Introduction

Medline Industries is a major American healthcare company that manufactures, distributes, and supplies a very wide range of medical and surgical products. Headquartered in Northfield, Illinois, USA, the company serves hospitals, surgery centers, nursing facilities, physician offices, laboratories, home healthcare providers, government organizations, and consumers.

Medline was founded in 1966 and has grown into one of the world’s largest providers of medical-surgical products and healthcare supply-chain solutions. The company currently offers approximately 335,000 products, including around 190,000 Medline Brand products. It operates in more than 100 countries and territories and employs more than 45,000 people worldwide.

Unlike companies that focus on only one type of medical device, Medline operates across many areas of healthcare. Its portfolio includes everything from surgical products and wound-care supplies to gloves, patient-care products, laboratory supplies, medical equipment, urology products, respiratory supplies and rehabilitation equipment.

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Company Overview

Company: Medline Industries, Inc.
Headquarters: Northfield, Illinois, USA
Founded: 1966
Industry: Healthcare, Medical Supplies and Medical Devices
Global Presence: 100+ countries and territories
Employees: 45,000+ worldwide
Product Portfolio: Approximately 335,000 products
Medline Brand Products: Approximately 190,000
2025 Net Sales: Approximately $28.4 billion

Medline describes itself as the largest provider of medical-surgical products and supply-chain solutions serving all points of care. Its business combines manufacturing, product sourcing, distribution, logistics, clinical support and supply-chain management.

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What Does Medline Industries Make?

Medline makes and supplies thousands of products used in hospitals, operating rooms, clinics, laboratories, nursing facilities, emergency care and homes.

Its portfolio is so broad that it is better understood by product category rather than by individual products.

The company’s major areas include:

• Surgical supplies
• Wound-care products
• Examination gloves
• Surgical gloves
• Protective apparel
• Infection-prevention products
• Patient-care supplies
• Incontinence products
• Urology products
• Ostomy supplies
• Laboratory products
• Diagnostic supplies
• Respiratory products
• Anesthesia products
• Vascular-access products
• Medical equipment
• Beds and mattresses
• Mobility equipment
• Rehabilitation products
• Nutrition products
• Skin-care products
• Textiles
• Procedure kits
• Sterile procedure trays
• Environmental-services products
• Orthopedic products
• Foot and ankle products
• Nursing supplies

Medline’s current product catalog covers categories ranging from advanced wound care and anesthesia to respiratory care, physical therapy, urology, ostomy, vascular access and surgery.

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1. Surgical Products

Surgical products are one of Medline’s most important business areas.

The company supplies products used before, during and after surgical procedures.

These include:

• Surgical instruments
• Surgical drapes
• Surgical gowns
• Surgical gloves
• Sterile procedure trays
• Surgical packs
• Procedure kits
• Sterile wraps
• Operating-room supplies
• Patient-positioning products
• Surgical accessories
• Protective equipment

Medline also develops procedure-specific kits and trays that allow hospitals to organize multiple supplies required for a particular procedure.

This can help healthcare facilities reduce preparation time and simplify inventory management.

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2. Wound Care Products

Medline manufactures and distributes a large selection of products designed for wound management.

Its wound-care portfolio includes products such as:

• Gauze
• Dressings
• Bandages
• Wound cleansers
• Advanced wound dressings
• Wound-care kits
• Skin-protection products
• Compression-related products
• Wound-care accessories

These products may be used for routine wounds, surgical wounds, chronic wounds and other clinical wound-management situations.

Medline also offers products designed for healthcare professionals and home-care environments.

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3. Examination and Surgical Gloves

Gloves are essential in almost every healthcare environment, and Medline has a major portfolio in this area.

The company supplies:

• Examination gloves
• Surgical gloves
• Nitrile gloves
• Latex gloves
• Specialty gloves
• Procedure-specific gloves

Gloves are used by doctors, nurses, laboratory workers, surgeons, caregivers and other healthcare professionals.

Medline also supplies protective gloves for other healthcare and workplace applications.

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4. Personal Protective Equipment

Medline provides a variety of personal protective equipment, commonly known as PPE.

Products can include:

• Face masks
• Surgical masks
• Protective gowns
• Isolation gowns
• Gloves
• Protective apparel
• Face and eye protection
• Other infection-control products

These products are particularly important in hospitals, laboratories, surgical facilities and environments where infection prevention is a major concern.

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5. Infection Prevention Products

Infection prevention is another important part of Medline’s portfolio.

