Watrex Prague Celebrates 35 Years! From the First Peaks to Modern Laboratory Automation

On August 27, 1990, a small engineering company was born—its history inseparably linked with the development of analytical instrumentation in the field of analytical chemistry, and especially liquid chromatography, in the Czech Republic. Its founder, Dr. Milan Minárik, combined scientific passion with entrepreneurial spirit and transformed a family business into a renowned company, Watrex Praha, which today operates in the laboratory instrumentation market in chemistry, biotechnology, and molecular biology. Over the years, the company grew from a small distributor of HPLC columns, instruments, and consumables into a manufacturer of its own sophisticated devices, while remaining firmly rooted in the tradition of instrumental quality and scientific excellence. On this day, exactly 35 years later, we look back at the exceptional journey the company has taken.

The Courage to Begin

Milan Minárik, one of the fathers of liquid chromatography in former Czechoslovakia, was born on February 18, 1942, in Zvolen, Slovakia. After graduating from the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague, he worked from 1964 as a specialist at Spolana Neratovice and later at the Research Institute for Industrial Water Treatment in Prague, where his main focus was gel filtration. In 1966, he joined the newly established Institute of Theoretical Fundamentals of Chemical Technology of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences (ÚTZCHT ČSAV) in Prague-Suchdol, where he built a cutting-edge HPLC laboratory and worked for the next 25 years.

In the 1970s, he published his first works in the field of liquid chromatography instrumentation and obtained several patents.

Watrex: Fig. 2: Milan Minárik at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, ca. 1966.

From 1983–1984, he worked at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf in the group of Professor Günter Wulff, the inventor of molecular imprinting. From this period came his greatest scientific achievements, especially in the development of chiral chromatographic phases, including his most-cited publications. He also co-authored the chapter “Tailor-Made Sorbents” in the monograph Chromatographic Chiral Separations from the historic Chromatographic Science Series, co-created by luminaries such as J. Calvin Giddings, Lloyd R. Snyder, Csaba Horváth, and William S. Hancock. He also obtained international patents for unique gel-permeation chromatography sorbents, later licensed to Macherey-Nagel.

Watrex: Fig. 3: Milan Minárik (second from left) with Prof. Wulff (first from left) and colleagues during his stay in Düsseldorf, 1983.

With the gradual loosening of the repressive regime in the late 1980s, he became a specialist consultant for Waters and Hewlett-Packard analytical instruments for Eastern Europe. After the fall of the communist regime in 1989, he left academia and on August 27, 1990, founded the company “Ing. Milan Minárik CSc – Watrex Praha,” the first private Czech entity in the field of analytical chemistry.

One of the first employees and long-term collaborators, RNDr. Roman Kysilka, CSc., stayed with Watrex until 2006 and returned in 2018.

“In the early 1990s, research projects at MBÚ were being reorganized, several colleagues with whom I collaborated left the institute, and around the same time, I received a job offer from Milan Minárik, who had just founded Watrex. I had known Milan for a few years, and the idea of working as an application specialist in his private company excited me. It was a time when the private sector in Czechoslovakia was rapidly emerging, and I wanted to be part of it.

My last 35 years of professional life have been connected to Watrex. I fondly remember the first half of the 1990s, when, in addition to distributing chromatographic instruments, we were among the first in Prague to build and sell personal computers under the DeltaChrom™ brand. We were also among the first distributors of dial-up internet access (VideoOnLine, later known as Volný).

I am glad I was at Watrex when, at the end of the 1990s, the period of developing and manufacturing our own instruments began (among the first was the highly successful Caddy™ project).” — Dr. Kysilka

In its early years, Watrex Praha became the official representative of Waters (then a division of Millipore) and later also represented Hewlett-Packard and Thermo Separation Products. Around the turn of the millennium, the company increasingly focused on developing, manufacturing, and selling its own instruments.

