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20 Years of Analytik Jena — Thuringia-based Company Celebrates Major Anniversary

Jena, May 3, 2010 — Analytik Jena AG can look back on two decades of successful corporate development. The Thuringia-based manufacturer of analytical instrumentation technology was founded as a sales company on May 17, 1990 during the period of radical change at the time of German re-unification and with commercial register number 27 was one of the first company foundations in the former GDR following the Peaceful Revolution. With a capital of 6,000 East German marks, the current Executive Board members Klaus Berka and Jens Adomat launched Analytik Jena GmbH as a "sales company for analytic measuring devices" together with Walter Maul, who left back at the end of 1990. Today, with almost 800 employees and a sales forcast of about EUR 80 million in the current financial year, the company is an internationally operating company and a key economic performer in the Free State of Thuringia.

"Analytik Jena has undergone 20 eventful years shaped by continuous growth. The decaded birthday provides a nice occasion to look back and reflect on what has been achieved. At the same time we also want to say thank you to all those who have jointly achieved this success with us," says Klaus Berka, founder and current CEO.

The company initially started as a service provider and assumed responsibility for selling and distributing the analysis systems of large international conglomerates in Germany. The purchase of the laboratory analysis technology of Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH in 1995 and the takeover of Docter-Optic Eisfeld GmbH with its optical consumer products two years later resulted in a break with this tradition and from this point onwards Analytik Jena was a manufacturer and provider of innovative high-tech products enabling the company to prevail and grow in the face of resistance from major conglomerates on the global market. In 2000 — exactly 10 years after its formation — the company was converted to a joint stock company and listed on the stock exchange. The Company was now able to invest in the further internationalization, the development of new products and the acquisition of smaller companies.

To mark the company’s 20-year anniversary, Analytik Jena is hosting a festival at its headquarters in Jena over the next few days with a large number of varied events for customers, business partners, retailers, employees and companions. The highlight of the series of events will be the main anniversary celebrations to be opened on May 5, 2010 by Thuringian Prime Minister Christine Lieberknecht. Some 1,000 guests are expected for this event alone. As well as the Prime Minister, former Thuringian economics minister and current minister of agriculture, conservation and the environment Jürgen Reinholz, the president of the Thuringian "Landtag" Birgit Diezel and the Lord Mayor of Jena, Dr. Albrecht Schröter, have also promised to attend.

"The core element of Analytik Jena’s success was and remains its staff who layed the foundation for the success of the company with their creativeness, diligence and sales force," continues Berka. "Combined with the outstanding economic environment in Thuringia and especially in Jena we aim to continue our way to success."