Waters Corporation

Last updated
Waters Corporation
FormerlyWaters Associates
Company type Public
Industry Life sciences
Founded1958;66 years ago (1958) in Framingham, Massachusetts, U.S
FounderJames Logan Waters
Headquarters Milford, Massachusetts, U.S.
Key people
Udit Batra (CEO)
RevenueIncrease2.svgUS$2.97 billion (2022) [1]
Increase2.svgUS$873 million (2022) [1]
Increase2.svgUS$708 million (2022) [1]
Total assets Increase2.svgUS$3.28 billion (2022) [1]
Total equity Increase2.svgUS$504 million (2022) [1]
Number of employees
c. 8,200 (2022) [1]
Website www.waters.com

Waters Corporation is a publicly traded analytical laboratory instrument and software company headquartered in Milford, Massachusetts. The company employs more than 7,800 [2] people, with manufacturing facilities located in Milford, Taunton, Massachusetts; Wexford, Ireland and Wilmslow, [3] Cheshire. Waters has Sites in 35 countries globally including Frankfurt, Singapore, India, Germany and in Japan.

Contents

Waters markets to the laboratory-dependent organization in these market areas: liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, supercritical fluid chromatography, laboratory informatics, rheometry and microcalorimetry.

History

The business was started by James (Jim) Logan Waters as Waters Associates in an office in the basement of a police station in Framingham, Massachusetts, in 1958. [4] [5]

Waters enrolled in the V-12 Navy College Training Program, an officer training program, and graduated from Columbia University as an ensign with a B.S. degree in Physics in 1946. After stints as a university math teacher, Naval officer, project engineer, and entrepreneur, Waters formed Waters Associates in 1958. The fledgling firm's first offices were in the rented basement of the Framingham, Mass. police station. During these years, Waters Associates was what is now referred to as a research boutique. Companies would contract Waters and his five employees to build one-of-a-kind instruments for various purposes. Early products included a boiler feedwater flame photometer, a balloon hydrometer, a nerve gas detector, a lab refractometer and process control refractometers. While from its start the company had been self-financed, with proceeds from an earlier business sale, Waters opened Waters Associates to external ownership in 1962.

The company's first major break came when Dow Chemical bought one of Waters’ first gel permeation chromatography instruments, Dow Chemical made an additional investment of $400,000. By 1979, Dow Chemical had attained nearly 25 percent ownership in Waters.

In 1967, the ALC 100, the first Waters LC system, was brought to market. According to Leslie S. Ettre in a review about Jim Waters, the LC system was formally introduced at the 1968 Pittsburgh Conference. It was a benchtop system equipped with a Milton Roy pump, syringe injection, and two detectors: a Waters differential refractometer and a UV detector from the Laboratory Data Control (LDC) Co.

In 1969, Dimitri D’Arbeloff, then president of Millipore Corporation, joined the corporation's board of directors. Millipore's venture capital subsidiary made a $600,000 equity investment in Waters.

Waters next big break came in 1972 when Dr. Helmut Hamberger, chief post-doc for Nobel laureate Robert Woodward of Harvard University, sought Jim Waters’ help to the first synthesis of vitamin B12. Dr. Hamberger wanted to purify the positional isomers, which were needed to give him the right compound for the final stages of the synthesis. Working with Dr. Hamberger, the pair took two days to develop a separation, five more days to obtain larger columns to scale up the separation, and three more days to prep his material. In the end, the two had isolated and purified 200 mg of the precursor compound. [4]

In 1972, Waters Associates appointed Frank Zenie president. A year later, headquarters moved from Framingham to a semi-rural 26-acre (110,000 m2) site in Milford, Massachusetts. Waters became chairman, and continued in that role until the company merged with Millipore in 1980, and was rechristened the Waters Chromatograph Division. The sought-for synergies between the two companies never materialized, however. And, in 1993, Waters returned to independence under the leadership of Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer Douglas A. Berthiaume.

