Tecan

Tecan Group Ltd. is a global provider of laboratory instruments and solutions in biopharmaceuticals, forensics, and clinical diagnostics for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, university research departments and diagnostic laboratories.

The company focuses on development, production and distribution of advanced automation and detection solutions for life science laboratories. Through its REMP subsidiary Tecan is the premier supplier of large-scale automated laboratory storage and logistics systems.

Founded in Switzerland, in 1980, the company has over 1200 employees, owns production, research and development sites in both North America and Europe and maintains a sales and service network in 52 countries.

In 2008, Tecan generated sales of CHF 396 million (USD 366.7 million; EUR 250.7 million). Registered shares of Tecan Group are traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange TK: TECN/Reuters: TECZn.S/Swiss security number: 1210019).

History

Engineers Heinz Abplanalp, Heini Maurer, Heini Möckli and Gallus Blatter are the founders of Tecan (March 18, 1980), a company with the aim of developing measuring, analysis and laboratory automation devices. The first company office is in the home of the CEO, Heinz Abplanalp, in Hombrechtikon, Switzerland. Tecan soon also starts to produce instruments for laboratory automation and environmental analysis. The first instruments are made in renovated barns, apartments and warehouses spread across the whole village of Hombrechtikon. In 1982 the opening of Tecan US in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for sales and marketing in North America, and Tecan Production Corp. to manufacture for the US market take place. Two years later 48% of the share capital taken over by the finance company Zelux. In 1985 Tecan enters the market with the Tecan Samplers 500 series, the first process-controlled and fully automatic group of pipetting devices. Other products are pH-electrodes, the Tecan Plant SAP Extractor 400 and the Tecan RSP 5052.

In 1986 Tecan is nominated as the Swiss Company of the Year by the Zurich industrialists Branco Weiss and by publishers Jean Frey and Ringier, and is awarded the respected Branco-Weiss Prize for innovative companies (TV broadcast). In the same year Tecan Holding AG founded and Tecan Asia opens in Singapore. With 80 employees, Tecan achieves a turnover of almost CHF 20 million ub 1986. Listing on the Zurich stock exchange follows in 1987. All employees receive shares in the company. Good growth in the share price allows Tecan to acquire ten companies in quick succession, including the OEM Cavro Scientific Instruments in the USA (today Tecan Systems, Inc.).

In 1988 Tecan acquires SLT Laborinstrumente GmbH in Grödig near Salzburg, Austria (today Tecan Austria). At the end of the year, Tecan Holding includes 29 companies. With rapid growth through company acquisitions, costs run out of control. By the middle of the year, Tecan is in financial difficulties, and trading in shares is temporarily suspended. Under CEO Hans Widmer, Tecan has an increase in capital and sells a large proportion of its companies in 1990. Remaining in the group are just the production sites in the area of liquid handling and robotics (Switzerland, USA, Austria) and the sales centres in Germany, Great Britain and the USA. Tecan is again profitable as a result of concentrating on laboratory automation. The founder Heinz Abplanalp leaves the company. Peter Bollmann becomes CEO. One year later the other founding members also leave the company. Two years later Gottlieb Knoch takes over the majority of Tecan shares as an industrial investor. He becomes President of the board and CEO of the Tecan Group. In 1994 all production sites are certified to ISO 9001.

Launch of the Genesis Series in 1995 based on new technology/innovation (electronics, communication protocols, new storage systems, etc.). In 1997 Perkin-Elmer acquires the package of shares from Gottlieb Knoch and thus the majority of voting shares. Through Perkin-Elmer, the life-sciences market opens up for Tecan. In 1998 a collaboration followed with Abbott Laboratories in marketing Genesis FE 500 Workcell. Emile Sutcliffe becomes CEO in 1999. Perkin-Elmer sells its Tecan shares on the open market. Tecan is restructured and goes public for the second time. As a public company listed in the main sector of the SWX Swiss Exchange, Tecan’s shareholders are now widely distributed.

In 2001 Tecan moves to the new headquarters in Männedorf. Two years later more than 5,000 Genesis platforms were sold. The successful launch of the new Freedom EVO platform takes place and Aitor Galdos becomes CEO in 2003. He leaves Tecan at the end of 2004. In 2005 Tecan celebrates its 25th anniversary. Thomas Bachmann becomes CEO. Tecan takes over the company REMP based in Oberdiessbach, Switzerland. REMP is the world’s leading supplier of fully automated laboratory and logistics systems in the life-science area.

In 2006 Tecan Austria receives two awards from the Federal State Salzburg, Chamber of Commerce. The first award praises Tecan Austria for being the most innovative company in industry with their product family ‘Infinite’. The second award heralds Tecan Austria as the federal state winner and is therefore granted the innovation prize for the state of Austria.^[1] In 2007 more than 1,000 Freedom EVO platforms sold.

In 2010 Tecan celebrates its 30 years anniversary.

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