Interview by Dottie Dunham, Associate EditorDottie
Dunham: Brinkmann Instruments is recognized as a major supplier of a variety of products for laboratories. What trends in the clinical laboratory segment of the marketplace do you believe will influence the direction of the company in the next five years?Joe
Crowley: Brinkmann has historically been focused in the research market. Although we have an almost universal presence in the clinical laboratory with our Eppendorf pipettes, centrifuges and plastic consumables, we have only recently begun to reconsider the opportunities available to us in this particular market segment. We believe that the clinical market for sample preparation and liquid-handling technologies is responding to the same trends that are dominant in many of our core industry and academic research segments. Among these particular trends are:Automation or manual accommodation of routine and/or repetitive tasks that require a high degree of quality and accuracy, particularly in the establishment of molecular technologies in the clinical environment.Availability of systems, devices and consumables suited to ensure sample integrity in more demanding clinical, forensic, cell culture and molecular diagnostic applications.Demand for technologies and support services which contribute tangibly to a safer and more productive work environment.Dunham: The PhysioCare Concept is setting a new standard for integrated liquid-handling systems and work processes. Can you explain its basic concept criteria? Explain the ergonomics that come into play with this system.Crowley: Early in the development of any technology, the primary focus is on function rather than form. As the technology comes into wider use and matures, the objective then is to address a broad range of complementary elements that will tangibly lead to better quality of work, with a safe, enjoyable and more productive work environment. That is the thinking behind the PhysioCare Concept. In the case of liquid handling, Eppendorf, the pioneer of modern pipetting technology, developed and commercialized the first piston-stroke pipette along with an associated pipette tip and the Eppendorf Tube in 1961. In many ways, this basic combination of tools served as an enabling technology in the earliest years of biotechnology research. Throughout the past four decades of growth in biotechnology, Eppendorf has optimized this basic system in the following ways:We have developed complete systems where the user can select the right type of pipette for his application, along with exactly the right type and purity level of pipette tip. This sounds simple, but when you consider the broad range of liquid-handling applications and the broad range of tools we offer, it represents a real accomplishment. For instance, a customer doing molecular diagnostic work like RT-PCR detection of SARS CoV can select a fully programmable electronic pipette along with a certified PCR clean filter tip to assure accuracy, reproducibility and eliminate any possibility of cross-contamination.We have applied advanced material science in the design and manufacture of our pipettes to assure maximum durability, quality of calibration and very light weight. Our pipettes incorporate noncorroding ceramic piston design for optimal chemical compatibility and smooth operation with advanced plastics to assure autoclavability, UV-resistance and proper seating, and ejection of tips with minimal force and exertion. Our selection of materials and quality of design allow us to back our pipettes with a full three-year warranty.Our pipettes have been designed for optimal ergonomics. We understand that a pipette needs to be as light as possible to avoid long-term fatigue and repetitive stress. That is why our pipettes weigh up to 30% less than others. We have found that a more uniform weight distribution, along with an integrated hand rest hook, allows the user to relax his hand and take short work pauses while the pipette remains comfortably in hand. This micro break is an important element in preventing fatigue and injury.We have designed all of our pipetting and tip systems in a way that helps the end-user work in a productive manner. We have color-coded our pipette operating buttons with the appropriate or matching tip racks. This assures the operator that he has selected the appropriate volume tip for the job. Throughout the range of products, we have assured that buttons are where they should be, volumes are easily read and programmed, such as pipetting and dispensing functions, to be easily stored and recalled.We have designed a system that offers performance across all three of the important measures of repetitive force associated with pipetting. Those three forces are tip seating, aspiration and dispensing, and tip ejection. The Eppendorf PhysioCare Concept pipette requires up to 50% less operating force than others. This, combined with a low weight, balanced weight distribution, and a design that conforms to the anatomy of the human hand makes the Eppendorf PhysioCare Concept pipette ergonomically efficient.Our PhysioCare Concept pipettes are designed in such a way that they are easy to clean, repair and maintain. This reduces down time, eliminates expense, prolongs service life and assures a better quality of work.Eppendorf and Brinkmann provide support from seminars, pipette training, application assessment, system selection, instrument service, to ongoing preventive maintenance and calibration.Dunham: Discuss other notable advances that Brinkmann Instruments has provided in the way of products and/or services to support the clinical laboratory.Crowley: Eppendorf Repeater pipette, along with the Eppendorf CombiTip, revolutionized