News
Updated February 17, 2012
Restek Celebrates 3 Years of Employee Ownership
On December 31, 2008, Restek Corporation announced the purchase of all outstanding corporate shares, officially becoming 100% employee owned under an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) structure. The transition to 100% employee ownership was made to ensure both our long-term stability and the continuation of our unique customer-centric culture. In the years since, Restek employee-owners have continued to introduce innovative new products—such as Alumina BOND/MAPD PLOT columns, the USLC™ method development toolbox, and Sky™ Inlet Liners—while increasing our technical expertise and taking every opportunity to live up to our reputation as the company chromatographers can rely on.
The prestigious General Social Survey (GSS) recently reported results that mirror Restek’s own beliefs and experience. The 2010 GSS showed that employees in the U.S. who had employee stock ownership were four times less likely to be laid off during the Great Recession than employees who did not. The survey also stated that only 13% of the employees with employee stock ownership intended to leave their companies in the coming months, compared with a rate of 24% for those lacking employee ownership. Restek truly values its employee-owners and has remained committed to employee retention and professional growth during the ongoing economic turmoil. In return, our talented employee-owners have largely chosen to remain here—just when our customers need us most!
Because Restek employees own the company, each one is truly a partner to our customers. We understand the importance of delivering high-quality products on a schedule that meets customers’ needs because they, in turn, want accurate, timely, problem-free analyses. Meeting and exceeding expectations for quality and on-time delivery provide a decided advantage for our customers. Superior technical support and sincere interest in new ideas further distinguish Restek employee-owners from those at traditional companies.
Restek remains an independent company. We take pride in supporting many instrument manufacturers and chromatography platforms, and we can do so because we are not tied to any single source. Our employees are empowered to make decisions based on sound technical theory and practice, and we strive to offer not only the most helpful, but also the most universal technologies, products, and customer solutions. Our recent success in achieving ISO Guide 34 and 17025 accreditations is one more way for Restek’s employee-owners to showcase our excellent quality and performance.
When he began the company in 1985, Restek founder Paul Silvis envisioned a company that would strive to provide the highest quality, most innovative products throughout the world and would be surpassed by no one in providing Plus 1 service to customers. It was this philosophy that led to 100% employee ownership and Restek’s success. After all, when 300 people are invested in a company’s future as only owners can be, they will always push themselves toward new levels of innovation and customer satisfaction.
The New USLC™ Toolbox Gives You All the Right Tools—All in One Box
Restek’s USLC™ column set represents the widest range of reversed phase selectivity available with just 4 stationary phases: Aqueous C18, IBD, Biphenyl, and PFP Propyl. It simplifies column choice for fast, effective method development—and new USLC™ toolboxes make things even easier!
A USLC™ method development toolbox contains all 4 USLC™ stationary phases in 1 convenient package. Available for UHPLC
To learn more about USLC™ technology and order your lab a method development toolbox, call 814-353-1300, ext. 3, or visit www.restek.com/uslc today.
Restek USLC™ Columns: Choose Columns Fast. Develop Methods Faster.
Restek’s Innovations Group Expands With 2 New Hires
Restek is proud to announce two additions to our Innovations Group: Chris Rattray and Jason Herrington.
Chris has a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of California, Riverside, and substantial experience with GC, GC-MS, sample preparation, standards formulation, and instrument calibration. His years performing organic EPA analysis include extensive work with methods 8270, 8260, 8141, and 8081. Over the course of his tenure at Microbac Laboratories, he was an organic analyst, organic supervisor, and technical director of the lab. After coming on as Restek’s Environmental Innovations Chemist, Chris hit the ground running and is currently working on the optimization of existing environmental methods. You can find his latest work at ChromaBLOGraphy (blog.restek.com).
Prior to joining Restek, Jason had spent over 10 years in environmental analysis, most notably as a post-doctoral research fellow with the EPA, where he focused on developing techniques for organic speciation of ambient gas-phase air toxics. Jason has a B.S. & Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from Rutgers and The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey respectively. His dissertation examining carbonyl measurement methods in air garnered him several prestigious awards, and his wide-ranging work has been both published and presented around the world. As Restek’s Air Innovations Chemist, Jason will be heavily involved with developing both new products and new ambient air applications.
This expansion of our Innovations Group will help us stay on the cutting edge of chromatography and continue to bring you the top-quality products and applications you expect from Restek. If you have any questions for Chris or Jason, they can be reached at chris.rattray@restek.com and jason.herrington@restek.com
Maxxam Analytics High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Group Receives Kaizen Award
Maxxam Analytics recently presented a Kaizen award for productivity improvement to their High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Department at the Mississauga laboratory in Ontario. This award was presented in recognition of process improvements that the group made using an Rtx®-Dioxin2 column for multiple methods, which resulted in increased instrument capacity.