Waters went public through an initial public offering in November 1995. [6] In 1997 Waters entered mass spectrometry market with acquisition of Micromass for $176 million. [7]

In 2006, Waters acquired Vicam, provider of bioseparation and rapid detection products for improving food safety and quality. [8]

On 11 June 2012, Waters India celebrated its silver jubilee anniversary in India. [9]

In January 2020, Waters acquired Andrew Alliance, an innovator company in specialty laboratory automation technology, including software and robotics. [10]

In September 2020, Waters announced Udit Batra as the company's President and Chief Executive Officer. [11]

Waters agreed to acquire Wyatt Technology for $1.36 billion in cash in February 2023. The acquisition completed in May 2023. [12] [13]

Products

Waters’ main product brands include: ACQUITY UPLC systems, ACQUITY UPC2 Systems, Xevo mass spectrometry systems, Synapt MS systems, Synapt HDMS systems, XTerra HPLC columns, XBridge columns, ACQUITY UPLC columns, Alliance HPLC systems, Empower chromatography and MassLynx mass spectrometry software, Oasis sample preparation products, NuGenesis lab management system (LMS).

Mass spectrometers
Model nameYearTypeFeatures
SELECT SERIES Cyclic IMS2019 Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Cyclic Ion-mobility Spectrometry
SYNAPT XS2019 Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Ion-mobility Spectrometry
Vion IMS QTof2016 Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Ion-mobility Spectrometry
Xevo G2-XS QTof2016 Quadrupole Time-of-Flight
Xevo TQ-XS2016 Triple quadrupole
Xevo TQ-S micro2016 Triple quadrupole
Xevo TQD2016 Triple quadrupole
Xevo TQ-S2014 Triple quadrupole
SYNAPT G2-Si2013 Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Ion-mobility Spectrometry
SYNAPT G2-S2011 Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Ion-mobility Spectrometry
TQ Detector2010 Triple quadrupole
SYNAPT G22009 Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Ion-mobility Spectrometry
Xevo TQ MS2008 Triple quadrupole
SYNAPT HDMS2006 Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Ion-mobility Spectrometry

Operations

A majority of the company's revenue is derived from the life science market, a market comprising drug discovery, drug development, quality control, and the emerging sciences of genomics, proteomics and biopharmaceuticals. Waters products are also sold into the food and beverage, environmental, fine chemical, personal care product, university, government, semiconductor, clinical and plastics markets sectors. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">High-performance liquid chromatography</span> Technique in analytical chemistry

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), formerly referred to as high-pressure liquid chromatography, is a technique in analytical chemistry used to separate, identify, and quantify specific components in mixtures. The mixtures can originate from food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, biological, environmental and agriculture, etc, which have been dissolved into liquid solutions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass spectrometry</span> Analytical technique based on determining mass to charge ratio of ions

Mass spectrometry (MS) is an analytical technique that is used to measure the mass-to-charge ratio of ions. The results are presented as a mass spectrum, a plot of intensity as a function of the mass-to-charge ratio. Mass spectrometry is used in many different fields and is applied to pure samples as well as complex mixtures.

Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is a type of size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), that separates high molecular weight or colloidal analytes on the basis of size or diameter, typically in organic solvents. The technique is often used for the analysis of polymers. As a technique, SEC was first developed in 1955 by Lathe and Ruthven. The term gel permeation chromatography can be traced back to J.C. Moore of the Dow Chemical Company who investigated the technique in 1964. The proprietary column technology was licensed to Waters Corporation, who subsequently commercialized this technology in 1964. GPC systems and consumables are now also available from a number of manufacturers. It is often necessary to separate polymers, both to analyze them as well as to purify the desired product.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry</span> Analytical method