Watrex Seminars – A Decade of Chromatographic Science Renaissance in Bohemia

Even during its commercial success, Milan Minárik did not forget his scientific roots—Watrex always maintained its own HPLC laboratory, staffed primarily by experts with academic backgrounds, many with postgraduate degrees in natural sciences. A particularly unique achievement was the organization of ten scientific meetings between 1991 and 2001, titled “Prague Chromatographic Seminar.”

Thanks to Dr. Minárik’s personal contacts, the Czech audience had a rare opportunity to meet world-renowned chromatographers such as J.F.K. Huber, Stellan Hjertén, Heinz Engelhardt, Gerhard Schomburg, Wolfgang Lindner, Ernst Kenndler, Christian Huber, and Miloš Novotný (returning from exile). Many leading Czech scientists also participated, including Eva Smolková-Keulemansová, Pavel Jandera, František Tureček, Karel Štulík, Zdeněk Deyl, Dušan Berek, František Švec, Bohuslav Gaš, František Foret, and Martin Gilár.

Watrex as a Family

One of the defining features of Watrex, which remains to this day, is its sense of belonging and almost family-like atmosphere.

Watrex: Fig. 4: Watrex team in 1998.

Among the first employees was Ivan Vinš (now at DataApex), who recalls:

“During my time at Watrex (1994–2003), I was never bored—Milan Minárik was full of ideas, and it wasn’t always easy to make them happen. Those nine years were a school where I learned not only about liquid chromatography instruments (from ConstaMetric, SpectraPhysics, through Agilent to our own OEM pumps), but also about gas chromatographs (GowMac) and capillary electrophoresis (Agilent, Spectra). I worked with software (EzChrom, Chemstation, Chromeleon, and even rarities like PC1000 and Borwin), column packing (from capillaries for electrochromatography to multi-centimeter preparative ones, from ion-exchange to gel chromatography), and performed custom analyses—from MW distribution in dental resins to salt analyses in building materials (including exotic samples from several Czech castles). I visited places most people never see (power plants, breweries, chemical plants, hospitals…). The experience I gained still benefits me today.”

Another key pillar of the company is Ing. Michal Náhunek, Ph.D., who joined Watrex in 1997:

“My memories of Watrex start with my job interview in March 1997, after I responded to an ad in Mladá fronta. Until then, I had worked as a young scientist at the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry. I still remember how Ing. Minárik thoroughly tested my knowledge of chromatography. After I correctly answered a question about the difference between low-pressure and high-pressure gradients, I was accepted on probation—with the condition that I get a better suit and fix my missing front tooth, a reminder of my teenage hockey attempts.

I met both conditions and started on June 1, 1997, at Watrex, then located on Hošťálkova Street. In fact, I began helping already in late May, during unused vacation from my previous job, preparing for the chromatographic seminar, a key annual event for our customers.

My first major task was to load a Hewlett Packard gas chromatograph into a car and start visiting assigned customers for demonstrations. Over time, I held various positions—from sales manager to service technician, production manager, and now deputy director.

My entire career, apart from a brief academic start, is tied to Watrex. I hope I have contributed to the company at least as much as the experiences and memories it has given me over nearly three decades.”

Milan Minárik always considered Watrex his extended family. Every year, two traditional events were held: a pre-Christmas skiing trip in the Alps and a Christmas party he called a “besídka.” These moments strengthened team spirit and family atmosphere.

Watrex: Fig. 5: Watrex in the mountains, 2004 top left; 2013 bottom left and right.

Ivo Novotný, now the founder and CEO of LabRulez, began his professional career at Watrex. On the occasion of the company’s 35th anniversary, he reflects on his beginnings:

“As a student and later a recent graduate, I was given the opportunity to discover the fascinating world of analytical chemistry—not only from the perspective of science, but also of sales, service, and customer support. Under the guidance of Dr. Milan Minárik, the visionary and founder of Watrex, I learned to understand not only the instruments and technologies, but also the most important thing: how to listen to customers, how to find solutions even in the most challenging situations, and that nothing is impossible.

