8-K

   




                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         Washington, D.C. 20549

                                FORM 8-K

                             CURRENT REPORT

                PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                    SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


   Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)  February 14, 2000


                     BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC.
   _________________________________________________________________
           (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


   A Delaware Corporation             1-7928              94-1381833
   _________________________________________________________________
   (State or Other Jurisdiction     (Commission        (IRS Employer
      of Incorporation)              File  Number)  Identification No.)


   1000 Alfred Nobel Drive, Hercules, California               94547
   _________________________________________________________________
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                 (Zip Code)

   Registrant's telephone number, including area code  (510)724-7000


                               No Change
   _________________________________________________________________
     (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)










   

         ITEM 5.   OTHER EVENTS

                    On February 14, 2000, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. issued
                    a  press release, the text  of which is attached hereto
                    as Exhibit 99.1.


          ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION
                   AND EXHIBITS.

          (c)  Exhibits

               The exhibits to this report are listed in the accompanying
               Index to Exhibits.
















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                                      SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
          1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
          its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                        BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC.
                                               (Registrant)


          Date:  February 16, 2000      By: /s/ Thomas C. Chesterman
                                            Thomas C. Chesterman
                                            Vice President and
                                            Chief Financial Officer





















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                              BIO-RAD LABORATORIES, INC.

                                  INDEX TO EXHIBITS

                                      ITEM 7(c)

          The following documents are filed as part of this report:

          Exhibit Number      Description

              99.1            Press Release dated February 14, 2000
                              referred to in Item 5 above.













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EX-99

   
                                                        EXHIBIT 99.1

NEWS RELEASE


Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. Announces Senior Subordinated Note Offering

HERCULES, CA, February 14, 2000 - Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (AMEX: BIO.A,
BIO.B) today announced that it plans to sell $150 million of its 11 5/8%
Senior Subordinated Notes due 2007 through a private placement to qualified
institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A and in offshore transactions
pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Bio-Rad expects to close the transaction on or about February 17, 2000.

The Senior Subordinated Notes will not be, and have not been, registered
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or
sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or an applicable exemption from the registration
requirements thereof.

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (www.bio-rad.com) is a multinational manufacturer
and distributor of life science research products, clinical diagnostics and
analytical instrumentation, based in Hercules, California. The company
serves more than 70,000 research and industry customers worldwide through
a network of more than 30 wholly owned subsidiary offices.

For more information, contact:
Contact:  Tom Chesterman, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Phone:  (510) 724-7000
Email:  tom_chesterman@bio-rad.com

Various statements made within this press release may constitute
"forward-looking statements" for purposes of the Securities and Exchange
Commission's "safe harbor" provisions under the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The forward-looking statements contained herein involve risks and
uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from the
Company's expectations.