the dispensing process in the laboratory. We have continued to evolve this product with the introduction of the Repeater Plus, which incorporates automatic tip identification and volume calculation, and the Repeater Pro, which provides full electronic operation and programmability. We also offer several purity levels of CombiTips to accommodate a broad range of applications from basic dispensing functions through critical diagnostic dispensing functions. In the centrifugation range, our new 5702 and 5702R centrifuges offer advanced sample processing capability with high capacity, a small footprint and the highest g-force in their class (3000 x g). On the near horizon, our epMotion 5070 advanced liquid-handling workstation offers tremendous flexibility and ease of use to fully automate repetitive-but-critical liquid-handling tasks.Dunham: Has the growing shortage of clinical laboratory professionals affected your companys strategy? What challenges has Brinkmann Instruments faced, and what solutions has the company begun to provide to aid in resolving this particular issue? It would seem that ergonomics is playing a large part in this arena.Crowley: All of our customers, whether clinical- or research-based, are asking us to help them with their productivity essentially doing more with fewer human resources. All of our design elements address personnel shortages and contribute to greater productivity, from system capacity to ease of use, walk-away time and ergonomics. Additionally, we have invested heavily in service, applications and technical support to help our customers pick the right tool for the job and then apply it effectively.Dunham: Has bioterrorism stimulated any strategic planning within your company? What kinds of testing, information and services have been or might be generated by Brinkmann Instruments in response to such threats?Crowley: While not focused on bioterrorism, per se, we do provide a broad range of equipment that plays a key role in research related to defense and civil preparedness. We are a diverse company with products for material science research, chemical synthesis and analysis, food safety testing and forensic applications. Based on our close proximity to New York City and the nature of our product portfolio, we were proud to have been one of the first companies on site to assist the NYC Medical Examiners Office with an emergency donation of equipment and molecular biology/PCR supplies to aid victim identification after the attack on the World Trade Center. With regard to the future, we see a need for all of our critical sample handling and preparation tools to be portable and reliable enough to facilitate rapid testing and response wherever they need to be employed.Dunham: In your opinion, what are the most significant challenges that Brinkmann Instruments will face in the near future with regard to genomics? Can you address the BioSystems Divisions range of products for DNA and RNA Purification and other genetic-based or -related products?Crowley: Our biggest challenge in the genomics arena is keeping pace with the rapid evolution of technology in genome analysis. Products that were innovative in this field just two years ago have been eclipsed by new methods and an overall move from high-throughput genome sequencing to more specific areas such as proteomic analysis. Regardless, Eppendorf has a significant presence in the high-throughput purification business and will build an even greater presence with the addition of microarrays, quantitative PCR and liquid-handling robotic workstations. One thing that is clear in this particular market segment is the need to innovate and combine productivity improvements while, at the same time, producing high quality DNA that will perform well in downstream applications. Specific innovations that we have taken to market which achieve this combination of objectives are FastPlasmid DNA purification, HotMaster Taq DNA Polymerase and BAC large-construct purification kits. FastPlasmid uses a novel one-step lysis chemistry to purify plasmid DNA in less than half the time of any competitive kit on the market. HotMaster Taq uses ligand-mediated Hot Start/Cold Stop technology to provide high PCR yield and excellent specificity. In addition, HotMaster was the first kit to utilize a self-adjusting magnesium buffer to ensure optimal ion concentration for all templates and primers. Eppendorfs large-construct BAC purification kit virtually eliminates shearing, a persistent problem common to the purification of very large fragments of DNA.Dunham: Has the growing shortage of clinical laboratory professionals affected your companys strategy? What challenges has Brinkmann Instruments faced, and what solutions has the company begun to provide to aid in resolving this particular issue? It would seem that ergonomics is playing a large part in this arena.Crowley: All of our customers, whether clinical- or research-based, are asking us to help them with their productivity essentially doing more with fewer human resources. All of our design elements address personnel shortages and contribute to greater productivity, from system capacity to ease of use, walk-away time and ergonomics. Additionally, we have invested heavily in service, applications and technical support to help our customers pick the right tool for the job and then apply it effectively.Dunham: To what extent is education for the clinical laboratorian a part of Brinkmann Instruments strategy, and does that strategy include Web-based activity?Crowley: Education is a core element of our overall business approach for customers in all segments. Dealing with the broad cross section of applications that our product portfolio addresses, we