Company Announcements

Sartorius announced in February a medium-term target of €4 billion ($4.5 billion) in sales by 2025, compared to €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) in 2017,  with organic growth representing two-thirds of the increase. The Lab Products & Services Division is estimated to contribute €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion).

In 2017, revenues for Sartorius Lab Products & Services Division rose 22.0%, 21.2% on a reported basis, to €394.2 million ($442.9 million), including 14% growth from acquisitions, to make up 28% of company sales. Organically, sales rose roughly 8%.  Orders rose 25.0% on a reported basis to €410.1 million ($460.7 million). Adjusted operating profit for the segment grew 8.5% to $352.2 million. In constant currencies, by region, Division sales grew 17.7% in the EMEA, 39.5% in the Americas, including strong organic growth and 16.6% in Asia Pacific to make up 48%, 25% and 27% of Division revenues, respectively. Division sales are forecast to grow 12%–15% this year.

First quarter sales for Sartorius Lab Products & Services Division grew 10.3%, 15.3% in constant currency, to €101.4 million ($125.2 million) to make up 28% of total company sales (see IBO 4/30/18). The Essen BioScience acquisition (see IBO 3/15/17) added 11 percentage points to growth. Division adjusted operating profit rose 12.3% to €18.3 million ($22.6 million). Division orders increased 17.3%, 22.7% in constant currency, to €109.6 million ($135.3 million), driven by bioanalytics.

Anton Paar announced in February the opening of new subsidiaries in Auckland, New Zealand, with 24 employees, and Bangkok, Thailand, with 13 employees. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the company has begun operations of its APAC Tech Center.

In March, PerkinElmer announced a long-term extension of its existing technical collaboration with Renault Sport Formula One Team to support performance characterization of race car components.

Effective May 1, Phenomenex began direct sales in Singapore.

In May, Phenomenex, a Danaher company, announced the formation of a direct sales and service team to serve Portugal. The team will work out of the company’s office in Madrid, Spain.

Xylem first quarter sales for its legacy analytics business increased 3% organically due to strength in outdoor and wastewater monitoring in China, India and the Middle East.

Effective May 1, LI-COR Biosciences named HS Biosystems as a South Korean distributor, ending its agreement with Dong Young Instruments.

LI-COR Biosciences named Bargal Analytical Instruments as an Israeli distributor, effective May 1, ending its agreement with Ornat BioChemicals & Lab Equipment.

In May, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments and the University of North Florida established the Materials Science and Engineering Research Facility (MSERF) in Jacksonville, Florida. The company’s support includes award of a grant as part of its SPARQ (Shimadzu Partnership for Academics, Research, and Quality of Life) program. The facility includes a Shimadzu XRD spectrometer, IR microscope, UV­-Vis-­NIR spectrophotometer, universal mechanical tester, fully automated micro hardness tester, and microfocus x-­ray computed tomography system. The MSERF also has partnerships with Oxford Instruments and TESCAN.

Fiscal year second quarter sales for Becton, Dickinson’s Biosciences unit grew 13.9%, 8.9% excluding currency effects, to $307 million due to new product releases, including the FACSMelody and FACSymphony, and research reagents.

Teledyne Technologies’ first quarter sales for Environmental Instrumentation grew 7.5% to $81.2 million, including $4.5 million in incremental sales from recent acquisitions.

First quarter sales for Mettler-Toledo’s laboratory product category rose 17%, 10% in local currencies, to 52% of company sales (see IBO 5/15/18), or $345.2 million, led by demand for balances, AutoChem and process analytics and sales in China. The acquisition of Biotix (see IBO 11/15/17) contributed 3% growth.

In May, Agilent Technologies broke ground on a 15,000 ft² (1,394 m²) expansion of its logistics center in Cedar Creek, Texas, serving the NGS and genomics businesses.

Agilent Technologies announced in May a collaboration agreement with the University of Duisburg-Essen, including equipping a new Agilent-sponsored Teaching and Research Center for Separation. The Center will feature GC, LC and MS instruments. This is the fifth university to join Agilent’s Centers of Excellence.

In May, Agilent Technologies completed its acquisition of Advanced Analytical Technologies (AATI) (see IBO 3/15/18) and as a result has created a new Biomolecular Analysis Division within its Diagnostics and Genomics Group. The Group also includes Agilent’s microfluidics business, which was previously part of the Life Sciences and Applied Markets Group. AATI has 109 employees.

In May, AMETEK named David R. Samyn as vice president and general manager of its Materials Analysis Division. Most recently, he served as COO at Industrial Service Solutions.

Biotage announced in May that is has extended CEO and President Torben Jörgensen’s period of service until April 2020, a year beyond the prior agreement.

In 2017, revenues for Olympus Scientific Solutions business grew 7%, 3% excluding currency effects, to ¥100.1 million ($89.6 million) (see Bottom Line) to make up 13% of total company revenues. Adjusted operating profit grew 9.9% to ¥12.2 million ($10.9 million). Results included higher XRF sales, and increased biological and industrial microscope sales in China. In fiscal 2019, Scientific Solutions sales are forecast to be flat and up 3% adjusted for currency effects.

In May, as a celebration of its 350^th anniversary, Merck KGaA announced new research grants, each worth up to €350,000 ($411,765) over three years, and new research challenges, each worth up to €30,000 ($35,294). The grants cover all three Merck businesses: Healthcare, Life Science and Performance Materials. Life Science grants and challenges will be for the topics of “Next generation product technology for biologics” and “Revolutionize microbiome research.” In the Life Science area, research challenges will be awarded for designated projects related to compound synthesis; innovative analytics technologies, including the analysis of antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates; protein production; and the next game changing technology.

Judges Scientific announced in May the appointment of Charles Holroyd to its Board, replacing Glenn Reece, effective June 1.

In May, Spectris announced that Chief Executive John O’Higgins plans to retire, including leaving the Board. No date was announced. He has been chief executive for 12 years.

Halma announced in May a partnership with OurCrowd, an equity crowdfunding platform, to identify new investment opportunities in Israel for medtech/digital health, smart and safe buildings and infrastructure technology, and environmental monitoring technologies.

Sales and Orders of Note

In May, the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult) named VWR as its sole supplier of laboratory consumables products. VWR will work with Guy’s Hospital in London and the CGT Catapult’s new cell and gene therapy manufacturing center based in Stevenage, UK, due to open later this year. This follows an Official Journal European Union tender process and award.