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Bio-Rad Laboratories
Bio-Rad was founded in 1952 by David and Alice Schwartz, two chemists who began by supplying tobacco mosaic virus to university labs.
Bio-Rad Laboratories
Bio-Rad was founded in 1952 by David and Alice Schwartz, two chemists who began by supplying tobacco mosaic virus to university labs. Over seven decades, the firm grew into a publicly traded entity that designs and manufactures instruments, reagents, and software for two distinct markets: life science research and clinical diagnostics. The Schwartz family retains significant influence; son Norman has served as CEO since 2003 and chairman since 2012, giving the firm a long-tenured leadership structure unusual among publicly listed laboratory suppliers. The life science segment produces over 8,000 products — including gel electrophoresis systems, PCR instruments, chromatography media, and the ZE5 cell analyzer — that support protein quantification, gene expression analysis, and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The diagnostics division addresses blood typing, diabetes monitoring, autoimmune testing, and quality controls for hospital and reference labs. Revenue splits roughly 50-50 between the two segments, with manufacturing in the United States, Europe, and Asia-Pacific and direct sales in more than 35 countries. The firm competes directly with Thermo Fisher and Danaher's life sciences portfolio. Bio-Rad operates seven R&D centers globally, filed over 1,400 patents, and employs approximately 8,200 people. In 2021, the company made a notable divestiture, selling its Sartorius stake for roughly $1.2 billion, a move that returned capital to shareholders and sharpened focus on core diagnostics and research operations. February 2024: Appointed Ilan Daskal as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (per the firm, February 2024). The firm also maintains a minority voting stake in Sartorius AG through legacy shareholding arrangements. Bio-Rad's structural differentiator is its dual-market model. Rare among life sciences companies, the firm derives nearly equal revenue from clinical diagnostics and laboratory research, insulating it from the funding-cycle volatility that affects pure-play research-tool firms. This hybrid structure, combined with multi-decade CEO tenure, creates a measured capital-allocation cadence more reminiscent of a controlled company than a typical public life sciences instrument maker.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
1952
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Hercules
Corporate office
Hercules, CA, United States
Principals
Norman Schwartz
Chairman, President and CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs Bio-Rad Laboratories?
Norman Schwartz serves as Chairman, President, and CEO. He is the son of founders David and Alice Schwartz and has held the top executive role since 2003. The Schwartz family maintains a controlling equity interest through a dual-class stock structure.
How does Bio-Rad split its business between instruments and consumables?
Bio-Rad primarily operates a razor-and-blade model. Instruments like PCR thermal cyclers and gel electrophoresis systems generate upfront hardware revenue, but the recurring consumables — reagents, assay kits, and quality controls — drive the majority of the top line. Consumables represent roughly 75% of product revenue, providing a recurring base that funds R&D investment.
What is Bio-Rad's relationship with Sartorius AG?
Bio-Rad held a significant equity stake in Sartorius AG, a German bioprocessing and lab equipment company, for decades. In 2021, Bio-Rad sold approximately $1.2 billion of Sartorius preferred shares, substantially monetizing the position. The remaining holding consists of ordinary Sartorius shares that carry voting rights, reflecting a long-standing, non-operating financial relationship rather than a strategic partnership.
Does Bio-Rad compete with Thermo Fisher and Danaher?
Yes, in specific product categories. In qPCR instruments, droplet digital PCR, and protein electrophoresis, Bio-Rad competes directly with Thermo Fisher and Danaher's SCIEX and Beckman Coulter subsidiaries. In clinical diagnostics, competition comes from Abbott and Siemens Healthineers. Bio-Rad's narrower focus — it does not sell mass spectrometers or electron microscopes — differentiates it from the fully diversified conglomerates.
How does the dual-class share structure influence capital allocation at Bio-Rad?
The Schwartz family controls a majority of voting power through Class B shares, which carry 10 votes per share compared to one vote for Class A. This structure allows management to prioritize internal R&D programs and acquisitions over short-term earnings targets. Consequently, Bio-Rad runs an R&D budget exceeding 8% of revenue, well above the public life sciences peer median.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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