Axel Semrau GmbH & Co. KG

Company Overview and Core Business

Axel Semrau GmbH & Co. KG is an innovative German company, headquartered in Sprockhövel, that specializes in the development, integration, and distribution of high-quality analytical systems, with a particular focus on laboratory automation, chromatography, and mass spectrometry. The company was established in 1981 and has built a long-standing reputation as an expert in chromatography and gas analysis, primarily serving the European market. Since 2021, Axel Semrau has been a part of Trajan Scientific and Medical, which has further expanded its global infrastructure and synergistic application expertise.

The core business of Axel Semrau is centered on delivering complete, application-optimized workstations and automated solutions for complex analytical tasks in the laboratory. The company functions as a system integrator and sales specialist, distributing high-quality analytical instruments from various manufacturers, such as Agilent, Shimadzu, and Bruker, while also developing its own proprietary hardware and, crucially, software. Its primary goal is to enhance laboratory efficiency, improve accuracy, and reduce operational times for scientists by automating sample preparation and streamlining analytical workflows. The company is ISO 9001 certified, demonstrating a commitment to quality in its customer service and solutions.

Products and Services

Axel Semrau's offerings are structured around three main pillars: Automation and Sample Preparation, Analysis Techniques, and specialized Gas and Natural Gas Analysis.

1. Automation and Sample Preparation

A significant part of the company???s portfolio is its CHRONECT line of automation solutions. These products focus on automating the often-complex and labor-intensive steps of sample preparation and linking them seamlessly to the analytical system.

Key CHRONECT Automation Solutions:

• CHRONOS Intelligent Sequencing Software: This is the flagship software platform developed by Axel Semrau. It is an intelligent sequencing software that serves as the foundation for their automated workflows, organizing parallel processes for sample preparation to maximize the utilization of the analysis system. CHRONOS is designed to streamline processes, data handling, and ensure the time margins of each individual sample preparation are observed, significantly improving laboratory productivity.
• CHRONECT Robotic Workstations: These are automated workstations built for efficient and error-free sample preparation. They serve as a flexible platform for various applications.
• CHRONECT Workstation Multiplexing: Designed to improve the utilization of LC-MS (Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) systems through efficient, parallel sample handling.
• CHRONECT Workstation Proteomics: An automated solution specifically for sample preparation in the proteomics laboratory, aiming to optimize throughput and eliminate manual handling errors.
• CHRONECT DBS (Dried Blood Spot Sampling): An automated procedure for the quick and reliable analysis of dried blood samples, a revolution in clinical and pharmaceutical sample processing.
• CHRONECT Workstation MultiMix: A fully automated system for the precise production of standards and complex mixtures, which is a common and high-workload task in areas like pesticide analysis.
• CHRONECT XPR: Integrates precise dispensing and weighing technology into an automated workflow.
• Components and Modules: The company also offers a variety of tools and modules for the CHRONECT Robotic systems, as well as accessories and software for broader sample preparation tasks like Solid Phase Extraction (SPE).

2. Analysis Techniques and Systems

Axel Semrau distributes and integrates a wide array of advanced analytical instruments and coupling systems, often providing customized, turnkey solutions.

Primary Analytical Techniques and Equipment:

• Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry: They provide complete systems for GC (Gas Chromatography), GC/MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry), LC (Liquid Chromatography), and LC/MS (Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry).
• LC-GC Couplings: Axel Semrau is noted as a world leader in coupling systems such as LC-GC, which are crucial for applications like the routine-capable determination of mineral oil contaminations (MOSH/MOAH) in food and packaging.
• Sample Introduction/Front-end Technologies: This includes Autosamplers, Purge & Trap, Pyrolysis, Thermodesorption, Headspace, Online-SPE (Solid Phase Extraction), and SPME (Solid Phase Microextraction).
• Purification and Preparative HPLC: They offer solutions for purification and preparative High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), including the distribution of Teledyne ISCO products (e.g., EZ Prep and ACCQPrep) for preparative chromatography and flash chromatography, particularly for customers in Germany and Austria.
• HDX-PAL (Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange): Automated solutions for reproducible performance of hydrogen-deuterium exchange experiments on proteins.

3. Gas and Natural Gas Analysis (ODOR Division)

Axel Semrau has a dedicated ODOR division that focuses on the gas industry, particularly energy suppliers. This niche market focuses on safety and quality control in gas distribution.

Key ODOR Products and Services:

• Odorization Control: Development and production of specialized odorization control devices for gas supply companies worldwide to monitor and regulate the addition of odorants (like organic sulfur compounds) to natural gas for safety.
• Determination of Sulphur/H2S: Equipment and services for the analysis of sulfur content, including hydrogen sulfide (H2S), in gas.
• Gas Generators: Providing gas and energy supply solutions for laboratory equipment.

Application Areas

The solutions provided by Axel Semrau are critical for quality control, research, and routine analysis across a variety of demanding industries, fitting squarely within the biotech and life sciences sector, as well as adjacent markets.

• Biotechnology & Life Sciences: Solutions for purification, preparative HPLC, X-omics (complex sample preparation for multi-omics analysis), proteomics, drug discovery (lead and target discovery), and automated sample processing for clinical and pharmaceutical segments.
• Food, Beverage, and Packaging: Analysis of contaminants (e.g., MOSH/MOAH), quality and authenticity checks, and pesticide analysis.
• Environmental and Water Analysis: Solutions for water and environmental testing, including solid-phase extraction and specialized LC-MS methods.
• Forensics and Anti-Doping Science: Providing robust and reliable analytical solutions for chemical composition analysis.
• Materials Research and Product Control: Precision and high-pressure pumps for geological research and analysis systems for process control and polymer analysis.
• Cannabis Testing: Analytical systems designed for quality and safety checks in the burgeoning cannabis industry.
• Chemical Synthesis: Support for special solutions in chemical synthesis alongside their core chromatography and mass spectrometry expertise.