Beckman Instruments

What Beckman Instruments does

Beckman Instruments, operating as Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, is a U.S.-headquartered manufacturer of laboratory instrumentation and automation systems serving pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, clinical diagnostics, academic, and industrial customers globally. Founded in 1935 and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, the company builds automated liquid handling workstations (Biomek i-Series tip-based systems and Echo acoustic tip-less systems), flow cytometry analyzers and cell sorters (CytoFLEX, AQUIOS, DxFLEX, MoFlo Astrios), a broad centrifugation portfolio (ultracentrifuges, high-speed, benchtop, and analytical centrifuges), cell counters and analyzers (Vi-CELL, Multisizer 4e, Cydem VT), cleanroom and environmental monitoring instruments (MET ONE air particle counters and Facility Monitoring System), particle size analyzers, liquid particle counters, TOC analyzers, and the BioLector XT microbioreactor. Its underlying technology rests on several proprietary platforms, including the Coulter Principle for particle sizing, Acoustic Droplet Ejection for nanoliter-scale contact-free dispensing, SPRI bead-based nucleic acid purification, and Dynamic Fluid Analysis for real-time fluid parameter adjustment, with supporting software suites (Biomek, Echo, Kaluza, CytExpert) and more than 233 actively maintained device drivers for third-party integration.

The business operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR) within its life sciences platform. Revenue is generated through three primary streams: capital sales of instruments and integrated systems, recurring sales of reagents, consumables, and supplies, and multi-year service plans (including preventive maintenance, qualification, and BeckmanConnect remote support). Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with a Request-a-Quote model for instruments and custom configurations, complemented by a contract e-commerce storefront for reagents and consumables and a dedicated Access Solutions Group for bespoke integrated lab automation projects. The customer base spans drug discovery, cell line development, genomics, proteomics, clinical diagnostics, pharmaceutical manufacturing quality control, and industrial particle characterization, with no segment accounting for the majority of revenue.

Recent strategic activity has centered on extending the core liquid handling franchise (Biomek i3 launch in 2025, Echo 650 Plus Series in 2025), building a software and digital workflow layer around the Echo installed base (Echo Ready Digital Solutions Program in 2025, Ledger Echo Ready Platform partnership with Simplicis in 2026), and adding adjacent data and assay capabilities through acquisitions of Labcyte (acoustic liquid handling, 2019), Cytobank (flow cytometry data, 2019), and ValitaCell (antibody titer assays). The company sells globally across at least seven major markets (US, India, UK, Germany, China, Japan, France) and supports compliance-driven workflows under 21 CFR Part 11, ISO 14644, ISO 21501, EU GMP Annex 1, and FDA cGMP.

Name

Beckman Instruments

Legal name

Beckman Coulter, Inc.

Website

https://beckman.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, a Danaher subsidiary, manufactures laboratory automation, liquid handling, flow cytometry, centrifugation, and cleanroom monitoring instruments for pharmaceutical, biotech, clinical diagnostics, and academic customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Laboratory Instruments and Life Sciences Automation

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAGAIAD

Liquid Handling & Laboratory Automation (Pipettes, Robots, Workstations)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Laboratory Equipment, Instruments & Consumables

SECONDARYHLAGAIAE

Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Laboratory Equipment, Instruments & Consumables

SECONDARYHLAGAIAC

General Lab Equipment (Centrifuges, Incubators, Shakers, Ovens)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Laboratory Equipment, Instruments & Consumables

SECONDARYHLAGAIAI

Reagents, Chemicals & Assay Kits (Buffers, Antibodies, ELISA, Enzymes)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Laboratory Equipment, Instruments & Consumables

SECONDARYHLAGAIAH

Laboratory Consumables & Plasticware (Tips, Tubes, Plates, Filters)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Laboratory Equipment, Instruments & Consumables

Keywords

• Laboratory instruments
• Liquid handling automation
• Flow cytometry
• Centrifugation equipment
• Particle characterization

