Shimadzu, Waters Corp. to collaborate in development of data processing software

• Effort to address user's demands for multi-vendor solutions

COLUMBIA, MD, March 5, 2007 -- Shimadzu Corp., of Kyoto, Japan, announced Feb. 26 at the Pittcon conference in Chicago that it intends to collaborate with Waters Corp. to develop software that allows the control of Shimadzu's Prominence series liquid chromatograph systems using the widely used Waters Empower^® chromatography software, which is used for controlling chromatographs and processing and managing data. This collaboration will combine the strengths of both companies, and will benefit customers by providing a more integrated solution for users requiring multi-vendor compatibility.

Waters Empower software offers database-driven data and user-control features that have made it the world's most widely used chromatography data system for quality control applications in industries such as pharmaceuticals. Shimadzu's Prominence liquid chromatograph systems are highly regarded for their performance, reliability and value, and are the most widely used liquid chromatographs in certain regions including Japan.

To manage data, quality control departments in the pharmaceutical industry increasingly need to integrate the data from multiple chromatographs used in their laboratories. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for a single chromatography data system that can operate chromatographs from a variety of manufacturers (multi-vendor compatibility). This collaboration between Shimadzu and Waters will respond to such changing needs of users and will allow the Shimadzu Prominence systems to be used with Empower software with seamless control, which was impossible before.

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments Inc. (www.ssi.shimadzu.com) is the U.S. subsidiary of Shimadzu Corp., which has headquarters in Kyoto, Japan. Founded in 1875, Shimadzu is a $2 billion multinational corporation with three major divisions: Medical Diagnostics, Aerospace/industrial, and Analytical Instruments. The Analytical Division is one of the world's largest manufacturers of analytical instrumentation and environmental monitoring equipment. In 1975, SSI corporate headquarters was established in Columbia, Maryland, to provide analytical solutions to laboratories in North, Central, and parts of South America. In the United States, SSI has a network of more than 50 locations providing local and regional sales, service, and technical support. The U.S. headquarters are based in Columbia, MD.

Waters Corp. (www.waters.com) creates business advantage for laboratory-dependent organizations by delivering practical and sustainable innovation to enable significant advancements in such areas as healthcare delivery, environmental management, food safety, and water quality worldwide. Pioneering a connected portfolio of separations science, laboratory information management, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis, Waters technology breakthroughs and laboratory solutions provide an enduring platform for customer success. With revenue of $1.28 billion in 2006 and 4,500 employees, Waters is driving scientific discovery and operational excellence for customers worldwide. It's based in Milford, MA.

---

Also see:
-- "Shimadzu assumes responsibilities for X-ray spectrometer business"
-- "Oxford University chooses Waters Corp. mass spectrometry system"
-- "Waters Corp., Hitachi High Technologies Corp. to collaborate on development of chromatography interface software for Empower 2 in North America"
-- "Shimadzu USA Manufacturing celebrates 10 successful years"

###