ITEM 1. BUSINESS

General

Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures and markets professional, medical, industrial and commercial products and services, which are typically characterized by strong brand names, innovative technology and major market positions. Our research and development, manufacturing, sales, distribution, service and administrative facilities are located in more than 50 countries. Our business consists of five segments: Test & Measurement; Environmental; Life Sciences & Diagnostics; Dental; and Industrial Technologies. We strive to create shareholder value through:

• delivering sales growth, excluding the impact of acquired businesses, in excess of the overall market growth for the types of products and services we provide;

• upper quartile financial performance compared to our peer companies; and

• upper quartile cash flow generation from operations compared to our peer companies.

To accomplish these goals, we use a set of growth, lean and leadership tools and processes, known as the DANAHER BUSINESS SYSTEM (“DBS”), which are designed to continuously improve business performance in the critical areas of quality, delivery, cost, growth and innovation. Within the DBS framework, we pursue a number of ongoing strategic initiatives relating to idea generation, product development and commercialization, global sourcing of materials and services, manufacturing improvement and sales and marketing.

To further these objectives we also acquire businesses that either strategically fit within our existing business portfolio or expand our portfolio into a new and attractive business area. Given the rapid pace of technological development and the specialized expertise typical of our served markets, acquisitions also provide us access to important new technologies and

domain expertise. We believe there are many acquisition opportunities available within our targeted markets. The extent to which we consummate and effectively integrate appropriate acquisitions will affect our overall growth and operating results. We also continually assess the strategic fit of our existing businesses and may dispose of businesses that are deemed not to fit with our strategic plan or are not achieving the desired return on investment.

Danaher Corporation, originally DMG, Inc., was organized in 1969 as a Massachusetts real estate investment trust. In 1978 it was reorganized as a Florida corporation under the name Diversified Mortgage Investors, Inc. which in a second reorganization in 1980 became a subsidiary of a newly created holding company named DMG, Inc. DMG, Inc. adopted the name Danaher in 1984 and was reincorporated as a Delaware corporation in 1986. In this Annual Report, the terms “Danaher” or the “Company” refer to either Danaher Corporation or to Danaher Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries, as the context requires.

We have announced our intention to separate our company into two independent, publicly traded companies in the third quarter of 2016. Completion of the separation will create a multi-industry, science and technology growth company that will retain the Danaher name (“New Danaher”) and a diversified industrial growth company named Fortive Corporation (“Fortive”). New Danaher will consist of Danaher’s existing Life Sciences & Diagnostics (including Pall Corporation (“Pall”)) and Dental segments as well as the water quality and product identification businesses, which in aggregate generated approximately $16.5 billion of revenue in 2015 (adjusted to include the full annual revenues of Pall for 2015). Fortive will consist of Danaher’s existing Test & Measurement segment, Industrial Technologies segment (excluding the product identification businesses) and retail/commercial petroleum business, which in aggregate generated approximately $6.0 billion of revenue in 2015. The separation is subject to final approval by Danaher’s Board of Directors and other customary conditions, and will be in the form of a pro rata distribution to Danaher shareholders of 100% of the outstanding shares of Fortive.

2015 sales by geographic destination (geographic destination refers to the geographic area where the final sale to the Company’s customer is made) were: North America, 47% (including 44% in the United States); Europe, 25%; Asia/Australia, 21% and all other regions, 7%. For additional information regarding sales by geography, please refer to Note 19 in the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report. The anticipated spin-off of Fortive in the third quarter of 2016 is expected to change the geographic mix of sales for New Danaher, as the New Danaher businesses realize a higher percentage of overall sales from outside North America than the Fortive businesses.

Reportable Segments

The table below describes the percentage of our total annual revenues attributable to each of our five segments over each of the last three years ended December 31, 2015. For additional information regarding sales, operating profit and identifiable assets by segment, please refer to Note 19 in the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report.

	2015		2014		2013
Test & Measurement	13	%	14	%	14	%
Environmental	18	%	19	%	18	%
Life Sciences & Diagnostics	40	%	38	%	38	%
Dental	13	%	11	%	11	%
Industrial Technologies	16	%	18	%	19	%

TEST & MEASUREMENT

Our Test & Measurement segment offers essential products, software and services used to create actionable intelligence by measuring and monitoring a wide range of physical parameters in industrial applications, including electrical current, radio frequency signals, distance, pressure and temperature. 2015 sales for this segment by geographic destination were: North America, 57%; Europe, 15%; Asia/Australia, 22% and all other regions, 6%.

We established our Test & Measurement business in 1998 through the acquisition of Fluke Corporation, and have expanded the business through numerous subsequent acquisitions, including the acquisition of Tektronix in 2007 and Keithley Instruments in 2010. The Test & Measurement segment consists of the following lines of business.

Instruments

Our instruments products include a variety of compact professional test tools, thermal imaging and calibration equipment for electrical, industrial, electronic and calibration applications. These products and associated software solutions measure voltage,

current, resistance, power quality, frequency, pressure, temperature and air quality, among other parameters. Typical users of these products include electrical engineers, electricians, electronic technicians, medical technicians, and industrial service, installation and maintenance professionals. We also sell services and products that help developers and engineers convert concepts into finished products. Our test, measurement and monitoring products are used in the design, manufacturing and development of electronics, industrial, video and other advanced technologies. Typical users of these products and services include research and development engineers who design, de-bug, monitor and validate the function and performance of electronic components, subassemblies and end-products, and video equipment manufacturers, content developers and broadcasters. Products and services are marketed under a variety of brands, including AMPROBE, FLUKE, FLUKE BIOMEDICAL, FLUKE NETWORKS, KEITHLEY, MAXTEK and TEKTRONIX.

