Dornier seeks medical partnership

A report in the German publication Der Spiegel that Daimler-Benz,parent of Dornier Aerospace, was selling Dornier's medical businessto an eastern German start-up company are not accurate, accordingto a spokesperson for Dornier Medical Systems in Kennesaw, GA.

Daimler-Benz is searching for a corporate partnership to helpbuild the business of Dornier Medizintechnik, said Melissa Stanz,director of corporate communications for DMS. While the Germanconglomerate is talking with several potential partners, includingthe smaller German firm mentioned in Der Spiegel, there is nointention on the part of Daimler-Benz to sell the medical businessoutright, she said.

Dornier, parent of Phoenix-based ultrasound vendor AcousticImaging, is also a leading supplier of lithotripsy and urologicalimaging systems.

"Strategic partnerships are common in Europe," Stanzsaid. "The intent is to strengthen the medical business worldwide.Obviously, the types of partners we are looking for are goingto be in the medical business."

It makes sense for Daimler-Benz to seek a medical partner,since few of its 100 or so subsidiary companies are in this area.Competitors inaccurately portray this decision as a lack of resolveby Dornier's parent to stay in the business, she said.

Daimler-Benz is projecting a $1.17 billion net loss for thefirst nine months of this year, according to a report this monthin the Wall Street Journal. The loss, more than double the amountfor the same period last year, results partially from the Germanfirm's assumption of U.S. accounting rules prior to its listingon the New York Stock Exchange.