"Troponin?"

Yes, AccuTnI was developed in Chaska - about 7 years ago - and certainly has not been the shining star of the BEC immunoassay menu. Just ask folks who received false positive troponin results and then had to undergo unnecessary cardiac cath.

We were hoping you could provide an example of a Chaska developed assay in a more recent time frame.

Troponin?

Since there seems to be so much confusion on Chaska development and expansion of the immunoassay business center. I did your research for you.

http://www.beckmancoulter.com/resourcecenter/diagtoday/articles/DTO_Issu...

None of these immunoassays were developed by R&D systems or Biorad. All done by Chaska developers.

"Chaska??? I wonder which site just won the Reagent and Instrument Lean awards? Lets see where is the manufacturing site for the molecular diagnostics? Or the SPRI-TE Nucleic Acid Extractor?"

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Lean awards - big deal! Like getting a gold star from your teacher.

They have developed virtually NOTHING at Chaska. Immuno (Access/Access 2/DxI) was developed by Sanofi. SPRI-TE was stolen from GE, see below:

GE Healthcare Sues Beckman Coulter Genomics for Infringing Nucleic Acid Purification Patents

GE Healthcare UK has filed suit against Beckman Coulter Genomics, alleging that the firm is infringing two patents that cover technologies for isolating and purifying nucleic acids.

The complaint, filed Dec. 18 in the US District Court for the District of Delaware, claims that Beckman Coulter Genomics is infringing US Patent No. 5,523,231, issued in 1996 and titled "Method to isolate macromolecules using magnetically attractable beads which do not specifically bind the macromolecules;" and US Patent No. 5,681,946, issued in 1997 and titled "Precipitating polymers."

Both patents describe methods for using "suspended magnetically attractable beads" for isolating nucleic acids. They were originally assigned to Amersham, which GE acquired in 2004.

Chaska??? I wonder which site just won the Reagent and Instrument Lean awards? Lets see where is the manufacturing site for the molecular diagnostics? Or the SPRI-TE Nucleic Acid Extractor? All new technology that is vastly different than the ACCESS instrument and reagents lines. Not exactly a site sitting around waiting for golf season.

I like working for beckman (brea)!! it sucks everybody on here has to talk trash about this place!!! and if you are its maybe because you got fired for something you did!!!

how long have U worked for BCI ? did your mother get you the job??

I like working for beckman (brea)!! it sucks everybody on here has to talk trash about this place!!! and if you are its maybe because you got fired for something you did!!!

Beckman Coulter managment -- brilliant or evil?

Can I choose incompetent? It seems to fit better.

Chaska is dead they are all waiting for summer to go golfing.

%%%%%

We have been saying this for some time but several naysayers disagreed. Chaska is living off the Sanofi legacy. Sanofi developed the Access/Access 2 technology in the mid-1990's that is used in the current Beckman immuno products. Little has been accomplished by the small close-knit golfers club in Chaska. The DxI products are merely Access technology x4 bundled into one box. Few new assays have been developed in Chaska - most new assays were from partners like R&D Systems and Bio Rad. Beckman even had to recruit assay developers from Abbott to try and develop something new.

Even DxI is 7 years old in 2010. Unless the Chaska golfers get off their butts and develop something earth shattering - which is quite unlikely - their days are numbered.

The statement “Beckman management”, suggests that there is some form of leadership at the company, were there is none. BCI will die with a Razer at the Japanese throats. In the end all will be sold off to competitors, no Razer realized. And all SG has to do is what he has done since the beginning sit back and watch. Well done MR President. I would suggest, for Chemistry to use the purchased technology to develop the New analyzer elsewhere while continuing business as usual in Japan, secure all Reagent technology and manufacturing in a place the is flexible ( no union) and move forward. Discontinuing the old product as the new comes online. Also it was a mistake to shut down the Olympus immunoassay development, Chaska is dead they are all waiting for summer to go golfing.

This would be funny except as an alumni as well, my career and life has been altered to the extreme, and not in a good way.

"last employee survey was right before they started firing all the long term employees. Probably want to see if it worked"

Good point! Not many of us left....

last employee survey was right before they started firing all the long term employees. Probably want to see if it worked

Another employee survey starts next week. I'm sure they will listen to the input.... NOT! The feedback will most likely be the same as the previous surveys that they ignored.

The VPs are starting to "retire" this month.

They are eating their own.

Is there any one else left in the company to go?
The VPs must be all that is left.
What a shame to see such a good company down at this level.
Competitors must be dancing from the Empire State building

Couldn't agree more, Nasty place to work

The VPs are starting to "retire" this month.

They are eating their own.

Remember the Peter Principle? People rise to their level of incompetence.

'Nuff said.

decimated the once dominating in-vitro diagnostics company... CHECK

ruined the lives and careers of a large group of hard working and once proud ex-Beckman Coulter employees ... CHECK

discriminated against ...older ... employees. CHECK

Neither. And not in the good way.

"Beckman Coulter managment -- brilliant or evil?"

I believe the answer is two part:

Part 1 - SG and his band of buddies are brilliant in they have been able to ensure continuous employment for themselves while ensuring a nice golden parachute for the future.

Part 2 - They are evil in they have decimated the once dominating in-vitro diagnostics company. They have significantly outsourced functions to suppliers who could really care less about quality, customer service or the future of Beckman Coulter.

They have ruined the lives and careers of a large group of hard working and once proud ex-Beckman Coulter employees. They clearly discriminated against this group of older, long-term employees.

They have failed to prepare or move the corporation into the future and were only concerned about short-term bottom line financial results.

Fortunately, over time this miscalculation will come back to haunt the board of directors. Of course, by then the involved parties will be long gone.

I look at Beckman Coulter much like the current Jay Leno/Conan O'Brian fiasco. NBC management (much like Beckman Coulter management) was only looking at short-term financials rather than the results of their plans and decisions.

The future will tell the tale. It will be fun to watch.

They are brilliant! That's how they drove Dade into bankruptcy. Now, from what I understand they have driven away many, many long term dedicated employees who were top performers.
Keep up the good work.

brevil

They're growing and doing well