Although it is more than 25 years old, Baxa Corp. says it has just begun to deliver innovative devices for oral drug delivery systems, IV admixture and administration, and solution compounding.

Colorado-based Baxa Corp. plans to double in size in the next five years by maximizing its internal resources. The company says it plans to do more with less and continue as an efficient provider of healthcare technology. Baxa Corp. was founded in 1975 by Brian Baldwin and Ronald Baxa. At the time, the company explains, oral liquid medications were dosed with teaspoons or graduated cups, which often resulted in inaccurate and sometimes dangerous doses. Additionally, the use of luer syringes to deliver non-sterile oral liquid medications raised the possibility of accidental injection.

Baxa Corp. introduced the Exacta-Med® Oral Dispenser in 1975. With a special tip that does not accept a needle, Exacta-Med Dispensers were designed to provide an accurate, completely safe method for dosing oral liquid drugs. The Exacta-Med Dispenser quickly became the industry standard, and remains a key part of the Baxa Corp. product line today.

CEO Greg Baldwin says Baxa Corp. has seen growth in its three major business lines: oral drug-delivery systems, IV admixture and administration, and multi-ingredient solution compounding. Success, however, creates challenges. "We need to make sure not to get complacent, so we have organized the company to promote continued success," he says.

Baldwin acknowledges Baxa Corp. is a smaller company compared to others in the medical device arena, and "the only reason to do business with us rather than the larger companies is because our products are innovative," he says. "We add value and solve problems better than the competition. We work hard to get to know our customers, and that translates into market knowledge and innovative solutions. Our customers challenge us to do more."

Baldwin says Baxa Corp. works with approximately 4,000 hospitals - primarily pediatric, tertiary care and teaching hospitals. The United States represents more than 50 percent of the worldwide medical device marketplace, and Baldwin says approximately 80 percent of Baxa Corp'.s sales are domestic, while the remaining 20 percent are international sales. "We want to build lifetime relationships with companies around the world," he stresses. "We're not just selling a product and moving on. We bring a system into a hospital and are there to meet their needs for the long haul. That's a key component to our success."

Baxa Corp. compensates salespeople not simply for completing a sale, but for maintaining relationships. Sales representatives help customers determine exactly what medical devices they need, and guide them away from products they don't. "They take a real interest in our customers, and we reinforce that message in our training."

Baxa Corp. identifies its customers' problems and works closely to develop solutions. Customer task forces are one way Baxa Corp. determines what products the market needs. For example, in 2003, Baxa Corp. developed the Rapid-FillTM Automated Syringe Filler, the first system designed to automate sterile batch filling in the pharmacy. Automating the process of filling, capping and labeling sterile syringes minimizes the potential for contamination and reduces pharmacy overhead. Additionally, the Rapid-Fill system increases efficiency and cost-effectiveness by filling up to 1,000 syringes an hour.

Baldwin says Baxa Corp.'s flagship product is the Exacta-MixTM 2400 Compounder, which allows pharmacies to mix up to 24 discrete ingredients into an IV nutritional solution. The companion AbacusTM Software system, a Windows-based order entry and calculation program, processes the specific prescription for use with the Exacta-Mix and other compounders.

Introduced in March 2002, Baldwin says Baxa Corp. went from the No. 2 player to the No. 1 player in the market because of the Exacta-Mix and Abacus Software systems. "About 25 percent of the tertiary care and acute care hospitals use our system, and we are thrilled about that," he notes.

Baldwin also points to the PhaSeal® products, a closed system that allows for the safe handling of hazardous drugs. He says this product makes up more than 10 percent of Baxa Corp.'s sales. Training and operational excellence are key components to Baxa Corp.'s innovation. Baxa Corp. holds GMP training sessions, so every person in the organization understands the company's responsibilities. Baldwin says all new employees undergo a three-day, intensive new-employee orientation program, which reviews various topics depending on the employee's position.

Management and supervisory training is also a company priority, and Baldwin says managers attend several courses throughout the year to review topics in good management. The company organizes small peer groups so employees can review training topics in greater depth, share personal experiences and work together to solve problems.

Successful Endeavors
In 2003, Baxa Corp. opened a new, 93,000-square-foot facility with an 8,000-square-foot ISO Class V cleanroom. Baldwin says the upgrade allowed Baxa to expand considerably. "In 2003, we grew 24.9 percent," he notes. "Last year, we grew 29 percent, and this year, we're on track to see a 25 percent increase in growth."

From its initiatives, Baxa Corp. has nearly achieved its long-time goal of earning $100 million in sales. The company plans to double this figure in the next five years.

"We've been around for 30 years, and we're doing a lot of soul searching," Baldwin says. "My father, Brian Baldwin, is the founder and vice chair of the company and Jeff Baldwin is my brother and the COO. Between the three of us, we decided that the business has only just begun, and we're focusing on bringing more processes into the 21st century of technology."