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) is an analytical method that combines the features of gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify different substances within a test sample. Applications of GC–MS include drug detection, fire investigation, environmental analysis, explosives investigation, food and flavor analysis, and identification of unknown samples, including that of material samples obtained from planet Mars during probe missions as early as the 1970s. GC–MS can also be used in airport security to detect substances in luggage or on human beings. Additionally, it can identify trace elements in materials that were previously thought to have disintegrated beyond identification. Like liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, it allows analysis and detection even of tiny amounts of a substance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forensic chemistry</span> Forensic application of the study of chemistry

Forensic chemistry is the application of chemistry and its subfield, forensic toxicology, in a legal setting. A forensic chemist can assist in the identification of unknown materials found at a crime scene. Specialists in this field have a wide array of methods and instruments to help identify unknown substances. These include high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thin layer chromatography. The range of different methods is important due to the destructive nature of some instruments and the number of possible unknown substances that can be found at a scene. Forensic chemists prefer using nondestructive methods first, to preserve evidence and to determine which destructive methods will produce the best results.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry</span> Analytical chemistry technique

Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) is an analytical chemistry technique that combines the physical separation capabilities of liquid chromatography with the mass analysis capabilities of mass spectrometry (MS). Coupled chromatography – MS systems are popular in chemical analysis because the individual capabilities of each technique are enhanced synergistically. While liquid chromatography separates mixtures with multiple components, mass spectrometry provides spectral information that may help to identify each separated component. MS is not only sensitive, but provides selective detection, relieving the need for complete chromatographic separation. LC–MS is also appropriate for metabolomics because of its good coverage of a wide range of chemicals. This tandem technique can be used to analyze biochemical, organic, and inorganic compounds commonly found in complex samples of environmental and biological origin. Therefore, LC–MS may be applied in a wide range of sectors including biotechnology, environment monitoring, food processing, and pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and cosmetic industries. Since the early 2000s, LC–MS has also begun to be used in clinical applications.

Sigma-Aldrich is an American chemical, life science, and biotechnology company owned by the multinational chemical conglomerate Merck Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization</span> Ionization method

Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) is an ionization method used in mass spectrometry which utilizes gas-phase ion-molecule reactions at atmospheric pressure (105 Pa), commonly coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). APCI is a soft ionization method similar to chemical ionization where primary ions are produced on a solvent spray. The main usage of APCI is for polar and relatively less polar thermally stable compounds with molecular weight less than 1500 Da. The application of APCI with HPLC has gained a large popularity in trace analysis detection such as steroids, pesticides and also in pharmacology for drug metabolites.

Merck Millipore was the brand used by Merck Group's global life science business until 2015 when the company re-branded. It was formed when Merck acquired the Millipore Corporation in 2010. Merck is a supplier to the life science industry. The Millipore Corporation was founded in 1954, and listed among the S&P 500 since the early 1990s, as an international biosciences company which makes micrometer pore-size filters and tests. In 2015, Merck acquired Sigma-Aldrich and merged it with Merck Millipore. In the United States and Canada, the life science business is now known as MilliporeSigma.

MassLynx is a software package to control analytical equipment produced by Waters Corporation including liquid chromatography systems such as the ACQUITY UPLC series of UHPLC systems and mass spectrometers such as the Xevo TQ-S.

A monolithic HPLC column, or monolithic column, is a column used in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The internal structure of the monolithic column is created in such a way that many channels form inside the column. The material inside the column which separates the channels can be porous and functionalized. In contrast, most HPLC configurations use particulate packed columns; in these configurations, tiny beads of an inert substance, typically a modified silica, are used inside the column. Monolithic columns can be broken down into two categories, silica-based and polymer-based monoliths. Silica-based monoliths are known for their efficiency in separating smaller molecules while, polymer-based are known for separating large protein molecules.

Pittcon Editors’ Awards honoured the best new products on show at the Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, or Pittcon, for 20 years from 1996 having been established by Dr Gordon Wilkinson, managing editor of Analytical Instrument Industry Report. On 8 March 2015, the event returned to the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans and this was the last occasion when the awards were presented.

Bioanalysis is a sub-discipline of analytical chemistry covering the quantitative measurement of xenobiotics and biotics in biological systems.

