Bruker: Wikis

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Updated live from Wikipedia, last check: May 30, 2012 18:46 UTC (54 seconds ago)

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Bruker

Type	Public (NASDAQ: BRKR)
Founded	1960 in Germany
Founder(s)	Professor Günther Laukien
Headquarters	Billerica, Massachusetts, USA
Key people	Dr. Frank Laukien, President & CEO; William Knight, COO
Revenue	▲ US$ 1.1 billion (2008)[1]
Employees	Over 4000
Parent	Bruker Corporation
Website	http://www.bruker.com

Bruker is a leading provider of high-performance scientific instruments and solutions for molecular and materials research, as well as for industrial and applied analysis. Bruker Corporation (NASDAQ: BRKR), headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, is the publicly traded parent company of Bruker Scientific Instruments (Bruker AXS, Bruker BioSpin, Bruker Daltonics and Bruker Optics) and Bruker Energy & Supercon Technologies (BEST) divisions.

History of Bruker

Bruker's founder Professor Günther Laukien dedicated himself to NMR and gained his postdoctoral qualification in 1957. Prof. Laukien wrote the pioneering paper “Kernmagnetische Hochfrequenz-Spektroskopie” which was published in the Encyclopedia of Physics in 1958 (Volume 38/1). Recognizing the potential of high-resolution spectrometers for analytical chemistry, Prof. Laukien saw an opportunity to commercialize Nuclear magnetic resonance instruments to analyze the relaxation phenomenon.

In 1960s, university professors were not allowed to commit to commercial work while in a position of research and teaching. This meant that Professor Günther Laukien could not be named as a founding member; thus, co-founder Dr. Emil Bruker gave the company its name. Officially registered on September 7, 1960, the new company’s first operational facility was located in a backyard in Hardtstraße, Karlsruhe, producing laboratory magnets and corresponding power supplies.

The development of a Nuclear magnetic resonance pulse spectrometer began immediately after the foundation, and the first commercial Bruker NMR instrument was introduced in 1963.

Bruker began the development of infrared spectrometers in 1970s, and the first product was launched in 1974, led to the foundation of Bruker Optics division.

In 1975, Bruker started producing NMR tomographs for clinical and pre-clinical environments, leading to whole body clinical scanner products. Over time, Bruker’s commitment to pre-clinical instrumentation saw the company develop as market leader, a position maintained by Bruker BioSpin MRI today.

In 1980, Bruker acquired “Dr. Franzen Analysentechnik,” and renamed it “Bruker-Franzen Analytik,” adding the robust quadrupole mass spectrometers to the Bruker portfolio, which became the Bruker Daltonics division today.

In 1997 Bruker acquired the Analytical X-ray spectroscopy division of Siemens AG, which included prime manufacturing facilities in Karlsruhe, Germany and Madison, Wisconsin. Commercial growth, combined with the integration of additional company acquisitions, quickly launched Bruker AXS Division as a leading provider of X-ray analytical instrumentation, significantly extending Bruker’s technology portfolio.

In 2003, Bruker acquired Vacuumschmelze, a Superconducting magnets wire manufacturer located in Hanau. In 2009, the further acquisition of the ACCEL significantly strengthened Bruker’s position as a leading developer in the Magnets and power supplies sector, resulted in a new division, Bruker Energy and Supercon Technologies.