invest heavily in application characterization and in helping the customer choose the correct product to meet his needs. Over the past several years, our sales and applications infrastructure has become increasingly specialized, so that we maintain a high competence and service level in all of the market and application segments that we serve. With regard to support and education on the Brinkmann website, we believe that our customers will find it to be an excellent resource. We offer a broad range of applications articles, SOPs, general product information and an applications hotline so that you can address specific questions to a lab-based Brinkmann applications specialist.Dunham: Online communication with customers has expanded for the majority of companies. How does Brinkmann Instruments service its customer base via the Web? How has this type of communication changed the way Brinkmann does business? Does the company plan to expand such interaction in the future?Crowley: In addition to the support content that is resident on our website, we use the Internet extensively to reach out to our customer and prospect base. This reaching out can serve a variety of purposes. First, we want to support existing customers so that they can get the most out of their relationship with Brinkmann and their use of our products. This is achieved, primarily, by providing specific application information and making people aware of support resources that we provide. Next, we use the Internet to inform a broader population of existing and prospective customers of new Brinkmann products, promotions and services. This is achieved via e-mail or regular mail that will direct customers to websites with content specific to their interests. One of the most innovative ways that I have seen our Internet initiatives used recently has been in the solicitation of input from our customers and prospects on the types of products and services that they would like to see from us both now and in the future. We value the feedback that people give us, and I have been amazed at the quality of input that we have received across a broad variety of topics. This feedback has played, and will continue to play, a role in the type of company that we are and the products that we provide.
Dunham: Brinkmann Instruments is recognized as a major supplier of a variety of products for laboratories. What trends in the clinical laboratory segment of the marketplace do you believe will influence the direction of the company in the next five years?Joe
Crowley: Brinkmann has historically been focused in the research market. Although we have an almost universal presence in the clinical laboratory with our Eppendorf pipettes, centrifuges and plastic consumables, we have only recently begun to reconsider the opportunities available to us in this particular market segment. We believe that the clinical market for sample preparation and liquid-handling technologies is responding to the same trends that are dominant in many of our core industry and academic research segments. Among these particular trends are:Automation or manual accommodation of routine and/or repetitive tasks that require a high degree of quality and accuracy, particularly in the establishment of molecular technologies in the clinical environment.Availability of systems, devices and consumables suited to ensure sample integrity in more demanding clinical, forensic, cell culture and molecular diagnostic applications.Demand for technologies and support services which contribute tangibly to a safer and more productive work environment.Dunham: The PhysioCare Concept is setting a new standard for integrated liquid-handling systems and work processes. Can you explain its basic concept criteria? Explain the ergonomics that come into play with this system.Crowley: Early in the development of any technology, the primary focus is on function rather than form. As the technology comes into wider use and matures, the objective then is to address a broad range of complementary elements that will tangibly lead to better quality of work, with a safe, enjoyable and more productive work environment. That is the thinking behind the PhysioCare Concept. In the case of liquid handling, Eppendorf, the pioneer of modern pipetting technology, developed and commercialized the first piston-stroke pipette along with an associated pipette tip and the Eppendorf Tube in 1961. In many ways, this basic combination of tools served as an enabling technology in the earliest years of biotechnology research. Throughout the past four decades of growth in biotechnology, Eppendorf has optimized this basic system in the following ways:We have developed complete systems where the user can select the right type of pipette for his application, along with exactly the right type and purity level of pipette tip. This sounds simple, but when you consider the broad range of liquid-handling applications and the broad range of tools we offer, it represents a real accomplishment. For instance, a customer doing molecular diagnostic work like RT-PCR detection of SARS CoV can select a fully programmable electronic pipette along with a certified PCR clean filter tip to assure accuracy, reproducibility and eliminate any possibility of cross-contamination.We have applied advanced material science in the design and manufacture of our pipettes to assure maximum durability, quality of calibration and very light weight. Our pipettes incorporate noncorroding ceramic piston design for optimal chemical compatibility and smooth operation with advanced plastics to assure autoclavability, UV-resistance and proper seating, and ejection of tips with minimal force and exertion. Our selection of materials and quality