Kore Technology
Our History

Physical principles of TOF-MS reported

William Stephens reported on the physical principles of TOF-MS at the American Physical Society meeting in Cambridge.

World’s first laser microprobe with reflectron TOF-MS

The history of Kore can be traced back to 1978 when, at Cambridge Consultants Ltd., one of Kore’s founders designed the world’s first laser microprobe with a reflectron time-of-flight mass analyser for bulk sample analysis.

Cambridge Mass Spectrometry spun off from CCL

Cambridge Mass Spectrometry (CMS) was spun-off from CCL to develop and sell a laser microprobe mass analyser. In 1987, CMS became a wholly owned subsidiary of Kratos Analytical.

Kore was formed as an independent company, owned and funded mostly by its staff, when the “core” of engineers at CMS decided that they did not wish to transfer with CMS products to Kratos in Manchester, as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

The UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) awarded Kore a SMART award for a feasibility study concerning the use of Kore’s time-of-flight mass spectrometer technology in a portable pollution monitor, a legacy now carried by our MS-200. One year later, in 1994, Kore was awarded further SMART funding to produce a production prototype portable mass spectrometer.

The DTI awarded Kore a SPUR award to develop a novel table-top secondary ion mass spectrometer as an inexpensive surface contamination analyser for solid samples to be used in product research and development, quality control and fault diagnosis. This eventually birthed our SurfaceSeer range.

Applied Physics Technologies provides high quality state-of-the-art cathode materials and components. Kore is pleased to have been appointed as a European distributor, and UK agent for OEM sales, of their lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) and cerium hexaboride (CeB6) cathodes.

Photonis Group is formed from Burle, which acquired Gallileo in 1999. Kore acted as a distributor for Gallileo since the Kore’s inception, and we are proud to still act as both a distributor and as expert users of Photonis detectors.

Beijing SDL Technology Co Ltd acquired a majority shareholding in Kore. SDL is a leading supplier of environmental monitoring and analysis products in China, and has recently sought to add mass spectrometry products and expertise to its already impressive portfolio. SDL will sell and support Kore’s mass spectrometer products in China alongside their extensive range of environmental and process analysers, with Kore continuing to manufacture, sell and support our products in the rest of the world.

Kore celebrated its 25 year anniversary, and we are proud to be at the heart of innovative analysis.