Other Businesses

• Professional Tools. We manufacture and distribute professional tools, toolboxes and automotive diagnostic equipment through our network of franchised mobile distributors, who sell primarily to professional mechanics under the MATCO brand. Professional mechanics typically select tools based on relevant innovative features and the other factors described under “—Competition.”

• Wheel Service Equipment. We produce a full-line of wheel service equipment including brake lathes, tire changers, wheel balancers, and wheel weights under the AMMCO, BADA and COATS brands. Typical users of these products are automotive tire and repair shops. Sales are generally made through our direct sales personnel and independent distributors. Competition in the wheel service equipment business is based on the factors described under “—Competition.”

Test & Measurement segment manufacturing facilities are located in North America, Europe, and Asia.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Our Environmental segment products and services help protect the global water supply, facilitate environmental stewardship, enhance the safety of personal data and improve business efficiencies. 2015 sales for this segment by geographic destination were: North America, 54%; Europe, 20%; Asia/Australia, 15% and all other regions, 11%. Our Environmental segment consists of the following lines of business.

Water Quality

Danaher’s water quality business provides instrumentation and disinfection systems to help analyze, treat and manage the quality of ultra-pure, potable, waste, ground and ocean water in residential, commercial, industrial and natural resource applications. We entered the water quality sector in the late 1990’s through the acquisitions of Dr. Lange and Hach Company, and have enhanced our geographic coverage and product and service breadth through subsequent acquisitions, including the acquisition of Trojan Technologies Inc. in 2004 and ChemTreat, Inc. in 2007. Our water quality business designs, manufactures and markets:

• a wide range of analytical instruments, software and related consumables and services that detect and measure chemical, physical, and microbiological parameters in ultra-pure, potable, waste, ground and ocean water;

• ultraviolet disinfection systems, which disinfect billions of gallons of municipal, industrial and consumer water every day in more than 35 countries; and

• industrial water treatment solutions, including chemical treatment solutions intended to address corrosion, scaling and biological growth problems in boiler, cooling water and industrial wastewater applications as well as associated analytical services.

Typical users of these products and services include professionals in municipal drinking water and wastewater treatment plants and industrial process water and wastewater treatment facilities, third party testing laboratories and environmental field operations. Customers in these industries choose suppliers based on a number of factors including the customer’s existing supplier relationships, product performance and ease of use, the comprehensiveness of the supplier’s product offering, after-sales service and support and the other factors described under “—Competition.” Our water quality business provides products under a variety of brands, including CHEMTREAT, HACH, HACH/LANGE, MCCROMETER and TROJAN TECHNOLOGIES. Manufacturing facilities are located in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Sales are made through our direct sales personnel, independent representatives and independent distributors.

Retail/Commercial Petroleum

Danaher’s retail/commercial petroleum business is a leading worldwide provider of solutions and services focused on fuel dispensing, remote fuel management, point-of-sale and payment systems, environmental compliance, vehicle tracking and fleet management. We have served the retail/commercial petroleum market since the mid-1980s through our Veeder-Root business, and have enhanced our geographic coverage and product and service breadth through various acquisitions including the acquisitions of Red Jacket in 2001, Gilbarco in 2002, the petroleum dispenser business of Larsen & Toubro in 2010 and ANGI Energy Systems in 2014. The business offers the following products:

• Retail/Commercial Petroleum. Our retail/commercial petroleum products include environmental monitoring and leak detection systems; vapor recovery equipment; fuel dispensers for petroleum and compressed natural gas; point-of-sale and secure electronic payment technologies for retail petroleum stations; submersible turbine pumps; and remote monitoring and outsourced fuel management services, including compliance services, fuel system maintenance, and inventory planning and supply chain support. Typical users of these products include independent and company-owned retail petroleum stations, high-volume retailers, convenience stores, and commercial vehicle fleets. Our retail/commercial petroleum products are marketed under a variety of brands, including ANGI, DOMS, GASBOY, GILBARCO, GILBARCO AUTOTANK and VEEDER-ROOT.

• Telematics. Our telematics products include vehicle tracking and fleet management hardware and software solutions that fleet managers use to position and dispatch vehicles, manage fuel consumption and promote vehicle safety, compliance, operating efficiency and productivity. Typical users of these solutions span a variety of industries and include businesses and other organizations that manage vehicle fleets. Our telematics products are marketed under a variety of brands, including NAVMAN WIRELESS and TELETRAC.

Customers in this line of business choose suppliers based on a number of factors including product features, performance and functionality, the supplier’s geographic coverage and the other factors described under “—Competition.” Sales are generally made through independent distributors and our direct sales personnel.

Manufacturing facilities are located in North America, Europe, Asia and South America. Sales are generally made through independent distributors and our direct sales personnel.

