Japanese medical equipment manufacturer Terumo said it will buy U.S. firm CaridianBCT for $2.63 billion. CaridianBCT, based in Colorado, makes medical devices such as automated blood-collection equipment. The company is currently owned by Sweden’s Gambro. The deal is expected to close in May 2011.

Terumo said the acquisition will make it the largest company by sales in the growing global blood transfusion industry. The company noted that aging populations in developed countries coupled with better health care in emerging nations will spur demand for blood transfusions in the future.