Company Announcements

Earlier this year, Fluke, a Danaher business, acquired India-based TTL Technologies, a distributor of test and measurement products, analytical instruments and laboratory products.

Sigma-Aldrich appointed Jan Bertsch as executive vice president and CFO effective March 5. Previously, she was vice president, controller and principal accounting officer at BorgWarner.

Sigma-Aldrich opened packaging and quality control facilities in Wuxi, China, in March.

Bruker named Stephan Westermann executive vice president—Order Execution, Production & Logistics for Bruker Scientific Instruments in February. He was previously executive vice president of Operations at Bruker BioSpin.

AMETEK reported that process and analytical measurement and analysis instruments represented 66% of its Electronic Instruments Group’s sales in 2011.

Xylem reported that sales of its Test unit increased 6% in 2011 to $220 million to account for 9% of Water Infrastructure Segment revenues.

Techcomp’s 2011 sales grew 21.3% to $154.1 million (see IBO 3/15/12). Sales to China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau), Switzerland, India and Indonesia rose 29.8%, 18.2%, 10.9%, and 60.0% to make up 77%, 5%, 4% and 3% of sales, respectively. Sales to France and Others fell 8.6% and 27.2%, respectively, to each represent 5% of sales.

Harvard Bioscience’s 2011 sales grew 0.6% but declined 3.8% organically to $108.9 million. Acquisitions and currency added 2.9% and 1.5% to sales growth, respectively. Organic revenue growth fell 3.8% and 0.7% due to lower sales to GE Healthcare from Biochrom and Hoefer. Full-year 2012 revenues are expected to grow 6%–10% to $115–$120 million, including $4.5–$5.0 million from acquisitions and $1.5–$2.0 million from Nanovue sales. First-quarter sales are forecast to grow 3%–6% to $27–$28 million.

Indian contract research and manufacturing firm PREMAS Biotech launched PREMAS Life Sciences in March to distribute life science products.

Sartorius’s 2011 sales rose 11.2%, 12.2% in constant currencies, to €733.1 million ($1,018 million) (see page 12). Biotechnology sales rose 10.2%, 11.5% in constant currencies, led by sales of single-use products, to account for 65% of revenues. Mechatronics sales increased 13.0% or 13.5% in constant currencies. European, North American, Asia Pacific and Other sales increased 10.7%, 1.2%, 23.8% and 7.2% to make up 15%, 20%, 23% and 4% of sales, respectively. In November 2011, the company acquired a 49% stake in Sartorius Korea Biotech. The firm also announced it is considering a sale of its Industrial Weighing business. Starting in 2012, the firm will report in three segments: Biotechnology (53% of sales), Lab Products & Services (34%) and Industrial Weighing (13%). In 2012, sales are forecast to grow around 10% in constant currencies, including 5% growth from the Biohit purchase (see IBO 10/31/11).