3.1 Research setting
The chosen company’s headquarters is in Germany. It was founded in 1870 as a
university spin-off and is a leading international laboratory and process technology provider.
In 2008, its sales exceeded €600 million and it had more than 4,000 employees.
The parent company’s two divisions – division A and division B – are managed
separately for strategic and operational reasons. Division A is fully owned by the Group and
primarily manufactures equipment and systems featuring specific technologies for laboratory
and industrial applications. In 2008, this division had sales revenues of about €250 million
and more than 2,000 employees. Division B is located in a publicly listed company
specializing in biotech equipment in which the parent company has a major stake. This
division had sales of more than €350 million and more than 2,000 employees in 2008.