LIFE SCIENCES & DIAGNOSTICS

Our diagnostics business offers analytical instruments, reagents, consumables, software and services that hospitals, physicians’ offices, reference laboratories and other critical care settings use to diagnose disease and make treatment decisions. Our life sciences business offers a broad range of research tools that scientists use to study the basic building blocks of life, including genes, proteins, metabolites and cells in order to understand the causes of disease, identify new therapies and test new drugs and vaccines. As a result of the acquisition of Pall in 2015, the business is also a leading provider of filtration, separation and purification technologies to the biopharmaceutical, food and beverage, medical, aerospace, microelectronics and general industrial segments. 2015 sales for this segment by geographic destination were: North America, 39%; Europe, 27%; Asia/Australia, 28% and all other regions, 6%.

Diagnostics

We established our diagnostics business in 2004 through the acquisition of Radiometer. We have expanded the business through numerous subsequent acquisitions, including the acquisitions of Leica Microsystems in 2005, Vision Systems in 2006, Genetix in 2009, Beckman Coulter in 2011, Iris International and Aperio Technologies in 2012, HemoCue in 2013, Devicor Medical Products in 2014 and the clinical microbiology business of Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics in 2015. The diagnostics business consists of our clinical laboratory (or clinical lab), critical care and anatomical pathology diagnostics businesses.

Our clinical lab business is a leading manufacturer and marketer of biomedical testing instrument systems, tests and supplies that are used to evaluate and analyze samples made up of body fluids, cells and other substances. The information generated is used to diagnose disease, monitor and guide treatment and therapy, assist in managing chronic disease and assess patient status in hospital, outpatient and physicians’ office settings. The business offers the following products:

• our chemistry systems use electrochemical detection and chemical reactions with patient samples to detect and quantify substances of diagnostic interest in blood, urine and other body fluids. Commonly performed tests include glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, electrolytes, proteins and enzymes, as well as tests to detect urinary tract infections and kidney and bladder disease.

• our immunoassay systems also detect and quantify chemical substances of diagnostic interest in body fluids, particularly in circumstances where more specialized diagnosis is required. Commonly performed immunoassay tests assess thyroid function, screen and monitor for cancer and cardiac risk and provide important information in fertility and reproductive testing.

• our cellular analysis business includes hematology and flow cytometry products. The business’ hematology systems use principles of physics, optics, electronics and chemistry to separate cells of diagnostic interest and then quantify and characterize them, allowing clinicians to study formed elements in blood (such as red and white blood cells and platelets). The business’ flow cytometry products rapidly sort, identify, categorize and characterize multiple types of cells in suspension, allowing clinicians to determine cell types and characteristics and analyze specific cell populations based on molecular differences.

• our microbiology systems are used for the identification of bacteria and antibiotic susceptibility testing (ID/AST) from human clinical samples, to detect and quantify bacteria related to microbial infections in urine, blood, and other body fluids, and to detect infections such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia and wound infections. Our technology enables direct testing of clinical isolates to ensure reliable detection of resistance to antibiotics.

• we also offer systems and workflow solutions that allow laboratories to automate a number of steps from the pre-analytical through post-analytical stages including sample barcoding/information tracking, centrifugation, aliquotting, storage and conveyance. These systems along with the analyzers described above are controlled through laboratory level software that enables laboratory managers to monitor samples, results and lab efficiency.

Typical users of the business’ clinical lab products include hospitals, physician’s offices, veterinary laboratories, reference laboratories and pharmaceutical clinical trial laboratories.

Our critical care diagnostics business is a leading worldwide provider of instruments, software and related consumables and services that are used in both laboratory and point-of-care environments to rapidly measure critical parameters, including blood gases, electrolytes, metabolites and cardiac markers, as well as for anemia and high-sensitivity glucose testing. Typical users of these products include hospital central laboratories, intensive care units, hospital operating rooms, hospital emergency rooms, physician’s office laboratories and blood banks.

Our anatomical pathology diagnostics business is a leading company in the anatomical pathology market, offering a comprehensive suite of instrumentation and related consumables used across the entire workflow of a pathology laboratory. Our anatomical pathology diagnostics products include minimally invasive, vacuum-assisted breast biopsy instruments; tissue embedding, processing and slicing (microtomes) instruments and related reagents and consumables; chemical and immuno-staining instruments, reagents, antibodies and consumables; slide coverslipping and slide/cassette marking instruments; and imaging instrumentation including slide scanners, microscopes, cameras and software solutions to store, share and analyze pathology images digitally. Typical users of these products include pathologists, lab managers and researchers.

Customers in the diagnostics industry select products based on a number of factors, including product quality and reliability, the scope of tests that can be performed, the accuracy and speed of the product, the product’s ability to enhance productivity, total cost of ownership and access to a highly qualified service and support network as well as the other factors described under “—Competition.” Our diagnostics business generally markets its products under the APERIO, BECKMAN COULTER, HEMOCUE, IRIS, LEICA BIOSYSTEMS, MAMMATOME, RADIOMETER and SURGIPATH brands. Manufacturing facilities are located in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The business sells to customers primarily through direct sales personnel and to a lesser extent through independent distributors.

Life Sciences

We established our life sciences business in 2005 through the acquisition of Leica Microsystems, and have expanded the business through numerous subsequent acquisitions, including the acquisitions of AB Sciex and Molecular Devices in 2010 Beckman Coulter in 2011 and Pall in 2015. The life sciences business consists of the following businesses.

