Anton Paar

Anton Paar GmbH is an Austrian company based in Graz that develops, produces and sells analytical instruments for laboratories and process analytical technology. It also provides automation and robotics solutions. The company specializes in the production of instruments for measuring density, concentration, dissolved carbon dioxide, and in the fields of rheometry and material characterization. Many of Anton Paar's customers are beer and soft drink manufacturers as well as companies in the food, chemicals, and pharmaceutical industries.
History.
The company was founded in 1922 by master locksmith Anton Paar as a one-man repair workshop. He developed a good reputation and made initial contacts with universities and research institutions. He trained his daughter, Margareta Platzer, in the 1920s to become a skilled locksmith. In 1932, she became the first master locksmith in Styria. Her talent in precision mechanics and precision engineering, together with the knowledge of Otto Kratky, formed the basis of Anton Paar's first scientific analytical instrument: the Kratky X-ray small-angle camera.
From 1963 Ulrich Santner (* 27. August 1932, † 13. February 2020), the son-in-law of Margareta Platzer, took over the management. He laid the foundation for the company's future expansion in the field of metrology. He also intensified exchanges and contacts with universities and contributed to the transfer of new technologies from research to industry.
In 1997, his son-in-law Friedrich Santner joined the management. Since 2002 he is the sole managing director. The focus of his work was the organization of worldwide sales through his own subsidiaries. Under his leadership, new sales and service branches were founded and complementary metrology companies purchased.
In 2003, the family business was incorporated into a charitable foundation.
On February 12, 2018, Anton Paar acquired Quantachrome Instruments, a manufacturer of scientific instruments that specializes in the analysis of surface area, porosity, and density measurement.
In 2020, Friedrich Santner's sons became part of the management. Jakob Santner took over the position as CTO and Dominik Santner as COO, Friedrich Santner remains CEO.