Company Announcements

Thermo Fisher Scientific sold Separation Technology, a manufacturer of IVD devices for the hematology-testing market, to EKF Diagnostics for $4.0 million in March.

Thermo Fisher Scientific announced a memorandum of understanding in May with the National University of Singapore to develop a strategic alliance to advance basic and applied research. For up to five years, Thermo will sponsor multiyear and short-term research grants in the life sciences and will support collaborative interactions.

In May, Thermo Fisher Scientific opened the Nanoscale Materials Analysis Centre of Excellence in East Grinstead, UK, a renovated facility. The facility is designed to showcase Thermo Scientific’s x-ray photoelectron, ED x-ray spectrometry, WD x-ray spectrometry and electron-backscatter diffraction instruments.

Transgenomic named Michael A. Luther, PhD, to its Board in March. He currently serves as senior vice president of Discovery and Development at Albany Molecular Research.

In April, BioMérieux named Alexandre Mérieux as CEO and, as part of organizational changes, created separate Clinical and Industry Units.

Analytik Jena added Neo-Science & Group as a distributor for its Analytical Instrumentation unit for the Middle East.

Charles F. Wagner, Jr., CFO and executive vice president, Finance and Administration, at Bruker, joined the Board of Good Start Genetics in April.

Xylem’s Test revenue for the first quarter rose 5%, according to the company’s quarterly conference call, driven by emerging markets, including a $3 million order from Brazil’s national water agency and two large shipments to China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Harvard Bioscience first quarter revenues slipped 0.7%, 2.7% excluding currency, to $25.9 million (see IBO 5/31/14). US weather conditions negatively impacted sales by roughly 1.5%–2.0%, especially consumables, which accounted for 30% of revenues. Adjusted operating income from continuing operations fell 9.5% to $2.3 million.

QIAGEN adjusted first quarter sales grew 5%, 3% excluding acquisitions, to $317.4 million (see IBO 5/31/14). Excluding US HPV sales, organic revenues climbed 6%. All figures below are on a currency-neutral basis. Consumables and Other revenue grew 5%, 2% excluding acquisitions, to make up 89% of revenues. Instruments sales grew 3% to account for 11%. Molecular Diagnostics sales rose 1% to account for 48% of revenues but, excluding a 23% decline in HPV sales, climbed 13% to make up 36%. Applied Testing and Academic revenues grew 14% and 8% to make up 8% and 24% of sales, respectively. Pharmaceutical sales grew 8% to account for 19%. Sales in the Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia-Pacific/Japan grew 4%, 3% and 11% to account for 47%, 33% and 19% of revenues, respectively. Adjusted operating profit expanded 7.2% to $74.8 million.