Microscopy—Our microscopy business is a leading global provider of professional microscopes designed to manipulate, preserve and capture images of and enhance the user’s visualization and analysis of microscopic structures. Our microscopy products include:

• laser scanning (confocal) microscopes;

• compound microscopes and related equipment;

• surgical and other stereo microscopes; and

• specimen preparation products for electron microscopy.

Typical users of these products include research, medical and surgical professionals operating in research and pathology laboratories, academic settings and surgical theaters.

Mass Spectrometry—Our mass spectrometry business is a leading global provider of high-end mass spectrometers. Mass spectrometry is a technique for identifying, analyzing and quantifying elements, chemical compounds and biological molecules, individually or in complex mixtures. Our products utilize various combinations of quadrupole, time-of-flight and ion trap technologies, and are typically used in conjunction with a liquid chromatography instrument. Our mass spectrometer systems are used in numerous applications such as drug discovery and clinical development of therapeutics as well as in basic research, clinical testing, food and beverage quality testing and environmental testing. To support our installations around the world, we provide implementation, validation, training, maintenance and support from our global services network. Typical users of our mass spectrometry products include molecular biologists, bioanalytical chemists, toxicologists, and forensic scientists as well as quality assurance and quality control technicians. We also provide high-performance bioanalytical measurement systems, including microplate readers, automated cellular screening products and associated reagents, and imaging software. Typical users of these products include biologists and chemists engaged in research and drug discovery, who use these products to determine electrical or chemical activity in cell samples.

We also offer workflow instruments and consumables that help researchers analyze genomic, protein and cellular information. Key product areas include sample preparation equipment such as centrifugation and capillary electrophoresis instrumentation and consumables; liquid handling automation instruments and associated consumables; flow cytometry instrumentation and associated antibodies and reagents; and particle characterization instrumentation. Researchers use the business’ products to study biological function in the pursuit of basic research, as well as therapeutic and diagnostic development. Typical users of these products include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, universities, medical schools and research institutions and in some cases industrial manufacturers.

Filtration—We entered the filtration, separation and purification technologies segment in 2015 through the acquisition of Pall. Pall is a leading provider of products used to remove solid, liquid and gaseous contaminants from a variety of liquids and gases, consisting primarily of filtration consumables and to a lesser extent systems that incorporate filtration consumables and associated hardware. Pall’s core materials and technologies can be applied in many ways to solve complex fluid separation challenges, and are sold across a wide array of applications in two primary business groups:

• Life Sciences. Pall’s life sciences technologies facilitate the process of drug discovery, development, regulatory validation and production and are sold to biopharmaceutical, food and beverage and medical customers. In the biopharmaceutical area, we sell a broad line of filtration and purification technologies, associated hardware and engineered systems primarily to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies for use in the development and commercialization of chemically synthesized and biologically derived drugs, plasma and vaccines. Biotechnology drugs, plasma and biologically derived vaccines in particular are filtration and purification intensive and represent a significant area of growth for Pall in the biopharmaceutical area. In the food and beverage area, we serve the filtration needs of the beer, wine, dairy, alcohol-free beverage, bottled water, and food ingredient markets, helping customers ensure the quality and safety of their products while lowering operating costs and minimizing waste. In the medical area, hospitals use our breathing circuit and intravenous filters and water filters to help control the spread of infections.

• Industrial. Virtually all of the raw materials, process fluids and waste streams that course through industry are candidates for multiple stages of filtration, separation and purification. Pall’s industrial technologies enhance the quality and efficiency of manufacturing processes and keep equipment such as airplanes and manufacturing equipment running efficiently for process technologies, aerospace and microelectronics customers. The process technologies area consists of a broad range of end-markets, including producers and users of energy, oil, gas, renewable and alternative fuels, power, chemicals and water, as well as producers of mobile equipment and trucks, pulp and paper, automobiles and metals. Within these end-markets, demand is driven by end users and original equipment manufacturers (“OEM”) working to increase production and efficiency, reduce costs, produce cleaner burning fuels, conserve water, meet environmental regulations and develop alternative fuel sources. In the aerospace area, we sell filtration and fluid monitoring equipment to the aerospace industry for use on commercial and military aircraft, marine and land-based military vehicles to help protect critical systems and components. In the microelectronics area, we sell highly sophisticated filtration and purification technologies for the semiconductor, data storage, graphic arts, advanced display and electronic components markets, including contamination control solutions for chemical, gas, water, chemical mechanical polishing and photolithography processes.

Customers served by our life sciences business select products based on a number of factors, including product quality and reliability, innovation (particularly productivity and sensitivity improvements), the product’s capacity to enhance productivity, product performance and ergonomics, access to a service and support network and the other factors described under “—Competition.” Our life sciences business generally markets its products under the BECKMAN COULTER, LEICA MICROSYSTEMS, MOLECULAR DEVICES, PALL and SCIEX brands. Manufacturing facilities are located in Europe, Australia, Asia and North America. The business sells to customers through direct sales personnel and independent distributors.