I will never forget one of the first pieces of advice Dr. Minárik gave me—the rule of three for calculating margin, with a smiling remark: ‘As a salesman, this is the most important thing you need, Ivo.’ Looking back, I now know that in that simplicity lay a profound understanding of business.

Those were years full of learning, challenges, and experiences that set me on the career path I still follow today. From Dr. Minárik and the experienced Watrex team, I gained not only technical knowledge but also the understanding that behind every instrument, column, or other request, there are people—their needs, their problems, and their joys.

It is wonderful that after all these years, our paths have crossed again, and LabRulez and Watrex now work together to innovate in the field of analytical chemistry. With great respect and gratitude, I congratulate everyone who has contributed to Watrex’s success, and I believe that I, too, have given a part of my life and dedication to Watrex, helping it grow. I wish the whole company many more years filled with satisfied customers and inspiring people who will continue to write its story.”

Watrex: Fig. 6: From left: Michal Náhunek and Ivo Novotný in 2006.

Gradual Growth and Transition to In-house Production

The year 1993 marked a significant milestone for Watrex—the company moved to its own premises at Hošťálkova Street 42, Prague 6. Here, an application laboratory was established, computer production began, and an import department for chemicals and laboratory equipment was set up.

During the 1990s, Watrex strengthened its position as the leader of the Czech HPLC market and started expanding abroad—Watrex Bratislava was founded in 1995 and Watrex International in New York in 1996. The company transformed from a distributor into a manufacturer of its own chromatographic products—DeltaChrom™ LC pumps, detectors, fraction collectors, solvent savers, and key columns such as Polymer IEX™ and DeltaSil™ C18.

Watrex: Fig. 7: Original Watrex headquarters in Hošťálkova Street, Prague.

A breakthrough success in the company’s history was the development of an automated system commissioned by the American company Amersham Biosciences (later GE Biosciences), then a leading manufacturer of DNA sequencing and genomic analysis devices. The result was the robotic system Caddy™, which enabled Amersham to increase the capacity of its DNA sequencers—a key tool that contributed to the introduction of the first human genome sequence in 2001. Between 2001–2004, 75 Caddy™ systems were sold in Europe, the USA, Australia, and Taiwan. For this system, Watrex received the prestigious Golden Chemtec 2003 and Innovation of the Year 2003 awards.

Watrex: Fig. 8: Preparation moments for demonstrating the Caddy™ robotic system at Amersham’s California headquarters. Top left: Marek Minárik, bottom left: Milan Minárik and Roman Kysilka, right: Michal Náhunek, Marek Minárik, and Roman Kysilka at the installed Caddy™ systems in the Genomic Center at the University of Braunschweig, Germany.

Expansion of Activities and Scientific Research Collaboration

In connection with the expansion of development activities, in the early years of the new millennium, Watrex also began to focus on research collaborations with public scientific institutions, often within the framework of grant-funded projects supported by public resources. These projects resulted in the development of new types of scientific instruments or technologies, such as:

• a concept of an instrument for isoelectric focusing, supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (2007–2009),
• a project on chiral phases based on helicenes in cooperation with the Institute of Chemical Processes of the Czech Academy of Sciences, supported by TAČR (2011–2014),
• a project developing a portable device for detecting methanol intoxication with the Institute of Analytical Chemistry (2014–2017),
• projects with the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (2016–2022) focused on a compact biochromatograph and a lipid nanoparticle generator.

Watrex also participated in the international Biosep project (Norwegian Funds, TAČR), in collaboration with ÚACH and SINTEF in Oslo.

Currently, Watrex is part of the ATEBIO project (2025–2028), developing automated sample preparation solutions to accelerate processes and enable sensitive biomarker detection using nanotechnology and AI, in cooperation with the Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy, University Hospital Hradec Králové, and Elphogene s.r.o.

Construction and Relocation to the Carolina Center

The original headquarters in Břevnov proved inadequate for growing activities. In 2006, land was purchased in Prague 6 – Ruzyně, and plans for a new headquarters began. Despite bureaucratic delays, construction started in 2010, and in September 2012, the Carolina Center was officially opened.