of design allow us to back our pipettes with a full three-year warranty.Our pipettes have been designed for optimal ergonomics. We understand that a pipette needs to be as light as possible to avoid long-term fatigue and repetitive stress. That is why our pipettes weigh up to 30% less than others. We have found that a more uniform weight distribution, along with an integrated hand rest hook, allows the user to relax his hand and take short work pauses while the pipette remains comfortably in hand. This micro break is an important element in preventing fatigue and injury.We have designed all of our pipetting and tip systems in a way that helps the end-user work in a productive manner. We have color-coded our pipette operating buttons with the appropriate or matching tip racks. This assures the operator that he has selected the appropriate volume tip for the job. Throughout the range of products, we have assured that buttons are where they should be, volumes are easily read and programmed, such as pipetting and dispensing functions, to be easily stored and recalled.We have designed a system that offers performance across all three of the important measures of repetitive force associated with pipetting. Those three forces are tip seating, aspiration and dispensing, and tip ejection. The Eppendorf PhysioCare Concept pipette requires up to 50% less operating force than others. This, combined with a low weight, balanced weight distribution, and a design that conforms to the anatomy of the human hand makes the Eppendorf PhysioCare Concept pipette ergonomically efficient.Our PhysioCare Concept pipettes are designed in such a way that they are easy to clean, repair and maintain. This reduces down time, eliminates expense, prolongs service life and assures a better quality of work.Eppendorf and Brinkmann provide support from seminars, pipette training, application assessment, system selection, instrument service, to ongoing preventive maintenance and calibration.Dunham: Discuss other notable advances that Brinkmann Instruments has provided in the way of products and/or services to support the clinical laboratory.Crowley: Eppendorf Repeater pipette, along with the Eppendorf CombiTip, revolutionized the dispensing process in the laboratory. We have continued to evolve this product with the introduction of the Repeater Plus, which incorporates automatic tip identification and volume calculation, and the Repeater Pro, which provides full electronic operation and programmability. We also offer several purity levels of CombiTips to accommodate a broad range of applications from basic dispensing functions through critical diagnostic dispensing functions. In the centrifugation range, our new 5702 and 5702R centrifuges offer advanced sample processing capability with high capacity, a small footprint and the highest g-force in their class (3000 x g). On the near horizon, our epMotion 5070 advanced liquid-handling workstation offers tremendous flexibility and ease of use to fully automate repetitive-but-critical liquid-handling tasks.Dunham: Has the growing shortage of clinical laboratory professionals affected your companys strategy? What challenges has Brinkmann Instruments faced, and what solutions has the company begun to provide to aid in resolving this particular issue? It would seem that ergonomics is playing a large part in this arena.Crowley: All of our customers, whether clinical- or research-based, are asking us to help them with their productivity essentially doing more with fewer human resources. All of our design elements address personnel shortages and contribute to greater productivity, from system capacity to ease of use, walk-away time and ergonomics. Additionally, we have invested heavily in service, applications and technical support to help our customers pick the right tool for the job and then apply it effectively.Dunham: Has bioterrorism stimulated any strategic planning within your company? What kinds of testing, information and services have been or might be generated by Brinkmann Instruments in response to such threats?Crowley: While not focused on bioterrorism, per se, we do provide a broad range of equipment that plays a key role in research related to defense and civil preparedness. We are a diverse company with products for material science research, chemical synthesis and analysis, food safety testing and forensic applications. Based on our close proximity to New York City and the nature of our product portfolio, we were proud to have been one of the first companies on site to assist the NYC Medical Examiners Office with an emergency donation of equipment and molecular biology/PCR supplies to aid victim identification after the attack on the World Trade Center. With regard to the future, we see a need for all of our critical sample handling and preparation tools to be portable and reliable enough to facilitate rapid testing and response wherever they need to be employed.Dunham: In your opinion, what are the most significant challenges that Brinkmann Instruments will face in the near future with regard to genomics? Can you address the BioSystems Divisions range of products for DNA and RNA Purification and other genetic-based or -related products?Crowley: Our biggest challenge in the genomics arena is keeping pace with the rapid evolution of technology in genome analysis. Products that were innovative in this field just two years ago have been eclipsed by new methods and an overall move from high-throughput genome sequencing to more specific areas such as proteomic analysis. Regardless, Eppendorf has a significant presence in the high-throughput purification business and will build an even greater presence with the addition of