The company provides products designed to support healthcare facilities in maintaining cleaner and safer clinical environments.

These include:

• Disinfection products
• Hand hygiene products
• Skin antisepsis products
• Environmental cleaning supplies
• Patient decolonization products
• Infection-control supplies
• Protective equipment
• Sterile products

Medline’s product portfolio includes environmental-services and infection-prevention solutions as part of its broader healthcare offering.

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6. Urology Products

Medline also supplies products used in urological care.

Its urology portfolio includes products and kits associated with:

• Catheterization
• Urinary drainage
• Foley catheter procedures
• Intermittent catheterization
• Urological procedure trays
• Urine collection
• Urological accessories

Some of these products are used in hospitals, long-term care facilities and home healthcare.

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7. Ostomy Products

Medline supplies products for people who require ostomy care.

Ostomy-related supplies can include:

• Ostomy accessories
• Skin protection products
• Ostomy-care supplies
• Related wound and continence products

These products are intended to support patients and caregivers managing ongoing ostomy care.

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8. Incontinence Care Products

Medline provides a broad range of continence and incontinence-care products.

These can include:

• Adult briefs
• Protective underwear
• Underpads
• Disposable liners
• Skin-care products
• Incontinence-related accessories

These products are used in hospitals, nursing homes, home healthcare and other long-term-care environments.

Medline also distributes products from other established healthcare brands in addition to its own products.

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9. Laboratory and Diagnostic Products

Medline serves clinical laboratories and healthcare facilities with laboratory and diagnostic supplies.

Its laboratory portfolio can include:

• Specimen-collection products
• Laboratory consumables
• Blood-collection supplies
• Diagnostic accessories
• Laboratory containers
• Testing-related supplies
• Protective laboratory equipment

Laboratory and Diagnostics is one of the three major categories within Medline’s own-brand portfolio, alongside Front Line Care and Surgical Solutions.

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10. Anesthesia Products

Medline supplies products used during anesthesia and airway-management procedures.

These can include:

• Anesthesia procedure kits
• Airway products
• Breathing circuits
• Masks
• Suction-related products
• Procedure trays
• Other anesthesia accessories

The company’s manufacturing capabilities also cover procedure trays and components for anesthesia and airway procedures.

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11. Respiratory Products

Medline’s respiratory portfolio supports hospitals, home healthcare providers and other care environments.

Products can include:

• Nebulizers
• Respiratory masks
• Breathing bags
• Respiratory accessories
• Oxygen-related equipment
• Other respiratory-care supplies

The company also serves the home medical equipment market, where respiratory products are among its major product categories.

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12. Durable Medical Equipment

Medline manufactures and distributes durable medical equipment, commonly called DME.

Examples include:

• Wheelchairs
• Transport chairs
• Walkers
• Rollators
• Canes
• Patient aids
• Bathroom safety equipment
• Mobility equipment
• Beds
• Mattresses
• Other rehabilitation equipment

These products can be used in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and private homes.

Medline’s consumer business also makes mobility aids and bathroom-safety products available for home use.

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13. Patient Care Products

Hospitals require thousands of basic products for everyday patient care.

Medline supplies products such as:

• Patient-care accessories
• Examination supplies
• Patient plastics
• Disposable supplies
• Skin-care products
• Bedside products
• Nursing supplies
• Patient hygiene products

These products may not always be high-tech medical devices, but they are essential to the daily operation of healthcare facilities.

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14. Skin Care Products

Medline provides products designed to support skin protection and skin health in healthcare environments.

These may include:

• Moisturizers
• Skin cleansers
• Barrier products
• Antiseptic products
• Skin-protection products
• Patient skin-care solutions

Skin care is particularly important for patients who spend long periods in bed or require frequent medical care.

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15. Nutrition and Enteral Feeding Products

Medline also provides products associated with nutrition and enteral feeding.

These can include:

• Enteral feeding tubes
• Feeding sets
• Feeding pumps
• Nutrition-related supplies
• Feeding accessories

Such products can be important for patients who cannot receive adequate nutrition through normal oral feeding.

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16. Vascular Access Products

Vascular access is another area in which Medline provides medical supplies.

These products support procedures involving access to blood vessels and intravenous therapy.

Examples can include:

• IV-related products
• Catheter-related accessories
• Saline flush products
• Vascular-access kits
• Procedure trays

Medline’s manufacturing scope includes sterile pre-filled saline flush syringes for IV lines.