The Mississauga lab gets many requests for analyzing drinking water samples for 2,3,7,8-TCDD only using EPA Method 1613. They had been analyzing these short list samples on the same instrument used for full list PCDD/PCDF and PCB congeners; however, this limited the number of the longer list analyses that could be performed on that instrument. Maxxam also confirms the presence of 2,3,7,8-TCDF using a different column installed on another instrument. Since the Rtx®-Dioxin2 column provides isomer specificity for both 2,3,7,8-TCDD and 2,3,7,8-TCDF and has much greater temperature stability than cyano columns, chemists in the High Resolution Mass Spectrometry group explored using it for both the TCDD-only samples and the 2,3,7,8-TCDF confirmations.
By moving to an Rtx®-Dioxin2 column (60 m x 0.25 mm x 0.25 µm, cat.# 10758) they were able to optimize the EPA 1613 drinking water TCDD-only analysis and reduce the run time from 50 minutes to 30 minutes, saving 20 minutes per analysis! EPA Method 1613 requires a minimum run time of 25 minutes to meet method specifications for the recovery standard, so this was pretty ideal. While the analysis time for the TCDF confirmation analysis was not significantly reduced, run cycle time was decreased by taking advantage of the column’s 340 °C thermal stability. This resulted in lower estimated detection limits and less column bleed compared to the columns that the lab had previously used. In addition, the higher maximum programmable temperature also reduced the potential for carryover contamination between samples.
Since the lab was able to run both the TCDD-only and TCDF confirmation analyses on the Rtx®-Dioxin2 column, they were able to use the same instrument for both analyses which allowed more full-list dioxin and PCB samples to be analyzed on the other instrument. According to Owen Cosby of Maxxam Analytics, “Using the Rtx®-Dioxin2 column allowed us to combine EPA 1613 TCDD-only and TCDF confirmation analyses onto one column and one instrument. This resulted in multiple benefits—we shortened run times, reduced instrument downtime and column changes, and increased instrument capacity for our full list samples.”
The increased productivity and profitability realized by switching to the Rtx®-Dioxin2 column have benefited the entire company and are the basis for Maxxam Analytics’ recognition of the Mississauga lab High Resolution Mass Spectrometry group with a Kaizen award.
From Maxxam
Maxxam is the market leader in analytical services and solutions to the energy, environmental, food and DNA industries. We provide unparalleled depth of technical and scientific expertise and serve customers through the only national network of laboratories. Maxxam skillfully combines efficiency and customer service with rigorous science and uncompromising quality management.
New GC Columns and Standards for Blood Alcohol Testing
Restek announces the release of new Rtx®-BAC Plus 1 and Rtx®-BAC Plus 2 columns for blood alcohol testing. These GC columns baseline separate all critical compounds, including ethanol, methanol, acetone, tert-butanol (IS), acetaldehyde, isopropanol, and 1-propanol (IS), in less than 2 minutes. Every column is quality tested with these important target compounds in order to ensure performance. Optimized column selectivities guarantee resolution of ethanol, internal standards, and frequently encountered interferences.
In addition to the GC columns, new BAC resolution control standards with either tert-butanol or 1-propanol internal standard are now available. These check standards are used to verify the retention time for each compound normally included in a blood alcohol test. They also are used to confirm that the analytes are well resolved from each other and do not interfere with one another.
New Rtx®-BAC Plus 1 and Rtx®-BAC Plus 2 columns and BAC resolution control standards are designed to provide definitive results quickly, allowing increased sample throughput for blood alcohol testing. More information on clinical and forensic applications is available at: http://www.restek.com/forensics
Restek Adds ISO Guide 34 and 17025 Accreditations—Now Offers a Full Line of Certified Reference Materials
- Satisfy regulatory requirements by sourcing certified reference materials (CRMs) from an accredited supplier.
- Benefit from the exceptional product quality and customer service needed to meet strict ISO 9001, Guide 34, and 17025 guidelines.
- Get the same reliability and documentation with custom-formulated solutions as you do with stock standards—both fall under Restek’s accreditation.
- Consolidate orders by purchasing primary- and secondary-source reference standards, GC and LC columns, sample prep supplies, and accessories from one vendor.
Effective 9 December 2011, Restek’s reference standard manufacturing and QC testing laboratories in Bellefonte, PA, have added ISO Guide 34 and 17025 accreditations to their credentials. Issued by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA), these accreditations—as well as the company’s ISO 9001 registration, which has been maintained since 1994—serve as recognition that Restek and its labs meet the world-class quality standards established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Many laboratories are required to purchase certified reference materials (CRMs), which are only manufactured and QC tested at ISO-accredited labs like Restek’s. But, even those who do not operate under such restrictions will still benefit from the quality, reliability, and consistency of CRMs. Accredited labs must also have rigorous corrective action and customer satisfaction systems in place, so when you order reference standards from Restek, you can trust that you will receive superior quality and service.
In addition to a full line of options that are in stock and ready to ship, Restek’s custom reference standards are also covered by its ISO Guide 34 and 17025 accreditations. Whether you need something right out of the catalog or a custom-formulated solution, Restek can satisfy all of your primary- and secondary-source certified reference material needs—along with GC and LC columns, sample prep supplies, and accessories. And, you can access documentation for all Restek reference standards online for instant access any time.