DENTAL

Our Dental segment provides products that are used to diagnose, treat and prevent disease and ailments of the teeth, gums and supporting bone, as well as to improve the aesthetics of the human smile. We are a leading worldwide provider of a broad range of dental consumables, equipment and services, and are dedicated to driving technological innovations that help dental professionals improve clinical outcomes and enhance productivity. 2015 sales for this segment by geographic destination were: North America, 51%; Europe, 30%; Asia/Australia, 13% and all other regions, 6%.

We entered the dental business in 2004 through the acquisitions of KaVo and Gendex and have enhanced our geographic coverage and product and service breadth through subsequent acquisitions, including the acquisition of Sybron Dental Specialties in 2006, PaloDEx Group Oy in 2009 and Nobel Biocare Holding AG (“Nobel Biocare”) in 2014. Today, our dental businesses develop, manufacture and market the following dental consumables and dental equipment:

• implant systems and dental prosthetics;

• orthodontic bracket systems and lab products;

• endodontic systems and related consumables;

• restorative materials and instruments including rotary burrs, impression materials, bonding agents and cements;

• infection prevention products;

• digital imaging systems and software and other visualization and magnification systems;

• air and electric handpieces and associated consumables; and

• treatment units.

Typical customers and users of these products include general dentists, dental specialists, dental hygienists, dental laboratories and other oral health professionals, as well as educational, medical and governmental entities. Dental professionals choose dental products based on a number of factors including product performance, the product’s capacity to enhance productivity and the other factors described under “—Competition.” Our dental products are marketed primarily under the DEXIS, GENDEX, iCAT, IMPLANT DIRECT, INSTRUMENTARIUM DENTAL, KAVO, KERR, NOBEL BIOCARE, ORMCO, PELTON & CRANE, PENTRON, SOREDEX, SYBRON ENDO and TOTAL CARE brands. Manufacturing facilities are located in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. Sales are primarily made through independent distributors and, to a lesser extent, through direct sales personnel.

INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES

Our Industrial Technologies solutions help protect the world’s food supply, improve packaging design and quality, verify pharmaceutical dosages and authenticity and power innovative machines. Our product identification businesses develop and manufacture equipment, consumables and software for various printing, marking, coding, packaging, design and color management applications on consumer and industrial products. Our automation business provides electromechanical and electronic motion control products for the automation market. 2015 sales for this segment by geographic destination were: North America, 47%; Europe, 28%; Asia/Australia, 17% and all other regions, 8%. Our Industrial Technologies segment consists of the following lines of business.

Product Identification

We entered the product identification market through the acquisition of Videojet in 2002, and have expanded our product and geographic coverage through various subsequent acquisitions, including the acquisitions of Willett International Limited in 2003, Linx Printing Technologies PLC in 2005, EskoArtwork in 2011 and X-Rite in 2012. Our product identification businesses design, manufacture, and market the following products and services:

• we provide a variety of equipment used to print bar codes, date codes, lot codes and other information on primary and secondary packaging. Our equipment can apply high-quality alphanumeric codes, logos and graphics to a wide range of surfaces at a variety of line speeds, angles and locations on a product or package.

• we are a leading global supplier of integrated solutions for packaging, sign and display finishing, commercial printing and professional publishing. We provide software for artwork creation, structural design, workflow automation, quality assurance and online collaboration, flexo computer-to-plate imagers and digital finishing systems.

• we provide innovative color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards and related services. Our expertise in inspiring, selecting, measuring, formulating, communicating and matching color helps users improve the quality and effectiveness of their products and reduce costs.

Typical users of the product identification business’ products include food and beverage manufacturers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, retailers, commercial printing, packaging and mailing operations, graphic design firms, and paints, plastics and textile manufacturers. Customers in this industry choose suppliers based on a number of factors, including printer speed and accuracy, equipment uptime and reliable operation without interruption, ease of maintenance, service coverage and the other factors described under “—Competition.” Our product identification products are primarily marketed under the ESKO, FOBA, LINX, PANTONE, VIDEOJET and X-RITE brands. Manufacturing facilities are located in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. Sales are generally made through our direct sales personnel and independent distributors.

Automation

We entered the automation control industry through the acquisition of Pacific Scientific Company in 1998, and subsequently expanded our product and geographic breadth with the acquisitions of American Precision Industries, Kollmorgen Corporation and the motion businesses of Warner Electric Company in 2000 and Thomson Industries in 2002, among others. Our automation businesses provide a wide range of electromechanical and electronic motion control products (including standard and custom motors, drives and controls) and mechanical components (such as ball screws, linear bearings, clutches/brakes and linear actuators). The automation products are sold in various precision motion markets, such as the markets for packaging equipment, medical equipment, metal forming equipment, robotics and food and beverage processing applications. Customers are typically systems integrators who use our products in production and packaging lines and OEMs that integrate our products into their machines and systems. Customers in this industry choose suppliers based on a number of factors, including product performance, the breadth of the supplier’s product offering, the geographic coverage offered by the supplier and the other factors described under “—Competition.” Products in this business are marketed under a variety of brands, including DYNAPAR, HENGSTLER, KOLLMORGEN, PORTESCAP and THOMSON. Manufacturing facilities are located in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Sales are generally made through our direct sales personnel and independent distributors.

