Company Announcements

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (SSI) and Oklahoma State University (OSU) established in September the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology’s (CEAT) Mechanical and Physical Properties Testing Lab, part of the ExxonMobil Testing Laboratory in the new ENDEAVOR facility at OSU’s Stillwater, Oklahoma campus. To support OSU in the establishment of ENDEAVOR, SSI awarded a grant as part of the Shimadzu Partnership for Academics, Research and Quality of Life program. The Shimadzu suite of instruments in the new lab includes an ED-XRF spectrometer and six fully loaded, high-capacity Universal Test Machines offering testing capabilities that can be found only on the OSU campus.

In its third quarter earnings call held in November, Bruker announced that it expects its Malaysia-based manufacturing, engineering and final-test facility to become operational in 2019. The facility will accommodate select Bruker Nano products, with product sales from the facility expected to total $50 million in revenue by 2021.

Mettler-Toledo’s third quarter lab revenue grew 11% in local currency, 9% in US dollars, to make up 50% of total sales, or $369.0 million (see IBO 11/30/18). The company highlighted sales in the process analytics, automated chemistry and pipettes businesses. The Biotix acquisition (see IBO 11/15/17) added about 2% growth. Chinese lab sales grew slightly less than 20%. The firm expects 2019 lab sales to grow in mid- to high-single digits.

In November, Agilent Technologies announced the opening of a purpose-built extension to its Little Island, Cork facility in Ireland. The campus will focus on developing advanced technologies for the analysis of live cells in real time, including the acquired Luxcel Biosciences technology (see IBO 1/15/18). The complex will house two new laboratories, one dedicated to cell analysis technologies, and the other to developing biosensors and related bioassay solutions.

Diploma reported that sales for its Environmental businesses grew 1% to £20.2 million ($35.4 million) but were flat in constant currency for the fiscal year ending September 30 (see IBO 11/30/18). Revenue for Germany-based a1-group grew 7% in euros. Sales were strong in Germany, but UK revenue declined. UK-based a1-CBISS sales declined 8% due to delays in orders for continuous emission monitoring systems. Service revenue for the businesses remained healthy.

Merck KGaA announced in November a joint venture with software firm Palantir Technologies to form Syntropy. Syntropy will provide data integration and analytics technology for collaboration to drive scientific discovery, while ensuring control, ownership and traceability of the data.

In November, Merck KGaA promoted Jasper Bos to managing director of M Ventures, its strategic corporate venture capital arm. He replaces Roel Bulthuis.

In November, India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Institute of Microbial Technology partnered with Merck Life Sciences to create a “High End Skill Development Center” in Chandigarh.

Rigaku announced in November a partnership with analytical services provider Covalent Metrology. Rigaku will supply Covalent with several instruments for its new facility in Sunnyvale, California. The facility will also function as a Rigaku North America demonstration facility.

In November, Metrohm announced a continuation of its collaboration with USP on a global initiative to modernize monographs that have traditionally features wet chemistry methods. The updates center on IC and autotitration methods.

Canada’s Valens GroWorks, a licensed, vertically integrated provider of cannabis products and services, announced in November an expanded research collaboration agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific. Valens will utilize Thermo Fisher’s instruments and consumables to develop and validate analytical methods for the study of cannabis.

In December, Endress+Hauser, which provides measurement and service solutions for industrial process engineering, announced that Dr. Andreas Mayr will become COO, responsible for sales, production and support, effective March 1, 2019. He will also serve as deputy CEO. The company stated that the new position will shift operational responsibilities to the COO, freeing up time for the CEO, whose areas of focus will include the lab analytical business.

Sartorius announced in December the appointment of Dr. René Fáber, head of the Bioprocess Solutions Division, and Gerry Mackay, head of the Lab Products & Services Division, as new members of the company’s Executive Board, effective January 1, 2019. Reinhard Vogt will step down from the Board.

Porvair announced in December that it expects Laboratory division sales to grow 12% for the fiscal year ending November 30.

Anton Paar has announced plans to open new direct subsidiaries in Spain and Taiwan, effective January 1, 2019.