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History

Tecan was founded in 1980 by four engineers in the Swiss village of Hombrechtikon, with the aim to develop measurement, analysis and laboratory automation devices. The first offices were located in a renovated farmhouse, the family home of CEO and founder, Heinz Abplanalp.

  • 2021

    2021

    In August 2021, Tecan completes the acquisition of Paramit Corporation, expanding its commercial reach, its capabilities and its presence in the US and Asia. Paramit, headquartered in Morgan Hill (CA), US, is a leading OEM developer and manufacturer of medical devices and life sciences instruments.

    The largest acquisition in Tecan’s history adds complementary expertise, broadens design-, development- and manufacturing capabilities, further extends the company’s position in solutions for life sciences and in-vitro diagnostics, and takes Tecan into the attractive and fast-growing medical device market segment. While its areas of expertise are close to Tecan’s own core competencies, Paramit’s OEM offering and its well-diversified and differentiated portfolio of products and services are fully complementary. Paramit’s presence in Asia and in the US, the world’s largest life sciences and healthcare market, brings new strengths to the Group’s global footprint.

    With Paramit, Tecan meets customer needs even more effectively, scaling innovation from research now all the way to the clinic.

  • 2020

    The year 2020 marks 40 years that Tecan has supplied cutting-edge technology to the life science and clinical communities!

    To commemorate this milestone, we celebrate the employees, investors, suppliers, clinicians and – most importantly – the customers who have made Tecan into the leading laboratory automation solutions provider that it is today. Now more than ever, we believe that the value generated from our diverse perspectives will enable us to deliver our promise, that we are always there for you.

  • 2019

    2019

    In January 2019, Dr Achim von Leoprechting is appointed CEO upon the retirement of Dr David Martyr. Previously Head of Tecan's Partnering Business division, Dr von Leoprechting is the first Tecan CEO to be promoted internally, helping to ensure continuity of the company’s successful corporate development strategy.

    In February 2019, we launch the NGS DreamPrep®, a fully-automated platform for next generation sequencing (NGS) library preparation. This new approach – integrating hardware, software and reagents – offers quality-controlled, sequencing-ready NGS libraries in a matter of hours, with minimal manual interaction and no sample loss.

  • 2018

    In January 2018, we launch the Fluent® Gx Automation Workstation, with enhanced process security to meet the needs of regulated environments. It allows clinical diagnostic and other regulated laboratories to benefit from the increased throughput and capacity of our most flexible platform yet.

    In August 2018, we acquire NuGEN, offering new automated NGS kits, reagents and sample preparation solutions to complement our existing protocols and automated platforms.

    2018
  • 2017

    2017

    In January 2017, we celebrate our partnership with Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, upon the successful installation of over 1000 ORTHO VISION® analyzers worldwide, allowing full automation of transfusion medicine testing, increasing flexibility and efficiency.

    In February 2017, we acquire Pulssar Technologies. These long life, high precision piston pumps work with the Tecan Cavro® range, expanding our portfolio of liquid handling solutions.

    In June 2017, we announce our collaboration with DiaSorin, global leader in in vitro diagnostics to offer a complete sample-to-result solution, for nucleic acid extraction.

    In August 2017, we reveal our partnership with Sysmex. Based on our Cavro Omni Flex platform, we design a solution that is adapted specifically for flow cytometry.

    In September 2017, we unveil the RESOLVEX® A200 positive pressure workstation for LC-MS sample prep – increasing walkaway times and improving performance and efficiency.

  • 2016

    In January 2016, we introduce the Spark® 20M multimode microplate reader, offering the user a freely configurable system designed to streamline workflows and increase productivity – perfect for any drug discovery or research application.

    In August 2016, we acquire SPEware Corporation, which holds a strong global presence in the production of automated mass spectrometry sample preparation solutions.

    In November 2016, we introduce the Cavro Omni Flex, expanding the flexibility of the Cavro Omni Robot by providing users with the ability to develop an automated liquid handling platform, specific to their needs.

    2016
  • 2015

    2015

    2015 – Fluent®, Spark® and D300e

    In February 2015 we announce Spark 10M – a new multimode microplate reader – to ignite productivity in laboratories around the world.

    In March 2015 we announce the Fluent laboratory automation solution for compound management.

    In June 2015 we introduce the D300e Digital Dispenser for faster, reliable dispensing into microplates down to picoliter volumes.

    In August 2015, we announce the Fluent platform that simplifies key processes and increases productivity in the lab, making it ideally suited for high throughput genomics applications.

    In October 2015, we acquire SIAS, a leading OEM supplier of laboratory automation solutions, adding new platforms and capabilities.

  • 2014

    In June 2014 we announce Fluent - the new laboratory automation solution for cell-based assays – to enhance throughput, streamline workflows and deliver more precise and reliable results.

    In July 2014, we acquire IBL International GmbH, adding an important new dimension of reagent development to the Tecan offering.

    2014
  • 2013

    2013

    2013 - Dako partnership and Tecan Academy

    In June 2013, our partner Dako, an Agilent Technologies company, launches the Dako Omnis, following on from a major OEM agreement with them in 2011. We launch our online customer training through the Tecan Academy.

    In October 2013, we unveil the Cavro Omni Robot, a flexible and customizable liquid handling component. Easily integrated into most instrument designs, it offers reliable pipetting for a vast array of applications.

