TA Instruments, USA: Efforts to Create "Fine Tools" for Thermal Analysis - Interview with Terry Kelly, Global President of TA Instruments, Fortran Hsueh, General Manager of Asia, and Steve Aubstron, Thermal Analysis Product Manager

Thermal analysis is one of the basic methods for characterizing materials and has been widely used in scientific research and industry for many years. In recent years, its application has become increasingly widespread, and there have been significant developments in the fields of food, medicine, energy, chemicals, building materials, and aerospace. As the saying goes, "If workers want to do something good, they must first sharpen their tools." At present, major domestic and foreign manufacturers have launched new thermal analysis products to seize market opportunities.

In early November 2010, TA Technologies, a technology leader in the thermal analysis industry, successfully launched a new product launch event in Shanghai and Beijing, and launched the “revolutionary” differential scanning calorimetry product DISCOVERY DSC. (Differential Scanning Calorimeter). The product redefines performance, quality and practicality, providing users with unmatched high measurement sensitivity, resolution and accuracy.

After the Beijing New Product Launch Conference, Instrument Information Network (hereinafter referred to as Instrument) interviewed Terry Kelly, Global President of TA Instruments, USA, Fortran Hsueh, General Manager of Asia, and Steve Aubuchon, Thermal Analysis Product Line Manager. During the interview, the two parties conducted in-depth communication and discussion on issues such as the development history, technical advantages, new product positioning, and future planning of TA Instruments.

In the independent operation of Waters, the three major products occupy nearly 40% of the global market Instrument: Please tell us about the current cooperation model between TA Instruments and Waters.

Mr. Terry Kelly: TA Instruments of the United States was acquired by Waters Corporation in 1996 and became an independent subsidiary of the company.

In the market, Waters's business is spread all over the world, which makes it easier and faster for US TA companies to expand their business in many market areas, greatly reducing the entry costs and time for new industries and new markets. In terms of products, there is no direct cooperation between the United States TA companies and Waters products, but on the technical level, we share some of them, such as the proliferation of new DISCOVERY DSC products we introduced today. (Diffusion Bonding) technology.

Instrument: Please talk about your company's core products and current sales in the global market?

Mr. Terry Kelly: After completing the acquisition of Rheometric Scientific, CSC, VTI and other companies, the three major product lines of thermal analysis, rheometer, and micro-heating of TA Instruments of the United States have been greatly improved and expanded. At present, the United States TA Instruments The company has 14 kinds of thermal analysis products and 5 kinds of rheometer products and 6 types of micro-thermal products. All of the products are produced in the company's New Castle and Crawley, UK production bases.

In the thermal analysis, rheological and micro-thermal products market, the United States TA Instruments Inc. accounts for about 40% of the market share; at present, the Chinese market has become the second largest market for TA Instruments in the United States, second only to the United States, its status Very eye-catching. In addition, from an industry perspective, more than 90% of well-known companies in industrial, pharmaceutical, aerospace, automotive, and scientific research institutions are customers of TA Instruments, and our customers are also in the electronics, paint, and coatings industries. Can account for 71%.

Instrument: Compared with other similar products, where are the advantages of your company's product technology and after-sales service?

Mr. Terry Kelly: TA Instruments Corporation of the United States attaches great importance to the overall improvement of product performance and customer satisfaction. Among the company's 500 employees, 50% of the company's direct service personnel and 13% of R&D personnel are in 18 countries. Established direct offices in the region. Compared with other companies, this ratio is quite high.

Particularly critical is that we have mastered many leading patented technologies and have made important breakthroughs in product design principles, applicable environments, user interfaces, and maintenance. For example, Q series DSC products with Tzero® technology, Q series thermogravimetric analyzers, AR series rheometers, and the latest "DISCOVERY DSC" products with diffusion fusion technology are available.

At the same time, the United States TA Instruments has also obtained the ISO 9002 quality system certification; our company has established direct offices in 18 countries and regions in the world to ensure that customers receive orders within 24 hours.

In addition, after-sales personnel of TA Instruments in the United States can provide customers with very professional and high-quality services. Our training and application support teams have been evaluated by third-party assessment agencies as the best after-sales service team for many years. At the end of 2009, TA Instruments of the United States held a random sampling survey for 2,500 users worldwide. The survey results show that users have highly evaluated the products and after-sales service of American TA Instruments.

"DISCOVERY DSC" is applicable to three major customer groups, with up to 25% of future customers

Instrument: What is your company's market positioning and market expectations for the "DISCOVERY DSC" new product?

