Beckman Coulter Life Sciences

The story of Beckman Coulter is a narrative of scientific innovation and strategic growth, a journey that began in a humble garage in Pasadena, California, and evolved into a global leadership position in clinical diagnostics and life science research. It all started in 1935 with Dr. Arnold O. Beckman, a professor at the California Institute of Technology. Faced with a challenge to accurately measure the acidity of lemon juice, he invented the 'acidimeter,' which would become the world's first commercial pH meter. This single invention, born out of necessity, laid the foundation for what was initially called National Technical Laboratories. The company's early success was fueled by the pH meter's wide-ranging applications in science and industry, quickly followed by other groundbreaking instruments like the DU spectrophotometer, often hailed as the scientific equivalent of the Model T for its transformative impact on chemical analysis.

As Beckman Instruments, Inc., the company continued to expand its footprint through the mid-20th century, making strategic acquisitions that broadened its technological capabilities. A significant milestone came in 1997 with the acquisition of Coulter Corporation, a company founded by brothers Wallace and Joseph Coulter. The Coulter brothers had revolutionized hematology with the invention of the Coulter Principle, a method for counting and sizing microscopic particles that became the bedrock of modern automated blood cell analysis. The merging of these two powerhouses of invention created Beckman Coulter, Inc. in 1998, a company that could now provide solutions for a vast majority of common clinical diagnostic tests. The journey continued, and in 2011, Beckman Coulter became a part of Danaher Corporation, a global science and technology innovator. This integration further amplified its resources and reach, allowing it to operate as two distinct but synergistic entities: Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, headquartered in Brea, California, and Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Today, Beckman Coulter's legacy of innovation endures, relentlessly reimagining healthcare by providing the critical diagnostic insights that empower clinicians and scientists to improve patient health and advance scientific discovery worldwide.