Corporate Retrospective 2007: ESA

Today, the ESA name is synonymous with innovation in HPLC detection. But our roots in this market go back 25 years, when we launched a groundbreaking electrochemical detector (ECD) in a brand new magazine: LCGC North America. At that time, scientists routinely cobbled together Frankenstein HPLC systems from multiple manufacturers' components; these could be coaxed to meet the researcher's analytical needs, but were notoriously finicky and difficult to use. The LCGC publishers were prescient in 1982 - anticipating the development of a burgeoning new market for high-performance HPLC products. But they were also market makers - instrumental in its development. LCGC became an indispensable forum to learn about the latest analytical challenge and most-promising separations solutions.

We salute the LCGC team on this 25-year anniversary. Thank you for being ESA's partner for success all these years. You were instrumental in explaining the benefits of coulometric technology to the marketplace when we launched our original ECD system in 1982. And you have continued to facilitate our dialogue with customers through the years. Your insight into scientists' changing analytical needs has helped spur many ESA innovations - new electrochemical detection systems, advanced amperometric and coulometric cells - and, in 1995, our pioneering three-dimensional electrochemical detector.

With the support of LCGC and its readers, ESA continues to push the limits of technology to solve pressing applications challenges for customers. Our shared frustration with the bounds of traditional detection led us to the development of the first truly universal HPLC detector. LCGC has been instrumental in the detector's tremendous success, helping us spread the word about the benefits of this unique charged aerosol detection system. We are gratified that the system has been widely adopted by leading research, methods-development, and QC labs worldwide.

Now, 25 years and nearly 10,000 systems after we sold our very first EC detector, ESA is a clear leader in HPLC detection. Expect many more HPLC innovations from ESA in the years to come. We're sure you'll read all about them first - and comprehensively - in LCGC.

Congratulations LCGC. And thanks for your support!

Dr. Darwin Asa

Dr. Darwin Asa

HPLC Marketing Director

ESA Biosciences, Inc.

Chelmsford, Massachusetts