Company Announcements

Brooks Automation announced in March a restructuring plan, not related to the macroeconomic environment, designed to streamline business operations, advance market responsiveness and achieve $15 million in annualized cost savings. It is expected to result in $7 million in restructuring charges for the year. The cost savings are expected to be substantially completed by the end of the fiscal third quarter.

Brooks Automation announced that President and COO Mark Morelli will leave the company as of March 31.

Product Introductions

BioTek Instruments introduced in November 2015 the BioSpa 8 Automated Incubator, which links microplate washers and dispensers with readers and imaging systems for unattended workflow automation.

Axion BioSystems launched the Maestro APEX for fully automated MEA (Microelectrode Array) plate preparation, plate maintenance and Maestro assay execution. It is the result of a collaboration with Hamilton Robotics.

Lonza launched in January the integration of the HT Nucleofector System with a Hamilton Robotics Microlab NIMBUS workstation for faster and more effective RNAi and CRISPR screens.

Hamilton Robotics launched the NIMBUS8, which features up to eight independent pipetting channels and a new design with 9 mm center-to-center channel spacing.

Hamilton Robotics released the Liquid Verification Kit, which provides a gravimetric balance kit and software to develop, optimize and verify liquid handling on its platforms.

Hamilton Robotics introduced the HMotion, a small footprint, robotic arm designed for precise labware transportation.

BMG LABTECH introduced the PHERAstar FSX multimode HTS reader for plate formats up to 3,456 wells. It features Simultaneous Dual Emission detection for AlphaPlex assays, increasing throughput.

HighRes Biosolutions launched the CoLAB, a lightweight robotic arm with a wide range of motion that can be guided into position by hand. It features built-in safety features, eliminating the need for extensive shielding.

HighRes Biosolutions introduced the CoLAB Flex, a mobile, modular automation system that accommodates up to four levels of devices.

Tecan launched a fully automated affinity purification solution for the extraction of large biomolecules, utilizing the Thermo Scientific MSIA Streptaviden EVO microcolumns and Tecan’s Freedom EVO workstation.

In March, Unchained Labs introduced the GRUNT automated formulation-preparation system. It automates buffer prep, exchange, dialysis and sample concentration. It was previously launched in January by Freeslate as the FormPrep system.