Type Subsidiary Founder James Whatman | Headquarters Maidstone, United Kingdom | |
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Key people Kieran Murphy
(CEO & Executive GE Healthcare Life Sciences) Website www.gelifesciences.com/whatman Founded 23 June 1959, Maidstone, United Kingdom Parent organizations GE Healthcare, General Electric | ||
Whatman plc is a GE Healthcare Life Sciences brand specialising in laboratory filtration products and separation technologies.
Contents
Whatman products cover a range of laboratory applications that require filtration, sample collection (cards and kits), blotting, lateral flow components and flow-through assays and other general laboratory accessories.
Formerly Whatman plc, the company was acquired in 2008 by GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric.
Founders Innovation and Impact
Founded in 1740 in Maidstone, Kent, England, Whatman paper was created by papermaker James Whatman the Elder (1702–1759). He made revolutionary advances to the craft in England and is credited as the inventor of wove paper (or Vélin), an innovation used for high quality art and printing. The techniques continued to be developed by his son, James Whatman the Younger (1741–1798). At a time when the craft was based in smaller paper mills, his innovations led to the large scale and widespread industrialisation of paper manufacturing.
Whatman had been approached by John Baskerville, who needed paper that would take a light impression of the printing plate; this was used for the edition of Virgil's poetry, embellished with Baskerville's typography and designs. The earliest examples of wove paper, bearing his watermark, appeared after 1740.
The business is credited with the invention of the wove wire mesh used to mould and align the pulp fibres. This is the principal method used in the mass production of most modern paper. The Whatmans held a part interest in the establishment at Turkey Mill, near Maidstone, after 1740; this was acquired through the elder Whatman's marriage to Ann Harris.
The "handmade" paper bearing the Whatman's mark was still produced for special editions and art books until 2002.
Acquisition
Whatman plc was acquired on 4 February 2008 by GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric, at 270p per share in cash for each Whatman share, valuing Whatman at approximately £363 million (approximately $713 million.) Last production at Maidstone (Springfield Mill) was on 17 June 2014.
Key products and technologies
The Whatman product range covers