Press Release
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Press Release
October 5, 2007
Leica Microsystems Acquires the Rights to Sell Former Vision BioSystems Products in Sweden
WETZLAR, GERMANY / STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN. Leica Microsystems announced that it has signed a purchase contract for the rights to sell products for the former Vision BioSystems into the Swedish market thereby establishing a stronger European sales organization for the efficient support of its pathology and diagnostics business. Leica Microsystems, a global leader in microscopy and pathology diagnostics headquartered in Wetzlar, and the Swedish company Immunkemi headquartered in Stockholm announced the signing of this purchase contract on October 1, 2007. For the last seven years, Immunkemi had represented the former Australian Vision BioSystems as the Swedish distributor for its specimen preparation instruments as well as reagents and antibodies. Previously listed Australian company Vision Systems, the parent company of Vision BioSystems, was acquired by Leica Microsystems’ owner Danaher Corporation at the beginning of 2007 and was subsequently integrated into Leica Microsystems.
In July, Leica Microsystems announced the founding of its new Biosystems Division. This division was formed by joining the specimen preparation business of Leica Microsystems situated in Nussloch, Germany with Vision Biosystems in Melbourne and NovocastraTM in Newcastle, UK. It now offers the world market the most comprehensive portfolio of products for the complete histopathological process.
“Our acquisition of these market rights from Immunkemi enables us to offer our whole product portfolio through our own sales organization in Sweden,” explained Dr. David Martyr, President Leica Microsystems. “Following many years of successful cooperation between Vision BioSystems and this trusted partner, we are delighted to have made this agreement, and now look forward to working even more closely and directly with our end users in Sweden.”
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Leica Microsystems is a leading global designer and producer of innovative, high-tech, precision optical systems for the analysis of microstructures. It is one of the market leaders in each of its business areas: Microscopy, Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy with corresponding Imaging Systems, Specimen Preparation, and Medical Equipment. The company manufactures a broad range of products for numerous applications requiring microscopic imaging, measurement, and analysis. It also offers system solutions for life science including biotechnology and medicine, research and development of raw materials, and industrial quality assurance. The company is represented in over 100 countries with 7 manufacturing facilities in 5 countries, sales and service organizations in 20 countries and an international network of dealers. With its workforce of about 3,050 employees it made a turnover of US$651m in 2006. The international management is headquartered in Wetzlar, Germany.
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