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Laboratory Instruments and Systems: Sale of automated liquid handling systems (Biomek, Echo), flow cytometers, centrifuges, particle counters, cell analyzers, and other laboratory instrumentation. Revenue from initial instrument purchase and installation.
2. Reagents and Consumables: Recurring revenue from reagents including flow cytometry antibodies, genomic solutions (SPRI beads), cell counter reagents, titer assay kits, and consumables such as centrifuge tubes, pipette tips, and labware.
3. Service Plans and Support: Comprehensive service plans including preventive maintenance, instrument qualification and calibration, BeckmanConnect remote support, installation services, and technical support. Multiple service plan tiers available for ongoing instrument support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences manufactures and sells laboratory instruments and integrated systems for life sciences research, drug discovery, biomanufacturing, and clinical diagnostics. Core product categories include automated liquid handling workstations (Biomek tip-based and Echo acoustic tip-less systems), flow cytometers and cell sorters, centrifuges (ultracentrifuges, high-speed, benchtop, analytical), cell counters and analyzers, air and liquid particle counters, microbioreactors, and TOC analyzers, supported by a recurring reagents and consumables business and multi-tier service plans.

Product overview

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences offers a comprehensive portfolio of laboratory instruments and automation solutions organized into major product categories: Automated Liquid Handling Systems (including Biomek i-Series tip-based workstations and Echo acoustic tip-less liquid handlers), Flow Cytometry (research and clinical analyzers and cell sorters), Centrifugation (ultracentrifuges, high-speed, benchtop, and analytical instruments), Cell Analysis (counters, viability analyzers, and the Cydem VT automated clone screening system), Cleanroom Monitoring (MET ONE air particle counters and facility monitoring systems), Particle Characterization (liquid particle counters, particle size analyzers, and TOC analyzers), and Microbioreactors (BioLector XT). The product portfolio is characterized by integrated platforms like the Cydem VT that combine multiple technologies (bioreactor, cell counting, viability, and titer modules) and integrated systems that combine Biomek and Echo liquid handlers for complete workflow automation. Supporting software includes Kaluza for flow cytometry analysis, Biomek and Echo software suites for liquid handling control and scheduling, and CytExpert for CytoFLEX acquisition. The company leverages its legacy since 1935 and operates as part of the Danaher Corporation life sciences platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Biomek: Tip-based automated liquid handling workstations for laboratory automation
• Echo
• MET ONE
• HIAC
• CytoFLEX
• Vi-CELL
• AQUIOS
• DxFLEX
• Valita
• Cydem

Products and services

• Biomek i-Series Automated Workstations Family of tip-based automated liquid handling workstations (i3, i5, i7) for automating routine and complex workflows including NGS library prep, drug discovery, multi-omics, synthetic biology, and cell line development, sold to life sciences and pharma labs.
• Biomek i3 Benchtop Liquid Handler Benchtop liquid handler for entry-level to medium-throughput workflows with 15 pipettable and 5 flex positions, featuring a single fixed-8 pipetting pod, sold to life sciences and pharma labs.
• Echo Acoustic Liquid Handlers Tip-less, contact-free acoustic liquid handlers using sound waves to transfer droplets as small as 2.5 nanoliters for high-throughput applications including drug discovery and genomics, sold to pharma, biotech, and academic research labs.
• Echo 650 Plus Series Acoustic Liquid Handlers Next-generation non-contact nanoliter-scale acoustic liquid dispenser with aqueous and DMSO-based transfers at 2.5 nL drop resolution, sold to life sciences and pharma labs.
• Echo 525 Acoustic Liquid Handler Acoustic liquid handler with 25 nL drop transfer resolution for high-throughput dispensing without physical contact, sold to life sciences and pharma labs.
• Access Dual Robot System Compact, modular, high-capacity platform designed and optimized for Echo Liquid Handlers in sample management and cell-based assay workflows, sold as a fully integrated automation system to life sciences and pharma labs.
• Access Laboratory Workstation
• Biomek Echo One High-Throughput Genomics Bundled Solution
• CytoFLEX Flow Cytometer
• CytoFLEX S Flow Cytometer
• CytoFLEX LX Flow Cytometer
• CytoFLEX nano Flow Cytometer
• AQUIOS CL Flow Cytometer
• DxFLEX Flow Cytometer
• CytoFLEX SRT Benchtop Cell Sorter
• MoFlo Astrios Cell Sorter
• CellMek SPS
• Vi-CELL BLU Cell Counter & Analyzer
• Vi-CELL MetaFLEX Bioanalyte Analyzer
• Multisizer 4e Coulter Counter
• Cydem VT Automated Clone Screening System
• MET ONE 3400+ Series Air Particle Counter
• MET ONE HHPC+ Series
• MET ONE 6000 Air Particle Counter
• MET ONE 6000P Air Particle Counter
• MET ONE 7000 Air Particle Counter
• MET ONE Facility Monitoring System
• Ultracentrifuges High-speed centrifugation instruments for separation of subcellular particles, viruses, and macromolecules at ultra-rcf values, sold to life sciences and pharma labs.
• High-Speed Centrifuges
• Benchtop Centrifuges
• Analytical Ultracentrifuge
• BioLector XT Microbioreactor
• LS 13 320 XR Particle Size Analyzer
• HIAC 9703+ Pharmaceutical Particle Counter
• PAT700 TOC Analyzer
• QbD1200+ Laboratory TOC Analyzer
• Biomek Software
• Kaluza Analysis Software
• Kaluza C Analysis Software
• CytExpert Software
• Echo Software Suite