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17. Procedure Kits and Sterile Trays

One of Medline’s important strengths is its ability to assemble complete procedure kits and sterile trays.

Instead of purchasing every component separately, healthcare providers can obtain a kit containing multiple products needed for a specific procedure.

Examples include:

• Foley catheter trays
• IV start kits
• Minor procedure trays
• Blood-culture kits
• Pre-operative bundles
• Room-turnover kits
• Sterile procedure trays
• Intermittent catheter trays

This approach can simplify inventory management and improve procedural organization. Medline currently highlights these types of kits and trays across its product portfolio.

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18. Orthopedic Products

Medline also has products related to orthopedic care.

These can include:

• Orthopedic soft goods
• Arm slings
• Orthopedic supports
• Foot and ankle products
• Compression products
• Rehabilitation-related supplies

The company also lists orthopedic implants among its Surgical Solutions offerings.

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19. Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Products

Medline supports rehabilitation and physical therapy environments with products designed for mobility, exercise and patient recovery.

These may include:

• Rehabilitation equipment
• Therapy products
• Mobility aids
• Exercise equipment
• Patient-support products
• Recovery accessories

These products can be used in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing facilities and home settings.

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20. Beds, Mattresses and Patient Furniture

Medline also supplies equipment and furnishings for healthcare environments.

Its portfolio includes products such as:

• Hospital beds
• Mattresses
• Pressure-relief mattresses
• Patient furniture
• Bedside equipment
• Patient-support products

These products are especially important for hospitals, long-term care facilities and home medical equipment providers.

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Medline’s Three Major Product Areas

Medline’s own-brand products are broadly organized into three major categories:

1. Front Line Care

Front Line Care includes products used directly in everyday patient care.

Examples include:

• Wound care
• Exam gloves
• Skin care
• Incontinence products
• Cleaning products
• Hand hygiene
• Durable medical equipment
• Patient plastics
• Infection-control products

2. Surgical Solutions

Surgical Solutions focuses on operating-room and perioperative requirements.

Examples include:

• Surgical procedure trays
• Drapes
• Gowns
• PPE
• Sterile wraps
• Surgical instruments
• Surgical gloves
• Procedure kits
• Orthopedic products

3. Laboratory and Diagnostics

This area focuses on supplies used in laboratories and diagnostic environments.

Together, these categories account for a large part of Medline’s own-brand portfolio.

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Medline Is More Than a Medical Manufacturer

One of the most important things to understand about Medline is that it is not simply a manufacturer.

The company combines:

Manufacturing + Product Sourcing + Distribution + Logistics + Supply Chain Management + Clinical Support

This integrated model allows Medline to manufacture many products while also distributing products from other brands.

Its supply-chain business helps healthcare organizations manage purchasing, inventory, delivery and other operational requirements.

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Medline’s Supply Chain Network

Medical facilities need reliable access to supplies every day. A shortage of something as simple as gloves, dressings or procedure kits can disrupt healthcare operations.

Medline therefore invests heavily in logistics and distribution.

According to its current company information, Medline has:

• 70 global distribution centers
• 29+ million square feet of warehousing globally
• 2,100+ MedTrans trucks in the United States
• Next-day delivery capability to 95% of U.S. customers
• 30 global manufacturing sites
• More than 600 global sourcing partners in approximately 40 countries

These capabilities allow the company to move medical products from manufacturing and sourcing locations to healthcare providers.

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Medline’s Manufacturing Capabilities

Medline manufactures a substantial number of medical-surgical and laboratory products.

The company currently says it manufactures approximately 70,000 med-surg and laboratory products in 30 global manufacturing facilities.

It is also a major producer of healthcare kits, manufacturing more than 250 million kits annually according to its current portfolio information.

This manufacturing capability allows Medline to have greater control over product design, production, quality processes and supply availability.

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Who Uses Medline Products?

Medline products and services are used across almost the entire healthcare system.

Its customers and care settings include:

• Hospitals
• Surgery centers
• Physician offices
• Nursing homes
• Long-term care facilities
• Clinical laboratories
• Home healthcare organizations
• Hospice providers
• Emergency medical services
• Government healthcare organizations
• Home medical equipment providers
• Consumers

Medline’s current healthcare coverage spans acute care, laboratories, emergency services, home healthcare, long-term care, physician offices, surgery centers and several other settings.

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Medline Products for Consumers

Although Medline is strongly associated with hospitals and professional healthcare providers, some of its products are also available to consumers.

