In the automotive market, it was Japan that gave the Big Three a run for their money.
In medical devices, the Big Three — Fridley, Minn.-based Medtronic Inc. (NYSE:MDT), Natick, Mass.-based Boston Scientific Corp. (NYSE:BSX) and Little Canada, Minn.-based St. Jude Medical Inc. (NYSE:STJ) — better watch out for Biotronik, a German medical devices firm.