A chromatography detector is a device that detects and quantifies separated compounds as they elute from the chromatographic column. These detectors are integral to various chromatographic techniques, such as gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, and high-performance liquid chromatography, and supercritical fluid chromatography among others. The main function of a chromatography detector is to translate the physical or chemical properties of the analyte molecules into measurable signal, typically electrical signal, that can be displayed as a function of time in a graphical presentation, called a chromatograms. Chromatograms can provide valuable information about the composition and concentration of the components in the sample.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">OpenChrom</span>

OpenChrom is an open source software for the analysis and visualization of mass spectrometric and chromatographic data. Its focus is to handle native data files from several mass spectrometry systems, vendors like Agilent Technologies, Varian, Shimadzu, Thermo Fisher, PerkinElmer and others. But also data formats from other detector types are supported recently.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polymer Char</span>

Polymer Char is a company which designs and manufactures instrumentation for polymer analysis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. Blaine Bowman</span> American physicist

Arthur 'Blaine' Bowman is a leading proponent of ion chromatography, who has served variously as chairman, president, chief executive officer, and director of Dionex Corporation, a manufacturer of analytical instruments. Bowman received the 2015 Pittcon Heritage Award in recognition of his contributions to the field of ion chromatography.

An evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) is a destructive chromatography detector, used in conjunction with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), purification liquid chromatography such as flash or preparative chromatography, countercurrent or centrifugal partition chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). It is commonly used for analysis of compounds that do not absorb UV-VIS radiation significantly, such as sugars, antiviral drugs, antibiotics, fatty acids, lipids, oils, phospholipids, polymers, surfactants, terpenoids and triglycerides.

Wyatt Technology Corporation, or Wyatt Technology, is a developer and manufacturer of instrumentation for the characterization of nanoparticles and macromolecules. Headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, Wyatt Technology was founded in 1981 and incorporated in 1984. Wyatt Technology has developed and introduced instrumentation for the measurement of multiangle light scattering (MALS), quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS), differential refractive index, electrophoresis, viscosity, and composition gradient multiangle light scattering (CG-MALS) for the determination of absolute molecular weights, sizes of nanoparticles, proteins, and polymers within a solution. It was acquired by Waters Corporation in 2023.

SCIEX is a manufacturer of mass spectrometry instrumentation used in biomedical and environmental applications. Originally started by scientists from the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, it is now part of Danaher Corporation with the SCIExe R&D division still located in Toronto, Canada.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Waters Corporation, Form 10-K, Annual Report, Filing Date Feb 27, 2023". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Our Story | World's Leading Specialty Measurement Company | Waters". www.waters.com. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  3. ↑ "New Mass Spectrometry Facility". Waters: The Science of What's Possible. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  4. 1 2 McDonald, Patrick D. (2008). "Waters Corporation: Fifty Years of Innovation in Analysis and Purification". Chemical Heritage Magazine. 26 (2): 32–37. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  5. ↑ Ettre, Leslie S. (August 1, 2005). "Jim Waters: The Development of GPC and the First HPLC Instruments". LCGC North America. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  6. ↑ "Waters' new CEO makes bigger bank than predecessor". Telegram & Gazette. May 8, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Waters Acquires Micromass | Mergr". mergr.com. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  8. ↑ ""Waters acquires Vicam"". Boston Business Journal.
  9. ↑ "Waters India celebrates silver jubilee". The Hindu Business Line. 11 June 2012.
  10. ↑ "Waters to Acquire Andrew Alliance". Bloomberg. 13 January 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  11. ↑ "News Releases : Waters". www.waters.com (Press release). Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  12. ↑ Mathews, Eva (February 15, 2023). "Waters Corp to buy Wyatt Technology for about $1.4 bln". Reuters.
  13. ↑ "Waters Corporation Completes Acquisition of Light Scattering Leader Wyatt Technology". Cision PR Newswire (Press release). May 16, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.