Through its consumer business, people can purchase products such as:

• Wheelchairs
• Rollators
• Canes
• Bath-safety equipment
• Orthopedic-care products
• Incontinence supplies
• Wound-care products
• First-aid products
• Medical apparel
• Protective gloves

Medline’s consumer brands include products such as CURAD bandages, medical wear and Venom Steel protective gloves.

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Medline’s Role in Healthcare

Medline’s importance comes from the enormous range of products it provides.

A hospital may need thousands of different medical and non-medical supplies every day. Instead of purchasing every item from a different supplier, healthcare organizations can use a broad supplier such as Medline for many categories.

This can help healthcare organizations:

• Simplify purchasing
• Reduce supplier complexity
• Improve inventory management
• Standardize products
• Improve supply availability
• Manage costs
• Streamline logistics
• Support clinical workflows

Medline’s integrated approach combines products, logistics and clinical solutions rather than treating product delivery as an isolated service.

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Medline’s Global Presence

Medline is headquartered in Northfield, Illinois, United States, but its operations extend far beyond the U.S.

The company currently operates in more than 100 countries and territories and employs more than 45,000 people worldwide.

Its global presence allows healthcare providers in different markets to access medical products, supply-chain services and clinical resources.

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Medline’s Business Growth

Medline has experienced decades of growth in the healthcare supply industry.

According to its current company facts, it recorded approximately $28.4 billion in overall net sales in 2025 and has reported more than 50 consecutive years of annual revenue growth.

The company’s scale has also expanded through manufacturing investments, supply-chain infrastructure and acquisitions.

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Is Medline a Medical Device Company?

Yes, but it is broader than a traditional medical-device manufacturer.

Medline manufactures and distributes many medical devices, disposable products, surgical supplies, laboratory products, patient-care products and medical equipment.

However, its business model also includes distribution and supply-chain services. This makes Medline a combination of:

Medical manufacturer + distributor + healthcare supply-chain company + clinical solutions provider.

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Why Is Medline Important?

Medline is important because modern healthcare depends on the continuous availability of a huge number of supplies.

A hospital does not only require sophisticated equipment such as imaging systems or surgical robots. It also needs everyday products such as:

• Gloves
• Masks
• Gauze
• Dressings
• Catheters
• Syringes
• Procedure kits
• Surgical gowns
• Drapes
• Cleaning products
• Patient-care supplies
• Laboratory consumables

Medline operates across many of these categories, making it an important part of the healthcare supply ecosystem.

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Conclusion

Medline Industries is one of the largest healthcare supply companies in the United States. Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Northfield, Illinois, the company has developed a huge portfolio covering approximately 335,000 medical-surgical products.

Its products range from surgical instruments, procedure trays, gloves, wound-care products and infection-control supplies to urology products, respiratory equipment, laboratory supplies, medical equipment, rehabilitation products and patient-care items.

What makes Medline particularly distinctive is that it combines manufacturing with distribution, logistics, supply-chain management and clinical support. The company therefore plays a role not only in producing healthcare products but also in helping hospitals and other healthcare providers obtain, manage and use those products efficiently.

With operations in more than 100 countries, more than 45,000 employees and a large global manufacturing and distribution network, Medline has become a major player in the international healthcare industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Medline Industries?

Medline Industries is a U.S.-based healthcare company that manufactures and distributes medical-surgical products and provides healthcare supply-chain solutions.

2. What products does Medline make?

Medline makes and supplies surgical products, wound-care supplies, gloves, PPE, infection-control products, laboratory supplies, urology products, incontinence products, respiratory products, medical equipment, procedure kits and many other healthcare products.

3. Where is Medline Industries headquartered?

Medline Industries is headquartered in Northfield, Illinois, USA.

4. Does Medline manufacture medical devices?

Yes. Medline manufactures and distributes a broad range of medical devices and healthcare products, including durable medical equipment, respiratory products, wound-care products, surgical products, vascular-access products and other medical supplies.

5. Does Medline sell products to consumers?

Yes. Some Medline healthcare products are available for consumers through its consumer-focused channels and authorized retailers.

6. How large is Medline?

Medline currently has approximately 335,000 products, more than 45,000 employees worldwide and operations in more than 100 countries and territories.

7. Is Medline only a medical-supply distributor?

No. Medline is both a manufacturer and distributor and also provides supply-chain and clinical solutions to healthcare organizations.