(For a more extensive history of Gilford Instrument Laboratories, see the twenty-fifth anniversary issue (1983) of the company newsletter Readout.)

1954

Saul R. Gilford joins Colson Corporation in Elyria, Ohio, to establish and manage the firm's new Medical Electronics Division

1957

The Colson Corporation decides to focus its efforts away from the medical electronics field and offers to sell its Medical Equipment Division to S.R. Gilford and some of his associates. After the sale, Colson moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas.

1958

August 1, Gilford Instrument Laboratories is established with ten employees.

1959

Gilford Instrument Laboratories moves to the new Oberlin Industrial Park from Elyria. First Gilford products to be exported go to Japan.

1962

Staff increased to 37. Biochemical and Research Laboratory established.

1963

Sales of 22 products sold throughout the world top $1,000,000. Staff at 57.

1965

Gilford moves into clinical market with introduction of Model 300 Clinical Chemistry Analyzer.

1966

Gilford displays products at Soviet Academy of Sciences Microbiology Congress. Staff at 145.

1968

Gilford celebrates its 10th anniversary. Sales are more than 31 times what they were in 1958, and the number of employees has increased 22 times.

1974

Sales top 12 million dollars.
PTR Optics becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gilford.

1978

Gilford Instruments decides to expand its manufacturing base to take advantage of the growing market for clinical chemistry products and establishes a subsidiary, Gilford Diagnostics.

Single largest expansion of the Gilford plant connects the Administration/Research and Manufacturing buildings.

1979

November 17, Saul R. Gilford is killed in a plane crash near Bennington, Vermont.

Richard J. Dunn takes over as president.

Sales of products top 31.4 million.

1980

Gilford Instruments merges with Corning Glass Works.

1983

Patrick Leonard becomes president of Gilford Instruments.

1985

Corning and Ciba-Geigy embark on a joint venture, forming Ciba Corning

1989

Ciba Corning Diagnostics becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Ciba-Geigy

1994

Ciba-Geigy transfers Ciba Corning Diagnostics to Chiron Corporation as part of a deal to obtain 49.9% interest in Chiron Corporation.

1996

Ciba Corning Diagnostics name changed to Chiron|Diagnostics

1998

Bayer Group acquires Chiron|Diagnostics

1999

Bayer announces plans to close the Oberlin facility in 2001

January, 2001

Oberlin facility closes.