McCrone to distribute JEOL NeoScope

McCrone Microscopes & Accessories is now a licensed distributor of the JEOL NeoScope, a benchtop scanning electron microscope (SEM). McCrone Microscopes & Accessories is the instrument sales division of The McCrone Group.

The JEOL NeoScope is a compact, automated SEM designed for analysis of biological and material samples. Unlike other SEMs, commonly used settings are automated with the NeoScope, making the instrument simple to use without sacrificing image resolution. The microscope can be used to supplement optical microscopic analysis for a wide variety of applications, including pharmaceutical, geological and forensics studies. he high resolution, large depth of field and automated settings (focus, brightness and contrast) make the unit easy-to-use and accessible to those in classroom settings or research laboratories, as well as novice or advanced SEM users. In addition, no special sample preparation is needed for conductive and non-conductive samples, further simplifying the process for the user.

On-site training, service contracts and a full line of SEM accessories for the NeoScope are available through McCrone Microscopes & Accessories.

More information at http://www.mccronemicroscopes.com.

Olympus names distributor for industrial microscopes

Olympus America Inc. has named Leeds Precision Instruments, Inc., as the distributor for Olympus Industrial Microscope products in an expanded region to include Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and eastern Idaho. The company will continue to represent Olympus in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Texas.

According to Olympus, Leeds provides excellent service its customers in the biological and industrial instrument arenas and its custom design capability, systems integration and commitment to service and training make it a respected resource for industrial users and a valued partner to Olympus.

Vision Source to exclusively sell and support Lumenera cameras in UK & Ireland

Vision Source has received an exclusive appointment by the Lumenera Corporation to sell and support its range of digital camera systems. The partnership will help raise Lumenera’s profile in the growing markets in the UK and Ireland, according to the company. Vision Source will carry INFINITY cameras and can demonstrate them to potential users directly from their factory in Somerset or through their region dealer network. More information at www.visionsource.co.uk.

Olympus buys microscope distributor business

I have observed some microscope companies moving slowly away from using regional distributors to sell their products, opting instead to work directly with their customers. In line with that trend, Olympus America Inc. today announced an agreement with Optical Analysis Corp. -- a company based in Nashua, NH that distributes and resells scientific instrumentation and systems. As of April 1, Olympus will have acquired the company's microscope, imaging and image analysis business. This means that Olympus will begin selling microscopes directly in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Indiana and parts of Illinois and Michigan, and it will work directly with current Optical Analysis customers. Olympus uses direct and dealer sales, depending on the region.

While I know many distributors have great relationships with their customers and with microscope companies, if I were going to spend significant money on a microscope system I would want to work directly with the manufacturer. The complexity of today's microscopes, software, and accessories makes it difficult for anyone to know it all. This complexity added to tight budgets mean that customers want to be fully informed. They want to be sure they are getting the very best setup for their needs and for their money. A microscope company can have employees that specialize in certain types of microscopes or in specific methods, whereas, distributors may not have the number of employees needed to develop this type of expertise. Plus, the microscope manufacturer can make the decision of when a customer's interest warrants a visit from a more advanced expert - whether it is a matter of money or an innovative application.

What are your experiences with distributors vs. working directly with a microscope company?

News Source: Olympus Press Release