PerkinElmer Takes Over Danaher’s Share of JV in Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

PerkinElmer has decided to purchase the remaining 50% interest of its joint venture in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and related assets from Danaher. ICP-MS allows high-sensitivity simultaneous detection of individual chemical elements in a sample for use in the environmental, nutraceutical, biomonitoring, semiconductor, and geochemical research markets.

The company believes that having full control over ICP-MS will help ensure the continued success of this technology with a dedicated and fully integrated approach throughout the entire value chain including R&D, manufacturing, sales, and service. “Customers will benefit from our ability to get products to market faster as well as to better align our offering with market needs,” asserts John Roush, president, environmental health, PerkinElmer.

“The global population is increasingly vulnerable to safety threats from toxic elements such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic affecting the quality of our water and food supplies,” Roush continues. “Our continued commitment and innovation in ICP-MS will provide our customers with solutions that support the analysis of component elements, trace elements, or contaminants in samples of interest, leading to improved products and applications for their end markets and ultimately to better outcomes for human and environmental health.”

Danaher acquired this joint venture stake and assets as part of its acquisition of MDS’ Analytical Technologies business. In September 2009, Danaher paid MDS $650 million for this division and gained not only ICP-MS but also MDS Analytical Technologies’ 50% interest in the mass spectrometry joint venture with Life Technologies called AB Sciex. Concurrently, it paid Life Technologies $450 million for its share of the JV. Earlier this month, AB Sciex was launched as a new company.