Other Businesses

Our sensors & controls business offers devices that sense, monitor and control operational or manufacturing variables, such as temperature, pressure, level, flow, turbidity and conductivity. Users of these products span a wide variety of industrial and manufacturing markets, including medical equipment, food and beverage, marine, industrial, off-highway vehicles, building automation and semiconductors. The business also makes and sells instruments, controls and monitoring systems used by maintenance departments in electric utilities and industrial facilities to monitor assets, including transformers, generators, motors and switchgear. Our competitive advantage in the markets we serve is based on our ability to apply advanced sensing technologies to a variety of customer needs, many of which are in demanding operating environments. Our modular products and agile supply chain enable rapid customization of solutions for unique operational requirements and which meet the lead-time needs of our customers. Competition in the business is based on a number of factors, including technology, application design expertise, lead time, channels of distribution, brand awareness, as well as the other factors described under “—Competition.” Products in this business are primarily marketed under a variety of brands, including ANDERSON-NEGELE, GEMS SENSORS, QUALITROL and SETRA. Sales in the segment are generally made through direct sales personnel and independent distributors.

Our energetic materials business designs, develops, manufactures and markets critical, highly-engineered energetic materials components in specialized vertical applications. Customers in this industry choose suppliers based on a number of factors, including the supplier’s experience with the particular technology or application and the other factors described under “—Competition.” These products are typically marketed under the PACIFIC SCIENTIFIC ENERGETIC MATERIALS COMPANY brand.

We are also a leading worldwide supplier of supplemental braking systems for commercial vehicles, selling JAKE BRAKE brand engine retarders for class 6 through 8 vehicles and bleeder and exhaust brakes for class 3 through 7 vehicles. Customers are primarily major OEMs of class 3 through class 8 vehicles, and typically choose suppliers based on their technical expertise and total cost of ownership. Sales are typically made through our direct sales personnel.

Manufacturing facilities of our sensors & controls, energetic materials and supplemental braking businesses are located in North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

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The following discussion includes information common to all of our segments.

Materials

Our manufacturing operations employ a wide variety of raw materials, including steel, copper, cast iron, electronic components, aluminum, plastics and other petroleum-based products. Prices of oil and gas also affect our costs for freight and utilities. We purchase raw materials from a large number of independent sources around the world. No single supplier is material, although for some components that require particular specifications or qualifications there may be a single supplier or a limited number of suppliers that can readily provide such components. We utilize a number of techniques to address potential disruption in and other risks relating to our supply chain, including in certain cases the use of safety stock, alternative materials and qualification of multiple supply sources. During 2015 we had no raw material shortages that had a material effect on our business. For a further discussion of risks related to the materials and components required for our operations, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Intellectual Property

We own numerous patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and licenses to intellectual property owned by others. Although in aggregate our intellectual property is important to our operations, we do not consider any single patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or license to be of material importance to any segment or to the business as a whole. From time to time we engage in litigation to protect our intellectual property rights. For a discussion of risks related to our intellectual property, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.” All capitalized brands and product names throughout this document are trademarks owned by, or licensed to, Danaher.

Competition

Although our businesses generally operate in highly competitive markets, our competitive position cannot be determined accurately in the aggregate or by segment since none of our competitors offer all of the same product and service lines or serve all of the same markets as we do. Because of the range of the products and services we sell and the variety of markets we serve, we encounter a wide variety of competitors, including well-established regional competitors, competitors who are more specialized than we are in particular markets, as well as larger companies or divisions of larger companies with substantial sales, marketing, research, and financial capabilities. We are facing increased competition in a number of our served markets as a result of the entry of new, large companies into certain markets, the entry of competitors based in low-cost manufacturing locations, and increasing consolidation in particular markets. The number of competitors varies by product and service line. Our management believes that we have a market leadership position in many of the markets we serve. Key competitive factors vary among our businesses and product and service lines, but include the specific factors noted above with respect to each particular business and typically also include price, quality, delivery speed, service and support, innovation, distribution network, breadth of product, service and software offerings and brand name recognition. For a discussion of risks related to competition, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Seasonal Nature of Business

General economic conditions impact our business and financial results, and certain of our businesses experience seasonal and other trends related to the industries and end markets that they serve. For example, European sales are often weaker in the summer months, sales to the United States government are typically stronger in the third calendar quarter, medical and capital

equipment sales are often stronger in the fourth calendar quarter and sales to OEMs are often stronger immediately preceding and following the launch of new products. However, as a whole, we are not subject to material seasonality.

Working Capital

We maintain an adequate level of working capital to support our business needs. There are no unusual industry practices or requirements relating to working capital items. In addition, our sales and payment terms are generally similar to those of our competitors.

Backlog

The following sets forth the unfulfilled orders attributable to each of our five segments as of December 31 ($ in millions):

	2015		2014
Test & Measurement	$	174.2	$	170.6
Environmental	655.6		643.1
Life Sciences & Diagnostics	1,188.6		447.2
Dental	49.8		67.5
Industrial Technologies	600.8		638.1
Total	$	2,669.0	$	1,966.5

We expect that a large majority of the unfilled orders as of December 31, 2015 will be delivered to customers within three to four months of such date. Given the relatively short delivery periods and rapid inventory turnover that are characteristic of most of our products and the shortening of product life cycles, we believe that backlog is indicative of short-term revenue performance but not necessarily a reliable indicator of medium or long-term revenue performance.

