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Description of Business and Organization | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Description of Business and Organization [Abstract] |
Description of Business and Organization | 1 Description of Business and Organization Waters Corporation (the “Company”) is a specialty measurement company that has pioneered analytical workflow solutions involving liquid chromatography, m a ss spectrometry and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials and food sciences for nearly 60 years. The Company primarily designs, manufactures, sells and services high performance liquid chromatography (“HPLC”), ultra performance liquid ch romatography (“UPLC®” and together with HPLC, referred to as “LC”) and mass spectrometry (“MS”) technology systems and support products, including chromatography columns, other consumable products and comprehensive post-warranty service plans. These system s are complementary products that are frequently employed together (“LC-MS”) and sold as integrated instrument systems using common software platforms. LC is a standard technique and is utilized in a broad range of industries to detect, identify, monitor a nd measure the chemical, physical and biological composition of materials, and to purify a full range of compounds. MS technology, principally in conjunction with chromatography, is employed in drug discovery and development, including clinical trial testi ng, the analysis of proteins in disease process es (known as “proteomics”), nutritional safety analysis and environmental testing. LC-MS instruments combine a liquid phase sample introduction and separation system with mass spectrometric compound identifica tion and quantification. In addition, the Company designs, manufactures, sells and services thermal analysis, rheometry and calorimetry instruments through its TA® product line. These instruments are used in predicting the suitability and stability of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, water, polymers, metals and viscous liquids for various industrial, consumer goods and healthcare products, as well as for life science research. The Company is also a developer and supplier of advanced software-based products that interface with the Company’s instruments, as well as other manufacturers’ instruments.

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