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% compound savings and 8000 L/year DMSO savings with fully Acoustic Assay-Ready Plate workflow
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SimpliciscoreTechnology or Integration · 10 February 2026Simplicis announced as launch partner for Beckman Coulter Life Sciences' Echo Ready Digital Solutions Program, introducing the Ledger Echo Ready Platform. The platform enhances data management and workflow integration for Echo liquid handling instruments, supporting research activities across multiple scientific fields.
• Labcyte Inc.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2019Echo Acoustic Liquid Handlers originally developed by Labcyte. Labcyte became a Beckman Coulter company in 2019, bringing Acoustic Droplet Ejection technology into Beckman Coulter's portfolio.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Agilent Technologies: Major competitor in lab automation (Bravo, BenchCel, AssayMAP) and cell analysis (xCELLigence, BioTek), with overlapping genomics, pharma, and academic customers.
• BD Biosciences: Direct competitor in flow cytometry (FACSDiscover, Symphony, FACSChorus) and cell sorting; one of the most entrenched incumbents in the same clinical and research cytometry accounts as CytoFLEX and MoFlo Astrios.
• Bio-Rad Laboratories: Direct competitor in flow cytometry (ZE5, S3e), life science research reagents, and clinical diagnostics, with significant overlap in genomics and cell biology customers.
• Hamilton Company: Direct competitor in laboratory automation with the Microlab STAR, Vantage, and easyBlood lines; competes head-to-head in tip-based liquid handling for high-throughput genomics and pharma workflows.
• Tecan: Swiss-headquartered direct competitor in automated liquid handling workstations (Freedom EVO, Fluent) and microplate readers, serving the same pharma, biotech, and academic customers as Beckman Coulter's Biomek and Echo lines.
• Eppendorf: Direct competitor in liquid handling (epMotion), centrifugation, and cell handling, with strong presence in academic and biotech research labs — the same core customer base as Beckman Coulter.

Broad incumbents

• Mettler Toledo: Broad incumbent in laboratory and analytical instruments (pipettes, balances, pH, particle characterization) with overlap in cell counting, liquid handling consumables, and pharma QC.
• Sartorius: Broader bioprocessing and lab products incumbent (pipettes, cell analysis, bioreactors) with increasing overlap in biopharma cell line development, complementing and competing with Cydem VT and Biomek workflows.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Broad life sciences incumbent spanning flow cytometry (Attune, Bigfoot), centrifugation, liquid handling, reagents, and informatics — overlapping with nearly every Beckman Coulter product line at larger accounts.

Emerging players

• Cytek Biosciences: Emerging flow cytometry player specializing in spectral flow cytometry (Aurora, Northern Lights), gaining share in research and increasingly clinical segments where Beckman Coulter sells CytoFLEX and DxFLEX.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/beckman-coulter-life-sciences
• Xx.com/bcilifesciences
• Facebookfacebook.com/bcilifesciences

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Beckman Instruments