Employee Relations

As of December 31, 2015, we employed approximately 81,000 persons, of whom approximately 32,000 were employed in the United States and approximately 49,000 were employed outside of the United States. Of our United States employees, approximately 1,700 were hourly-rated, unionized employees. Outside the United States, we have government-mandated collective bargaining arrangements and union contracts in certain countries, particularly in Europe where many of our employees are represented by unions and/or works councils. For a discussion of risks related to employee relations, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Research and Development

The following sets forth our research and development expenditures over each of the last three years ended December 31, by segment and in the aggregate ($ in millions):

	2015		2014		2013
Test & Measurement	$	208.1	$	214.1	$	216.3
Environmental	188.6		182.7		166.8
Life Sciences & Diagnostics	554.6		506.5		476.4
Dental	133.8		82.4		75.3
Industrial Technologies	154.0		171.3		169.6
Total	$	1,239.1	$	1,157.0	$	1,104.4

We conduct research and development activities for the purpose of developing new products, enhancing the functionality, effectiveness, ease of use and reliability of our existing products and expanding the applications for which uses of our products are appropriate. Our research and development efforts include internal initiatives and those that use licensed or acquired technology. The Company generally conducts research and development activities on a business-by-business basis, primarily in North America, Europe and Asia, although it does conduct certain research and development activities on a centralized basis. We anticipate that we will continue to make significant expenditures for research and development as we seek to provide a continuing flow of innovative products to maintain and improve our competitive position. For a discussion of the risks related

to the need to develop and commercialize new products and product enhancements, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.” Customer-sponsored research and development was not significant in 2015, 2014 or 2013.

Government Contracts

Although the substantial majority of our revenue in 2015 was from customers other than governmental entities, each of our segments has agreements relating to the sale of products to government entities. As a result, we are subject to various statutes and regulations that apply to companies doing business with governments. For a discussion of risks related to government contracting requirements, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Regulatory Matters

We face extensive government regulation both within and outside the United States relating to the development, manufacture, marketing, sale and distribution of our products, software and services. The following sections describe certain significant regulations that we are subject to. These are not the only regulations that our businesses must comply with. For a description of the risks related to the regulations that our businesses are subject to, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Environmental Laws and Regulations

For a discussion of the environmental laws and regulations that our operations, products and services are subject to and other environmental contingencies, please refer to Note 16 in the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report. For a discussion of risks related to compliance with environmental and health and safety laws and risks related to past or future releases of, or exposures to, hazardous substances, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Medical Device and Other Health Care Regulations

Certain of our products are classified as medical devices under the United States Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the “FDCA”). The FDCA requires these products, when sold in the United States, to be safe and effective for their intended use and to comply with the regulations administered by the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Our medical device products are also regulated by comparable agencies in non-U.S. countries where our products are sold.

The FDA’s regulatory requirements include:

• Establishment Registration. We must register with the FDA each facility where regulated products are developed or manufactured. The FDA periodically inspects these facilities.

• Marketing Authorization. We must obtain FDA authorization to begin marketing a regulated, 510(k)-non-exempted product in the United States. For some of our products, this authorization is obtained by submitting a 510(k) pre-market notification, which generally provides data on the performance of the product to allow the FDA to determine substantial equivalence to a product already in commercial distribution in the United States. Other of our products must go through a formal pre-market approval process which includes the review of non-clinical laboratory studies and clinical investigations, as well as an inspection by the FDA prior to market approval.

• Quality Systems. We are required to establish a quality system that includes procedures for ensuring regulated products are developed, manufactured and distributed in accordance with specified standards. We also must establish procedures for investigating and responding to customer complaints regarding the performance of regulated products.

• Labeling. The labeling for the products must contain specified information. In some cases, the FDA must review and approve the labeling and any quality assurance protocols specified in the labeling.

• Imports and Exports. The FDCA establishes requirements for importing products into and exporting products from the United States. In general, any limitations on importing and exporting products apply only to products that have not received marketing authorization.

• Post-Market Reporting. After regulated products have been distributed to customers, we may receive product complaints requiring us to investigate and report to the FDA certain events involving the products. We also must notify the FDA when we conduct recalls involving our products.

In the European Union, a single regulatory approval process exists, and conformity with such approval process is represented by the CE mark. To obtain a CE mark, medical devices must meet minimum standards of performance, safety, and quality (known as the essential requirements), and then, according to their classification, comply with one or more of a selection of conformity assessment routes. An organization accredited by an EU Member State to certify whether a product meets the essential requirements, also known as a notified body, assesses the quality management systems of the device’s manufacturer

and the device’s conformity to the essential and other requirements within the medical device directive or in vitro diagnostic directive. Our medical device companies are also subject to inspection by notified bodies for compliance. The competent authorities of the EU countries, generally in the form of their ministries or departments of health, oversee the clinical research for medical devices and are responsible for market surveillance of products once they are placed on the market. We are required to report device failures and injuries potentially related to product use to these authorities in a timely manner.

A number of other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China and Japan, have also adopted or are in the process of adopting regulations and standards for medical devices sold in those countries.

We are also subject to various health care related laws regulating fraud and abuse, pricing and sales and marketing practices and the privacy and security of health information, including the United States federal regulations described below. Many states, foreign countries and supranational bodies have also adopted laws and regulations similar to, and in some cases more stringent than, the federal regulations discussed above and below.