Mr. Terry Kelly: Our company's customer groups are mainly divided into three types: (1) Multinational corporations investing in production in China, multinational corporations in Germany, the United States, and other countries are our major clients; (2) research institutes, which In the United States TA Instruments's business also accounted for a considerable share; (3) China's domestic production companies, which is also a rising hot market. The United States TA Instruments Corporation established a direct subsidiary in China in 2004, and the company’s scale will double every three years.

The performance and price of the "DISCOVERY DSC" new product have been greatly improved. From the market point of view, for the three different types of customer groups of TA Instruments, the product will be fully applicable. Personally, I think that customers who purchase “DISCOVERY DSC” products will account for 25% in the future.

Mr. Fortran Hsueh: "DISCOVERY DSC" products can not be simply referred to as alternative products or so-called higher-order models released by TA Instruments. It is more like a "niche" product. For some high-end enterprises, they need the most reliable and accurate data results to verify their products or scientific research; professors and scholars in scientific research universities need to use first-class equipment to create first-rate results, and their precision and accuracy requirements are different from the general DSC. .

Instrument: What breakthroughs have been made in the new DISCOVERY DSC technology? Will it affect the sales of your company's Q series products?

Mr. Steve Aubuchon: A good baseline can be called a good thermal analysis product; “DISCOVERY DSC” is a metal diffusion fusion technology widely used in space science and technology, which makes the baseline excellent linearity, accuracy and repeatability. All important indicators have been increased by an order of magnitude. In addition, the completely innovative TRIOS software adds more powerful experimental control and data management functions. The huge touch screen makes the instrument more intelligent and can provide customers with a brand-new experience.

All along, our company's Q series products can provide customers with very accurate data results, but at the same time, we also realize that Q series products still have a lot of room for technological development. In this regard, the United States TA Instruments Corporation has 28 constantly Inventing new technologies and developing new instrument research and development projects. The Q series differential scanning calorimeters and "DISCOVERY DSC" new products have all complied with our company's high quality requirements, but both have different performance and prices. Therefore, the introduction of "DISCOVERY DSC" will not affect Sales of Q series products.

The thermal analysis market has broad prospects for development. We expect to occupy more markets in 2011!

Instrument: How do you think about the future development direction of thermal analysis technology and the market?

Mr. Terry Kelly: The development of thermal analysis technology is very fast. Just like computers, high-configured computers may become low-end products after 3 years. Of course, the update time of thermal analysis will be longer.

For example, the United States TA Instrument Modulated® DSC technology can be called “No1” in the field of thermal analysis in the past, but now Tzero® technology is the leading technology in thermal analysis, and diffusion fusion technology is “highly qualified”. . In terms of joint-use technology, TA Instruments of the United States has also introduced solutions such as infrared, ultraviolet, mass spectrometry, and Raman, and I believe that thermal analysis technology will become more advanced and the United States TA Instruments will also launch. More thermal analysis "tools."

At the same time, I am very optimistic about the prospects of the thermal analysis market for two reasons. First, from the perspective of users, in the past five years, the proportion of new users of TA Instruments has increased by more than 40% every year, which means more and more The people concerned about thermal analysis technologies and products; Second, our company's survey results show that 45% of users' experimental needs will increase, and the increase in user demand for experiments will naturally drive the sales of thermal analysis products.

Instrument: How does your company view the future of the Chinese market compared to other markets such as the United States and Europe? What are the "market expectations" in 2011?

Mr. Terry Kelly: In 2004, the United States TA Instruments China Branch was officially established. After 6 years, the Chinese market has surpassed markets such as Japan and Germany, becoming the second largest market for TA Instruments in the United States, second only to the United States.

In 2010, TA Instruments of the United States made great achievements. Its global sales growth was more than 20%. In particular, it was noted that business growth in the Chinese market was three times that of the head office. With the release of "DISCOVERY DSC" new products, I believe that in the United States, TA Instruments will continue to maintain growth and occupy more thermal analysis markets.

postscript:

With the development of science and technology and the improvement of standardization requirements, thermal analysis will become a universal detection method. Experts in the industry commented that at present, progress in thermal analysis technology that merits attention is mainly concentrated on two aspects, one of which is the expansion and improvement of the function, and the other is the development of software. The development power of thermal analysis technology and instrumentation comes from self-transcendence and “innovation” by major thermal analysis instrument companies at home and abroad, which can enhance the market competitiveness of thermal analysis products.

The new "DISCOVERY DSC" product launched by TA Instruments in the United States redefines performance, quality and practicality. It has important breakthroughs in design principles, user interface, maintenance, etc. It is believed that the product will be able to be put into the market. Open up more new and unknown areas to meet customers' ever-increasing material testing requirements, and have achieved remarkable sales “records” in the global and Chinese thermal analysis instrument markets.