Watrex: Fig. 9: Top left: Milan Minárik and Michal Náhunek at the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone for the new Watrex headquarters, the Carolina Center; bottom left – new HPLC laboratory in the new building. Completed Carolina Center – the current Watrex Prague headquarters.

Generational Transition

In 2015, the founder’s son, Marek Minárik, took over the management of the company, marking a generational change that brought new faces into development and production.

Watrex: Fig. 10: From left: Marek Minárik, Michal Náhunek, Roman Kysilka, and Milan Minárik (2018).

This transition also brought new trends in development and product direction, particularly in industrial design. In 2017, a new series of liquid chromatographs under the name Watrex Streamline™ was introduced at the international HPLC conference in Prague. These are complete modular HPLC systems with dual-piston pumps, detectors (UV/VIS,
photodiode array, refractometric, and conductometric), thermostats, and fraction collectors.

Watrex: Fig. 11: Milan Minárik (center) and Marek Minárik (right) with Prof. Barry L. Karger (left) presenting the Watrex Streamline™ series at the HPLC 2017 conference in Prague.

At the same time, Milan Minárik became the emeritus director of Watrex, returning to research activities within grant projects. One of his notable achievements was the invention of a device for so-called recycling chromatography, based on which Watrex introduced the repetto™ instrument in 2017, winning an award in the analytical instruments category at the LABOREXPO exhibition. In 2020, the company was granted a European patent for the recycling chromatography principle of repetto™.

“I never stopped working with HPLC, even after becoming a businessman. It is a joy to do what I love, and I wish the same for everyone.” — Dr. Milan Minárik

In 2018, Milan Minárik published his final paper in the Journal of Chromatography on recycling HPLC. Unfortunately, in the following years, due to serious illness, he was forced to gradually reduce his managerial role and research activities.

On February 8, 2022, just a few days before his planned 80th birthday celebration, Dr. Milan Minárik, founder and long-time director of Watrex, passed away.

New Directions in Watrex Portfolio – Return to Automation

The global coronavirus pandemic posed a challenging period for Watrex. Due to the closure of public institutions, schools, and hospitals, the company’s activities – particularly instrument sales, service, and laboratory services – were significantly restricted. Nevertheless, work continued, and with the support of the Czech Rise Up – Smart Measures Against COVID-19 program by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, an
automatic viral RNA extractor called xTrovert™ was developed. This development marked a turning point for the company’s future research direction. 

Based on this first prototype, entirely new systems were subsequently developed: xTROVERT™ XT (for isolating DNA and RNA from various types of biological material) and xTROVERT™ FLEX-O™. The latter
represents a unique solution, with its very first prototype achieving phenomenal success in 2025 at the Analytica trade fair in Munich and
the TIDES USA conference in Boston. This system has the potential to fundamentally simplify and accelerate the purification processes of synthetic oligonucleotides – a technology behind, among other things, the development of mRNA vaccines. Watrex also received an award for xTROVERT™ FLEX-O™ at the prestigious domestic exhibition LABOREXPO 2025.

Watrex: Fig. 12: Vladimír Navara (left) and Marek Minárik (right) presenting the xTROVERT™ FLEX-O™ system at TIDES 2024 in Boston.

Within the first year, four systems were installed, making xTROVERT™ FLEX-O™ potentially the most significant development direction for the company.

Watrex: Fig. 13: Vladimír Navara configuring the xTROVERT™ FLEX-O™ system in a customer’s laboratory in California.

Present and Future

Today, Watrex Prague is a leading Czech manufacturer and distributor in the field of liquid chromatography. It offers its own instruments and columns and represents global brands such as GL Sciences, Fortis Technologies, Sykam, Vici, IDEX, and Optimize.

The company continues the legacy of Dr. Milan Minárik—combining scientific passion, innovation, and family tradition, bringing new technologies, and building a bridge between academic excellence and practical solutions for laboratories worldwide.

This article was translated using ChatGPT. The translation may contain minor inaccuracies. The original article in Czech is available at www.watrex.com.