In the calendar-year second quarter, major analytical instrument and laboratory supply companies in general reported an increase in business compared to calendar-year first quarter as applied markets, Asia and consumables continued to be the main growth drivers. In addition, Europe gained some momentum as both Waters and Dionex reported a return to European sales growth, […]

Despite sustained economic volatility during August, the US equity markets and US dollar strengthened. Investors were encouraged by better-than-expected manufacturing data, consumer confidence and durable goods orders for July, as well as falling crude oil prices, which declined 7% to end the month at $115.45 a barrel. On August 27, the US Commerce Department revised […]

Gold Award IBO’s 2008 Gold Award for laboratory equipment design goes to Hamilton’s automatic pipettor, the Microlab Nimbus. The idea for the Nimbus came about after “Hamilton identified an unmet demand in the biopharmaceutical marketplace for . . . automated pipetting in key fundamental applications such as plate replication, serial dilution and reagent additions, while […]

Over the past 14 years, the annual IBO Design Awards have showcased the best in analytical instrument industrial design. Industrial design encompasses the appearance and form of an instrument. The industrial design is a fundamental part of a product, helping determine how the end-user will evaluate, use, maintain and value a product, and, indirectly, how […]

Analytical instrument makers have two choices about how to sell their products: directly or through distributors. The choice is especially important for sales in other countries. Although selling directly ensures more control over the sale, direct contact with the end-user and a full percentage of the sale, it also requires substantial investment and greater resources. […]

In the second quarter of 2008, revenues for IBO’s Laboratory Sales Index grew 13.7% to $4,624 million, compared to growth of 13.3% in second quarter of 2007. Operating profit climbed 20.4% to $747 million, and operating margin climbed 90 basis points to 16.2% of sales. While several companies, such as Affymetrix, Harvard Bioscience and Tecan, […]

Despite the economic downturn, sales of analytical and life science instruments and related aftermarket products and service have remained healthy. Steady industrial end-markets, demand from Asia, and robust biotech and contract research organization (CRO) sales have offset cautious spending by big pharma and a mixed academic market. As the table on page 3 shows, first-half […]