Bruker began the development of new infrared spectrometers in the 1970s. Launched in 1974, the IFS 110 was the beginning of a very successful product line that ultimately led to the foundation of the Bruker Optics division. Today, Bruker Optics offers a comprehensive vibrational spectroscopy product-line that includes both the world’s smallest benchtop FT-IR spectrometer for routine use, and the world’s highest resolution FT-IR for advanced research applications.
Bruker’s already established strengths in NMR naturally led to developments in the field of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Bruker Medizintechnik (Medical) GmbH was formed in 1976, initially offering a range of mobile defibrillators. Later in the decade, Bruker had developed and was producing NMR-based tomography systems for use in clinical and pre-clinical applications, leading eventually to whole-body clinical MRI instrumentation.
Over time, Bruker chose to shift its focus towards pre-clinical systems and became Bruker BioSpin MRI, the currently market leader in the field.
In 1977 “Dr. Franzen Analysentechnik” was founded in Bremen as a spin-off company from Atlas MAT. A few years later, in 1980, Bruker acquired this company and renamed it “Bruker-Franzen Analytik”, adding robust quadrupole mass spectrometers to the Bruker portfolio. That same year the first mobile detection system, the MM1, proved successful in both the civilian and military markets. In 1997 Bruker-Franzen Analytik GmbH was renamed Bruker Daltonik GmbH. The name was chosen to honor John Dalton for his work in formulating the theory of the atomic structure of matter. The development of two new ionization procedures in the late 1980s, electrospray and MALDI, enabled the ionization and analysis of biomolecules. This paved the way for the application of mass spectrometry in molecular biology and molecular medicine. With the spectrometers being continuously enhanced, Bruker mass spectrometry experienced unexpected growth.
In 1997 Bruker acquired the X-ray spectroscopy division of Siemens AG, which included prime manufacturing facilities in Karlsruhe and Madison, Wisconsin. Commercial growth, combined with additional company acquisitions, quickly launched Bruker AXS as a leading provider of X-ray analytical instrumentation, significantly extending Bruker’s technology portfolio.
Organizational restructuring within Bruker began in 2000, as the company adapted to meet the needs of modern markets. The Bruker Daltonics group was the first of the Bruker companies to be listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange, soon followed by Bruker AXS in 2001. In 2003 Bruker Daltonics and AXS merged to form a single listed company. In 2006, they were joined by Bruker Optics. The merger of all Bruker corporate units was completed in 2008 upon the addition of Bruker BioSpin, the magnetic resonance division that started it all. The synergies resulting from the integration was quickly recognized within product development, production and sales, leading to the development of combined systems delivering unique customer benefits.
Unification under a single parent company—the Bruker Corporation (NASDAQ: BRKR) created one of the strongest brands in analytical instrumentation.´