Company Announcements

For the fiscal first quarter ending June 30, Hitachi High-Technologies Science and Medical Systems (SMS) sales climbed 33% to ¥38.8 billion ($380.1 million = ¥102.09 = $1) to account for 25% of company revenues (see IBO 7/31/14). Medical product sales jumped 53%, and sales of Biotechnology and Other products grew 16% to account for 67% and 9% of SMS revenue, respectively. Electron Microscopes sales grew 18%, while sales of Other Scientific Instruments declined 10%, to each account for 12% of segment sales. SMS fiscal 2015 half-year sales outlook was raised 6% to ¥77.7 billion ($761 million) for growth of 17%. Half-year SMS operating profit outlook was increased 43% to ¥10.9 billion ($107 million) for growth of 85%.

Second quarter sales for Danaher Life Sciences & Diagnostics’ existing life sciences businesses grew mid-single digits, driven by demand for MS, microscopy, flow cytometry and sample preparation products. AB SCIEX sales grew in the high single digits organically, led by demand from academic and applied markets in North America and Europe. Leica Microsystems grew in the low single digits organically, including more than 20% sales growth for confocal microscopy products. For Danaher’s Environmental segment, sales from existing water-quality businesses grew in the mid-single digits. Hach sales grew, including high single-digit growth in China and increased municipal spending in the US and Europe.

QIAGEN second quarter adjusted revenues grew 4.7%, 4% excluding currency, to $331.2 million (see IBO 7/31/14). All figures below are on a currency-neutral basis. Consumables and related revenues grew 5% to make up 88% of sales, and Instruments sales declined 5%. Molecular Diagnostics and Applied Testing revenues grew 8% and 2% to make up 51% and 8% of sales, respectively. Pharmaceutical sales were flat and Academia sales declined 4% to account for 19% and 22%, respectively. Sales to the Americas, Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia-Pacific/Japan grew 1%, 7% and 3% to account for 47%, 34% and 18%, respectively. Adjusted operating profit grew 10.5% to $81.4 million.

Xylem sales for its Test business grew 5% in the second quarter, with growth in US and European markets.

In July, Illumina named Jeff Huber, senior vice president at Google, to its Board.

Halma named William Anthony (Tony) Rice, former CEO of Cable & Wireless Communications, to its Board in August.

Berghof named Stefan Stemmer as CEO, effective August 1. He was formerly vice president of Global Marketing.

In the second quarter, Merck Millipore launched a €12 million ($16 million) investment in its Mosheim, France, facility to expand its Ready-To-Use media-manufacturing capabilities and sustain the heipha Mycon product lines. In addition, the Process Solutions business opened a new formulation lab in Mumbai, India, the first outside of Europe.