Eppendorf are celebrating 60 years of the Eppi
Over a billion Eppis have been sold worldwide since its introduction in 1963
20 Jun 2023
The Eppendorf Tube, or 'Eppi®', is one of the most well-known and widely used laboratory consumables in the world. Introduced 60 years ago, the Eppi was the first single-use microcentrifuge tube to be brought to the market.
Since then, over a billion Eppis have been sold worldwide and the term has become a synonym for microcentrifuge tubes themselves. With uncontested quality and performance, laboratories around the world benefit not just from Eppendorf Tubes® but also the range of compatible Eppendorf lab devices and consumables.
The launch of the first Eppi allowed scientists to easily handle small volumes manually, allowing volumes of expensive reagents and precious samples to be reduced. The Eppi also provided solutions for sample mixing, storage, and centrifugation, helping to fuel amazing discoveries across bioscience. For example, within a decade of the first Eppi being manufactured, there were major advances in molecular biology, with the development of gene cloning and PCR. And in medicine, advances include the discovery of life-saving vaccines such as the first hepatitis B and meningitis vaccines.
Soon after its launch, the Eppi rose in popularity, creating the need for a range of lab bench devices and consumables that were compatible with this new size of tube. In response, Eppendorf developed the microliter system to offer full sample processing solutions for microliter volumes. Initially, the range consisted of a mixer and centrifuge, as well as Eppendorf Tubes. Since its creation in 1964, the microliter system has expanded further, with the current range of pipettes, centrifuges, and mixers being complemented by Eppendorf Tubes and pipette tips that process sample volumes ranging from 0.2 mL to 50 mL.
The 60th anniversary of the Eppi tube marks a significant milestone. In essence, this innovation was a catalyst for the development of a whole range of laboratory consumables that are at the heart of modern lab equipment. Today, Eppendorf continues to develop new technologies and products that are designed to improve experimental outcomes and push the boundaries of scientific discovery.
