A device that changed the world of pathology
Agilent Technologies is a global leader in the fields of life sciences, diagnostics and applied chemistry.
Every cancer diagnosis begins with a microscope slide. Before a pathologist can examine a tissue sample under a microscope, it must be stained, covered and dried – a process that takes place millions of times a day in laboratories worldwide. Agilent’s Dako CoverStainer fully automates this very process, ensuring that pathologists worldwide can rely on consistent, reproducible results.
When Agilent – then still operating under the name Dako – was looking for a manufacturing partner for the newly developed CoverStainer, the requirement was clear: it should not be just a subcontractor, but a partner who would take responsibility and lead the project. In-house production was out of the question, as Agilent wanted to focus on its core competence. What they needed was trust in the form of expertise.
From supplier to trusted partner
Initially, product support was still entirely the responsibility of Agilent and BIT was kept informed of developments, fault-finding and changes. But over time, trust grew, and with it, responsibility: today, BIT handles sustain engineering entirely.
And that trust goes even further: BIT now communicates directly with regulatory authorities alongside Agilent – a step that companies normally guard like the apple of their eye. When service engineers around the world reach their limits, they turn directly to BIT. Not because they have to, but because they know: here, I’ll get quick and reliable help.
Our services at a glance:
- Design for Manufacturing
- Final Assembly and Integration
- Lifecycle-Support
- Sustaining Engineering
- Project Management
What grows together, stays
For project manager Robert Potzner, the CoverStainer was his first major project after joining BIT, and he continues to oversee it to this day. He has put his heart and soul into this project. What has characterised this partnership from the very beginning is a mutual openness which, over the years, has fostered a standard of quality that is reflected in every single device. When Agilent visits today, they want to speak to the workers who have been building the device for years, because the wealth of experience that has grown at BIT cannot be found anywhere else.
One moment that has stayed with Robert Potzner to this day is when the thousandth device rolled off the production line. They had started out producing 60 to 70 units a year. A thousand devices in the workshop – nobody had thought that possible. A quiet testament to what can be achieved when two partners truly work together over many years.
“We feel our strong and constructive relationship is based on mutual trust, open collaboration, and shared long‑term objectives as we highly value the goodwill that has developed between our companies. This relationship, and the way we work together, plays an important role in our decision-making and reinforces our commitment to have a supportive partnership with you.”