20 Years of Success and Growing: Analytik Jena Approaches Future with Strength and Optimism

Analytik Jena proud developers of leading spectroscopy systems and instruments for the analytical and life sciences markets celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year, following two decades which have seen it rise from small supplier to a substantial innovative group with international market presence. Rooted with a strong focus on early stage R&D partnerships, a powerful belief in the quality of its products and skills of its employees and encompassing technology based on the vast experience of the former Carl Zeiss (Jena) spectroscopy division, Analytik Jena today comprises of three intertwined business units consisting of manufacturing outlets in Germany and focussed centres of excellence worldwide. The core Analytical Group which supplies high end research instruments has also been the foundation for provision of technological capability and support to the Life Science and Optics Business Units: together all three businesses have firmly established the company’s German brand products alongside those of leading competitors.

Systematically Adapting to New Tasks
Founded jointly by Klaus Berka and Jens Adomat in 1990, the company formed during a period of significant historical importance following the ‘peaceful revolution’ of 1989 which resulted in the breakdown of the barriers dividing East and West Germany. The social and political upheaval following the reunification of Germany presented huge challenges to industry based in the Eastern sector as Torsten Olschewski - Vice President Sales/ Support/ Marketing and one of the longest serving employees recalls: “Twenty years of distribution at Analytik Jena means hard work... and a persistent hope and an uncompromising belief of being able to tackle it. We started by selling our products in East Germany exclusively, with initially a strong focus on environmental analysis. We successfully expanded to the western part of Germany, a difficult market for East German companies. We were able to win many customers especially in the beginning and they have remained loyal and are still with us today. Our staff had also to adapt slowly and systematically to their new tasks. They had to get familiar with new areas then.”