microarrays, quantitative PCR and liquid-handling robotic workstations. One thing that is clear in this particular market segment is the need to innovate and combine productivity improvements while, at the same time, producing high quality DNA that will perform well in downstream applications. Specific innovations that we have taken to market which achieve this combination of objectives are FastPlasmid DNA purification, HotMaster Taq DNA Polymerase and BAC large-construct purification kits. FastPlasmid uses a novel one-step lysis chemistry to purify plasmid DNA in less than half the time of any competitive kit on the market. HotMaster Taq uses ligand-mediated Hot Start/Cold Stop technology to provide high PCR yield and excellent specificity. In addition, HotMaster was the first kit to utilize a self-adjusting magnesium buffer to ensure optimal ion concentration for all templates and primers. Eppendorfs large-construct BAC purification kit virtually eliminates shearing, a persistent problem common to the purification of very large fragments of DNA.Dunham: Has the growing shortage of clinical laboratory professionals affected your companys strategy? What challenges has Brinkmann Instruments faced, and what solutions has the company begun to provide to aid in resolving this particular issue? It would seem that ergonomics is playing a large part in this arena.Crowley: All of our customers, whether clinical- or research-based, are asking us to help them with their productivity essentially doing more with fewer human resources. All of our design elements address personnel shortages and contribute to greater productivity, from system capacity to ease of use, walk-away time and ergonomics. Additionally, we have invested heavily in service, applications and technical support to help our customers pick the right tool for the job and then apply it effectively.Dunham: To what extent is education for the clinical laboratorian a part of Brinkmann Instruments strategy, and does that strategy include Web-based activity?Crowley: Education is a core element of our overall business approach for customers in all segments. Dealing with the broad cross section of applications that our product portfolio addresses, we invest heavily in application characterization and in helping the customer choose the correct product to meet his needs. Over the past several years, our sales and applications infrastructure has become increasingly specialized, so that we maintain a high competence and service level in all of the market and application segments that we serve. With regard to support and education on the Brinkmann website, we believe that our customers will find it to be an excellent resource. We offer a broad range of applications articles, SOPs, general product information and an applications hotline so that you can address specific questions to a lab-based Brinkmann applications specialist.Dunham: Online communication with customers has expanded for the majority of companies. How does Brinkmann Instruments service its customer base via the Web? How has this type of communication changed the way Brinkmann does business? Does the company plan to expand such interaction in the future?Crowley: In addition to the support content that is resident on our website, we use the Internet extensively to reach out to our customer and prospect base. This reaching out can serve a variety of purposes. First, we want to support existing customers so that they can get the most out of their relationship with Brinkmann and their use of our products. This is achieved, primarily, by providing specific application information and making people aware of support resources that we provide. Next, we use the Internet to inform a broader population of existing and prospective customers of new Brinkmann products, promotions and services. This is achieved via e-mail or regular mail that will direct customers to websites with content specific to their interests. One of the most innovative ways that I have seen our Internet initiatives used recently has been in the solicitation of input from our customers and prospects on the types of products and services that they would like to see from us both now and in the future. We value the feedback that people give us, and I have been amazed at the quality of input that we have received across a broad variety of topics. This feedback has played, and will continue to play, a role in the type of company that we are and the products that we provide.
Henry J. (Joe)
Crowley, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Brinkmann Instruments Inc., joined the company in 1998 after 14 years in sales and marketing in the clinical diagnostic industry. Crowley has overseen the integration of Eppendorf Scientific into the Brinkmann organization when Brinkmann was acquired as a wholly owned subsidiary of Eppendorf AG of Hamburg, Germany. Crowley holds an MBA from the Boston University Graduate School of Management and resides with his wife and two children on Long Island, NY.
September 2003: Vol. 35, No. 9© 2003 Nelson Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
Crowley, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Brinkmann Instruments Inc., joined the company in 1998 after 14 years in sales and marketing in the clinical diagnostic industry. Crowley has overseen the integration of Eppendorf Scientific into the Brinkmann organization when Brinkmann was acquired as a wholly owned subsidiary of Eppendorf AG of Hamburg, Germany. Crowley holds an MBA from the Boston University Graduate School of Management and resides with his wife and two children on Long Island, NY.
September 2003: Vol. 35, No. 9© 2003 Nelson Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