To learn more about Restek’s ISO quality credentials and to view the certificates (including scopes of accreditation), please click here or call Restek Corporation at 814-353-1300, ext. 3.
Restek Expands PLOT Column Line with New Alumina BOND/MAPD Columns
PLOT columns from Restek have set a new standard with better bonding and greater efficiency than similar columns from other vendors. The superior stabilization and deactivation technologies that are the foundation of our PLOT column line have now been used to develop
For more information on PLOT column technology and applications, visit www.restek.com/petro.
Restek Announces New Head Coach
The Board of Directors of Restek Corporation has announced a change in the senior leadership of the company. Bryan Wolcott, Restek’s current CFO of 11 years, will be taking the role of Head Coach and President. Bryan joined Restek in 1997 as Manufacturing Manager, and moved into the CFO role in 1999. He has served on Restek’s leadership team for 10 years and was instrumental in Restek’s recent ESOP transaction and the acquisition of Glastron earlier this year.
Bryan has an excellent record for tackling complex issues, and he has a passion for fostering innovation by developing structures that support synergistic relationships among corporate units. In taking on this new role he says, “The challenge in front of me is to align the company’s talent around our growth objectives in international business and new product development, while ensuring that Restek remains a truly great place to work. Because we are employee-owned, we have a unique opportunity to improve our systems and structure for the long-term benefit of both the company and employees, while maintaining a creative and celebratory work style!”
Prior to joining Restek, Bryan worked in the oil and gas industry for 16 years, first as a petroleum engineer and later transitioning to financial operations when he became interested in how corporate structures and investments could benefit employees and shareholders alike. Bryan is currently the president of the PA/DE chapter of the ESOP Association, president of the Penn Eagle Industrial Park Owners Association, and has previously served on many other industry and community boards.
Restek Honored by Laboratory Equipment Magazine
New PLOT columns from Restek were recently selected as a winner of Laboratory Equipment's Reader's Choice Award. These columns feature an innovative bonding process that significantly reduces particle release and column blockage, resulting in highly stable flows and retention times. This new stabilization technology can increase the accuracy of impurities analysis and is especially beneficial to flow switching applications. Winners were selected by practicing scientists and engineers based on column value and performance in research labs.
For more information on PLOT column technology and applications, visit www.restek.com/petro.
Restek Corporation Purchases Glastron, Inc.
Restek Corporation (Bellefonte, PA) announced today their acquisition of Glastron Inc., a 40 year old, New Jersey
based manufacturer of specialized glassware and electronic components, and an expert assembler of analytical and
testing equipment. “This is an exciting time for both our companies,” said Al Kille, cofounder of Glastron.
“Restek has been a key customer for over two decades. This new relationship allows Glastron to continue our focus
on specialty glassware and pursue a new vision for the future of our employees.”
Restek will maintain Glastron’s manufacturing site and employee base in Vineland, NJ. “Our goal is for Glastron to remain an independent subsidiary with its own strategies, relationships, and customer base. We think that there are opportunities to use Restek’s innovative approach to product development and customer focus to expand Glastron’s reach into their markets,” said Don McCandless, Head Coach of Restek.
Restek Products Honored by Laboratory Equipment Magazine
Two Restek product lines were recently honored by Laboratory Equipment magazine. QuEChERS SPE tubes were selected
as a winner and Biphenyl HPLC columns were named as a finalist in the magazine’s 2009 Reader’s Choice Awards
competition. Winners were selected by practicing scientists and engineers based on the value and performance of
the products in research labs. For more information on the advantages of QuEChERS SPE tubes visit
www.restek.com/quechers and to learn how Biphenyl columns can improve
your separations visit www.restek.com/biphenyl.
Restek Opens Branch Office in Japan
Restek is pleased to announce the opening of a new branch office in Japan. Restek Japan is an integral part of Restek’s growth in Asia and will strengthen Restek’s position as a premier supplier of LC and GC chromatography columns and accessories, analytical reference standards, and sample preparation products in Japan.
Located in the Shimbashi district of Tokyo, Restek Japan will provide support to existing distribution channels and allow Restek to offer chromatography products more efficiently to Japanese customers. Ryosei Kanaguchi has been appointed as the Managing Director of Restek Japan, bringing over 30 years of marketing and sales experience to the position. Restek recognizes the contributions and importance of the Japanese market and is pleased to make Restek chromatography products more easily available to customers in Japan.
For more information, please contact Christine Vargo in the US at 814-353-1300, ext. 2123, or Ryosei Kanaguchi at +81 903 332 6898 in Japan.
New Petrochemical Manager at Restek
Jan Pijpelink has joined Restek Corporation in the role of Petrochemical Market Development Manager. In this new role, Jan is responsible for developing and executing a global strategy expanding Restek’s chromatography business in the petrochemical industry. Jan is a 28-year veteran of petroleum analysis and comes to Restek most recently from Joint Analytical Systems, a Germany-based provider of applicated GC solutions for the petrochemical industry. Jan has extensive international experience in North America, Europe, and Asia in petrochemical laboratory and process applications and will be leading Restek’s expansion into these petrochemical markets.