Our History

BioTek Instruments, Inc. is a global leader in the development, manufacture and sale of microplate instrumentation and software. The company's origins date back to 1968, when Dr. Norman Alpert, a physiologist at the University of Vermont Medical College, founded BioTek. Dedicated to providing test equipment solutions for the hospital safety and quality assurance markets, BioTek's Biomedical Division grew to become one of the largest and most successful companies in the field. Looking to expand into a growing Life Science market and capitalize on the increasing popularity of non-isotopic immunoassays, BioTek entered the microplate instrument arena, and in 1981 introduced its first microplate reader. Since then, BioTek has emerged as a global leader in bioanalytical, and laboratory systems. With the sale of our Biomedical Division in 2002, BioTek today is completely focused on microplate instrumentation, automation and software, and continues to be a privately held, family-run organization.

Get a Better Reaction

At BioTek, creating the world's finest microplate instrumentation and software is only part of what makes us unique. We combine an innovative development process, with unwavering dedication to customer service, to help eliminate roadblocks in the scientific discovery process. BioTek promises to consistently exceed your expectations. We are committed to achieving excellence in every facet of our business, from the sensitivity and consistency of our instruments' performance, to our dedication to customer support and service. When you contact a member of our team, you will Get a Better Reaction .

We strive to be the leader in each of our market segments through ongoing improvement of current product offerings and creative solutions to customer needs. Our multi-functional Project Teams have a remarkable in-house knowledge base including expertise in molecular biology, biochemistry, mechanics, electronics, optics, micro-fluidics, software, systems, service, and manufacturing technology. We survey existing instrumentation, add innovative improvements to current technologies, and often apply new ideas to introduce unique instrumentation all offering the customer more performance and flexibility at a reasonable price. Today's new product innovations are the result of our Marketing and Sales and Research and Development staff listening to current and expected future needs of our customers. Through participation in a wide range of industry associations, conferences, and cutting-edge research, we pay careful attention to trends in evolving technology and new applications to provide a fresh perspective when contemplating new products or current product enhancements.

Better Customer Service

Our Service department works closely with Research & Development early in the life cycle of all new products to ensure the serviceability of our products from release to maturity. Should you encounter any issues with your product, BioTek provides a Technical Assistance Center (TAC) to answer your product and application questions and offers installation and training for all instrument and software purchases. Our Customer Service department handles all of your product specification, pricing, and delivery questions, working closely with BioTek Field Sales Representatives to address the needs of each individual customer. We have found that customers cite our service and support, both pre- and post-sale, to be equally as important as the quality and performance of our instrumentation. Not only do we strive for this premier level of service, but we also measure it. Each month we commission an independent organization to randomly select a group of customers and potential customers to be contacted with a series of questions. These two surveys measure our performance in both pre-sale and post-sale customer support. Each month, BioTek continues to meet or exceed the expectations of both groups by more than 95%!

Better Quality Control

Our employees are committed to maintaining the high quality of our products and services. BioTek solicits customer input on quality and product features and then designs, validates, manufactures, and tests products to ensure performance and reliability. BioTek shows its ongoing commitment to quality through the continuous improvement process required by our internationally recognized ISO 9001 Quality System registration. This program guarantees independent audits of all aspects of products and services that we offer.

Product compliance to U.S. and International requirements is necessary from the design stage to final test. Products are directly or indirectly measurement traceable to the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when appropriate. Product designs are type tested to ensure safe operation per Underwriters Laboratory (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. Many bear the ETL Mark for safety based on these tests and ongoing plant surveillance. New and modified designs are also subject to stringent Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing to ensure products will not interfere with other equipment, and can be expected to run reliably in customers' facilities. The CE Mark on products guarantees this testing was successfully conducted. Software is designed, tested, and documented in compliance with FDA and ISO guidelines.

Our manufacturing capabilities are implemented using multi-functional teams to ensure continuous and adequate support for each product type. Planning, machining, assembly, calibration, quality, and product support engineering are all part of an integrated process. Innovation pull system techniques and a recently upgraded manufacturing materials management system are utilized to reduce lead times and minimize unnecessary costs.

BioTek is ISO9001/ISO13485 Certified, an FDA RegisteredMedical Device Manufacturer, and has appropriate products in compliance with the EU In Vitro Diagnostic Directive (IV-D). Our quality extends to your laboratory as well. BioTek offers optional validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) and FDA 21CFR Part 11 tools to ensure regulatory compliance.

Better Reach

BioTek is headquartered in Vermont, USA with global sales, service and distribution support. Our German-based subsidiary and Coordination Center, located in Bad Friedrichshall, provides marketing, service and technical support for our European distribution, along with in-country-specific technical and application specialists that work in partnership with our distribution channels. We have recently established direct support in the Asia Pacific area and are continuing to expand our support in other global markets. We are continually investing to guarantee the same level of service for our instrumentation worldwide.

Our company-wide commitment to quality and value - which is backed by superior customer service, technical service centers, scientific application groups and a deeply knowledgeable sales force - means your processes will be rapid, efficient and successful. From accelerating drug discovery and advancing genomics and proteomics to life science research and clinical diagnostics, BioTek helps you Get a Better Reaction.