    In December 2013, we launch the Cavro Air Displacement Pipettor, a compact and fully programmable pneumatic pipetting solution for integration into instruments requiring minimal maintenance or with space limitations.

  • 2012

    David Martyr becomes our new CEO to begin an exciting period in our history.

    We launch the Air LiHa and QC Kit and establish further partnerships with companies including Promega, TAP Biosystems, JPT Peptide Technologies, and Artel.

    Our engineers increase the flexibility and choice for Tecan's Cavro® Centris Pump.

    2012
  • 2011

    2011

    Tecan signs a major OEM agreement with a leading diagnostics company to develop advanced staining platform for tissue-based cancer diagnostics.

    Tecan begins a strong partnership with HP and we launch the HydroSpeed™ plate washer.

  • 2010

    We celebrate our 30th anniversary.

    Tecan signs a major OEM agreement with a global diagnostics company to develop a dedicated instrument for transfusion medicine laboratories.

    2010
  • 2009

    2009

    The new TouchTools™ interface provides consumers with greater ease of use.

    Purity standards for consumables and the NanoQuant Plate™ are launched.

  • 2008

    Tecan opens new Asia Pacific headquarters in Shanghai, China.

    New Global Te-Care™ service contracts offer customers even greater peace of mind.

    The Infinite® M1000 PRO is launched providing top-of-the-range flexibility, sensitivity and speed for a wide range of detection modes.

    2008
  • 2006

    2006

    The Infinite 200 PRO is launched and becomes the best-selling detection product to date.

  • 2004

    Tecan launches the Infinite 200, the first microplate reader designed to accommodate very low sample volumes down to 2 microliters.

     
  • 2003

    2003

    Tecan launches a versatile robotic liquid handling platform. Its building-block modularity brings a new level of flexibility to automation in diagnostic and life science labs.

  • 2002

    We open Tecan Ibérica Instrumentación in Barcelona, Spain, and launch the HS 4800™ Pro hybridization station.

    2002
  • 2001

    2001

    Our new HQ opens in Männedorf on Lake Zurich and we release the Genesis Freedom liquid handling workstation.

  • 2000

    In October, Tecan establishes its own subsidiary in Belgium and opens an office in Barcelona to serve Spain and Portugal. This is followed by a sales and service office in The Netherlands. Important European markets are integrated into the Company network, providing efficient, direct access to our leading product.

     
  • 1999

    1999

    Tecan becomes a 100% publicly-owned company, following the successful secondary placement of shares owned by Perkin Elmer.

    We establish important strategic partnerships. These include the co-¬promotion agreement between Tecan Group and Abbott Laboratories to market and distribute the Genesis FE 500 Workcell.

    The Association of the European Business Press name Tecan as one of the three leading companies in Europe.Based on our successful Spectra range of readers, we introduce the new absorbance microplate reader Sunrise™ to the market.

  • 1997

    SLT Austria and SLT Germany are renamed Tecan Austria and Tecan Germany.

    In December, US company PerkinElmer acquires majority voting shares from CEO and Chairman Gottlieb Knoch, the Company continues to perform well and strengthens its position in the Life Sciences industry.

     
  • 1994

    1994

    1994 marks the point when all three manufacturing companies within the Tecan Group achieve ISO 9001 certification for quality management processes.

    We develop new instrument platforms, such as the Genesis Series, and implement new solutions.

  • 1992

    The Tecan Group now employs 330 people and returns ever-improving results.

    In April, the Company sets up Tecan Japan in Tokyo.

     
  • 1989

    1989

    A period of recapitalization and restructuring leads to many of the 25 companies being divested. We focus on the profitable firms involved in robotic liquid handling and detection – Tecan AG, Cavro Scientific Instruments and SLT. We also retain the sales operations in Germany, the UK and the US.

  • 1988

    We acquire SLT Laborinstrumente GmbH, based in Salzburg, Austria, with a portfolio that includes readers, washers and microarray instruments which forms our detection business today.

    By the end of 1988, Tecan Holding has grown to include 25 companies.

     
  • 1987

    The Company floats on the Zurich stock exchange. We use our new resources to purchase ten companies, including the US-based OEM manufacturer Cavro Scientific Instruments, Inc., the core of our components business today and part of Tecan Partnering

     
  • 1986

    In the same year as opening our first office in Singapore we also become Swiss Company of the Year, employing 80 members of staff and reaching sales of 20m CHF.

     
  • 1985

    We bring to market our Tecan Samplers 500 series—the first process-controlled, fully automated pipetting workstations.

    Our 1985 product range also includes: pH electrodes, the Tecan Plant SAP Extractor 400 and the Tecan RSP 5052.

     
  • 1982

    We open Tecan US, a sales & marketing unit for North America, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Tecan Production Corp., a manufacturing unit for the US market.

     
  • 1980

    The newly created company in Hombrechtikon was named Tecan, an abbreviation of the German 'Technische Analysegeräte' – Technical Analysis Equipment.

    In the beginning, our focus was exclusively on development. However, success in this area soon led us to begin manufacturing proprietary instruments and OEM products for laboratory automation and environmental analysis. In those early days production took place in renovated barns, houses and warehouses scattered around the village.