75 Years of History

The Beginning Years
The Beginning Years

1945: At the University Hospital in Eppendorf, Hamburg, Dr. Netheler and Dr. Hinz start running their business, later developing products for medical diagnostics. 1947 their new company is registered as “Elektromedizinische Werkstätten GmbH”.

1949 | Photometer
1949 | Photometer

1949: Eppendorf develops a new photometer for clinical applications. The use of spectral lines was an early example of spectroscopy in routine laboratory applications. Over time, the device became a world standard for chemical and biochemical analysis and the technique is still used today.

1960 | Pipettes
1960 | Pipettes

1961: Eppendorf launches its revolutionary piston-stroke microliter pipette, ushering in the age of precise and rapid pipetting. Up until this point, scientists pipetted their samples by mouth into glass tubes. In 1981 the 1,000,000th Eppendorf microliter pipette is manufactured. 

1963 | Microlitersystem
1963 | Microlitersystem

1963: Following the success of the microliter pipette, Eppendorf develops a complete microliter system, consisting of reaction tubes, mixers, centrifuges, and pipettes. Now pipetting work could be performed faster, more precisely and with a fraction of the sample volume required previously.

1963 | Eppi® Tube
1963 | Eppi® Tube

1963: The world-famous “Eppi®” reaction tube is introduced. Over a billion Eppi´s have been manufactured since it was invented. 

1963 | Centrifuges
1963 | Centrifuges

Hero of the labs: With the introduction of the Centrifuge 5415 C Eppendorf set a new spin on centrifugation, with much success: 1993 the 50,000th one was produced. The very first microliter-centrifuge was the Centrifuge 3200, introduced in the 1960s. 

1978 | Multipette®
1978 | Multipette®

1978: The first Multipette® with Combitips® is launched, going on to become one of the most successful Eppendorf products. In 1985 the company reaches 1,000 employees in the same year that the 100,000 th Multipette® is manufactured.

1985-2003 | Automation
1985-2003 | Automation

1985-2003: Eppendorf drives the innovative automation of laboratory products. From the first spectral line photometer, through the first semi-automated workstation, to flexible laboratory information systems – Eppendorf makes user’s lives easier. In 2003 the epMotion® 5070 is introduced, Eppendorf’s first automated pipetting system. 

1990s | Mastercycler®
1990s | Mastercycler®

1990s: The company celebrates the launch of the Mastercycler® for DNA amplification (PCR). The Mastercycler® gradient, the first gradient thermal cycler on the market, was launched in 1997. 

1996 | Cell Manipulation
1996 | Cell Manipulation

1996: To make manual microinjection and dispensing fluids easier, more ergonomic, and more precise, Eppendorf launces the CellTram® air and oil microinjectors for controlling pressure. Since 1985 Eppendorf develops the microinjector, which allows scientists to inject fluids into individual cells, turning the cell itself into a test tube. 

2007-2012 | New Brunswick and Bioprocess
2007-2012 | New Brunswick and Bioprocess

2007: Eppendorf reaches 2,000 employees and acquires New Brunswick Scientific, enriching the product portfolio with a range of equipment for cell culture, detection, and storage. In 2012 Eppendorf expands its bioprocess business with the acquisition of the DASGIP Group.