• The Federal Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, offering, receiving or providing remuneration, directly or indirectly, in exchange for or to induce either the referral of an individual, or the furnishing or arranging for a good or service, for which payment may be made under a federal health care program, such as Medicare or Medicaid.

• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”) prohibits knowingly and willfully (1) executing a scheme to defraud any health care benefit program, including private payors, or (2) falsifying, concealing or covering up a material fact or making any materially false, fictitious or fraudulent statement in connection with the delivery of or payment for health care benefits, items or services. In addition, HIPAA, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009, also restricts the use and disclosure of patient-identifiable health information, mandates the adoption of standards relating to the privacy and security of patient-identifiable health information and requires us to report certain security breaches with respect to such information.

• The False Claims Act imposes liability on any person or entity that, among other things, knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment by a federal health care program. The qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act allow a private individual to bring actions on behalf of the federal government alleging that the defendant has submitted a false claim to the federal government, and to share in any monetary recovery.

• The Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires manufacturers of medical devices covered under Medicare and Medicaid to record transfers of value to physicians and teaching hospitals and to report this data to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for subsequent public disclosure. Similar reporting requirements have also been enacted on the state level, and an increasing number of countries worldwide either have adopted or are considering similar laws requiring transparency of interactions with health care professionals.

In addition, certain of our products utilize radioactive material, and we are subject to federal, state, local and non-U.S. regulations governing the management, storage, handling and disposal of these materials. For a discussion of risks related to our regulation by the FDA and comparable agencies of other countries, and the other regulatory regimes referenced above, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Export/Import Compliance

We are required to comply with various U.S. export/import control and economic sanctions laws, including:

• the International Traffic in Arms Regulations administered by the U.S. Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, which, among other things, imposes license requirements on the export from the United States of defense articles and defense services (which are items specifically designed or adapted for a military application and/or listed on the United States Munitions List);

• the Export Administration Regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, which, among other things, impose licensing requirements on the export or re-export of certain dual-use goods, technology and software (which are items that potentially have both commercial and military applications);

• the regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, which implement economic sanctions imposed against designated countries, governments and persons based on United States foreign policy and national security considerations; and

• the import regulatory activities of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Other nations’ governments have implemented similar export and import control regulations, which may affect our operations or transactions subject to their jurisdictions. For a discussion of risks related to export/import control and economic sanctions laws, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

International Operations

Our products and services are available worldwide, and our principal markets outside the United States are in Europe and Asia. We also have operations around the world, and this geographic diversity allows us to draw on the skills of a worldwide workforce, provides greater stability to our operations, allows us to drive economies of scale, provides revenue streams that may help offset economic trends that are specific to individual economies and offers us an opportunity to access new markets for products. In addition, we believe that our future growth depends in part on our ability to continue developing products and sales models that successfully target emerging markets (also referred to in this Report as “high-growth markets”). The Company defines high-growth markets as developing markets of the world experiencing rapid growth in gross domestic product and infrastructure which includes Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Asia (with the exception of Japan and Australia).

The table below describes annual revenue derived from customers outside the United States as a percentage of total annual revenue for the year ended December 31, by segment and in the aggregate, based on geographic destination:

	2015		2014		2013
Test & Measurement	46	%	48	%	49	%
Environmental	50	%	54	%	57	%
Life Sciences & Diagnostics	63	%	65	%	65	%
Dental	54	%	54	%	53	%
Industrial Technologies	56	%	57	%	57	%
Total percentage of revenue derived from customers outside of the United States	56	%	58	%	58	%

The table below describes long-lived assets located outside the United States as of December 31, as a percentage of total long-lived assets, by segment and in the aggregate (including assets held for sale):

	2015		2014		2013
Test & Measurement	20	%	18	%	20	%
Environmental	35	%	37	%	38	%
Life Sciences & Diagnostics	52	%	45	%	48	%
Dental	40	%	46	%	33	%
Industrial Technologies	37	%	34	%	37	%
Total percentage of long-lived assets located outside of the United States	46	%	39	%	39	%

For additional information related to revenues and long-lived assets by country, please refer to Note 19 to the Consolidated Financial Statements and for information regarding deferred taxes by geography, please refer to Note 12 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

The manner in which our products and services are sold outside the United States differs by business and by region. Most of our sales in non-U.S. markets are made by our subsidiaries located outside the U.S., though we also sell directly from the U.S. into non-U.S. markets through various representatives and distributors and, in some cases, directly. In countries with low sales volumes, we generally sell through representatives and distributors.

Financial information about our international operations is contained in Note 19 of the Consolidated Financial Statements and information about the effects of foreign currency fluctuations on our business is set forth in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion

and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” For a discussion of risks related to our non-U.S. operations and foreign currency exchange, please refer to “Item 1A. Risk Factors.”

Major Customers

No customer accounted for more than 10% of consolidated sales in 2015, 2014 or 2013.

Available Information

We maintain an internet website at www.danaher.com. We make available free of charge on the website our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports, filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, as soon as reasonably practicable after filing such material with, or furnishing such material to, the SEC. Our Internet site and the information contained on or connected to that site are not incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K.

DHR - Danaher Corporation