Company Announcements

In the third quarter, within Danaher’s Environmental segment, sales for existing water quality business grew low single digits (see IBO 10/31/12). Hach core revenue grew mid-single digits, as municipal spending for core lab and process instruments grew low single digits. Consumables and service represented 55% of water quality sales. Within the Life Sciences & Diagnostics segment, sales from existing life sciences businesses declined low single digits due to lower microscopy product sales as a result of softer industrial and medical demand, mainly in North America and Europe. AB SCIEX core revenue grew low single digits, with strength in China. Leica Microsystems core sales declined mid-single digits. The company also announced an increase in its 2012 restructuring efforts to $120 million in savings.

Bruker implemented in September a new group structure for Bruker Scientific Instruments, consisting of presidents for each segment group. Mark Munch was named president of the Bruker MAT Group.

QIAGEN announced a collaboration agreement with Bayer HealthCare for the development and commercialization of companion diagnostics. Initially, they will focus on enhancing the treatment of various solid tumors.

Hitachi High-Technologies’ fiscal second-quarter Science and Medical Systems (SMS) sales fell 14.0% to ¥34.5 billion ($438.8 million) (see IBO 10/31/12). Clinical Analyzers, Electron Microscopes, Analytical Instruments and Biotechnology sales declined 9.2%, 6.8%, 10.5% and 37.3% to make up 54%, 24%, 10% and 12% of SMS sales, respectively. SMS operating profit contracted 52.2% to ¥3.2 billion ($40.7 million). SMS’s full-year revenue outlook was lowered 3% to ¥130.6 billion ($1.6 billion) and operating profit outlook was lowered 7% to ¥14.7 billion ($183.8 million).

Sigma-Aldrich announced in October a redesigned website for China and a new Vetec brand of lab reagents for the country.

Agilent and Spain’s Centre for Omic Sciences announced a collaboration on MS- and NMR-based metabolomics and automation for research in integrated systems biology. The Centre will serve as a center of excellence for the demonstration of integrated biology workflows.

Anton Paar will open a new subsidiary in Brazil, with headquarters in São Paulo, effective January 1, 2013.

Xylem’s third-quarter sales for its Test business grew 44%, 7% organically, due to strength in the US and Asia, offset by continued weakness in Europe.

Mettler-Toledo’s third-quarter Lab revenue declined 4%, a 1% increase in local currencies, to represent 45% of total sales, or $260 million (see IBO 11/15/12) Sales fell due to modest growth in most products lines, offset by a decline in sales of lab balances as a result of weaker industrial market demand.

In November, Waters selected the School of Science and Technology at Sweden’s Orebro University as a Center of Innovation for persistent organic pollutants research.