern facility, located in Apodoco, Monterrey, state of Neuvo Leon, Mexico, is well-positioned to serve both North American and Latin American markets. The new facility is scheduled to produce Hill-Rom's line of stretchers and bed frames for low acuity hospital patients.