Agilent Buys Varian

Although not officially completed (see IBO 12/31/09), the deal brings together two of the analytical instrument industry’s largest companies, creating a broad-based supplier of laboratory instrumentation and consumables, whose size and diversity of technology offerings for chromatography, MS, atomic spectrometry and molecular spectrometry is matched only by Bruker, Shimadzu and Thermo Fisher Scientific (see IBO 7/31/09, 8/15/09). The move positions Agilent’s instrument business for wider international exposure and greater consumables revenues, creating an even more formidable market presence.

Danaher Increases Presence in Instrument Market

After growing the Hach water-quality analysis business and taking over Leica five years ago (see IBO 7/15/05), Danaher made an even greater push into the research instrumentation market this year by acquiring Applied Biosystems and MDS Sciex’s MS joint venture (see IBO 9/15/09). One can expect the operational changes and Danaher’s plans to pursue clinical applications to reshape the business. Danaher also added to its cellular research product lines by purchasing MDS Analytical Technologies and Genetix (see IBO 12/31/09). However, at year end, the MDS deal appeared to be stalled due to legal action by PerkinElmer (see IBO 12/15/09).

Thermo’s Casper Succeeds Dekkers

In 2009, Thermo Fisher Scientific named a new CEO, promoting COO Marc N. Casper to replace Marijn E. Dekkers, who left to join Bayer as CEO (see IBO 9/15/09). As head of Thermo for seven years, Dr. Dekkers oversaw Thermo’s evolution, including its 2006 merger with Fisher Scientific (see IBO 5/15/06). Mr. Casper joined Thermo a year after Dr. Dekker’s arrival and helped to implement many of the changes, making it likely that, under his leadership, the company will continue its current course.