2. Acquisitions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Business Combination Disclosure [Text Block]	2.ACQUISITIONS In August 2012, we acquired from Propel Labs, Inc. a new cell sorting system, an automated, easy-to-use benchtop cell sorting flow cytometer. The new system will be sold exclusively under the Bio-Rad brand as the S3^TM Cell Sorter. This asset acquisition was accounted for as a business combination as the new cell sorting system represented an integrated set of activities and assets that is capable of being conducted and managed for the purpose of providing a return and therefore constitutes a business in accordance with GAAP. The amount of acquisition-related cost was minimal as Bio-Rad primarily represented itself during the acquisition process. This business acquisition is included in our Life Science segment's results of operations from the acquisition date. The fair value of the consideration as of the acquisition date was $49.6 million, which included $5.0 million paid in cash at the closing date and $44.6 million in contingent consideration potentially payable to Propel Labs' shareholders. The contingent consideration was initially recognized at its estimated fair value of $44.6 million, based on a probability-weighted income approach related to the achievement of certain development and sales milestones. The contingent consideration for the development milestones was valued at $19.9 million, based on assumptions regarding the probability of achieving the milestones, with such amounts discounted to present value. The contingent consideration for the sales milestones was valued at $24.7 million, based on a statistically significant number of simulations for each potential outcome. (See Note 3 for further discussion of the contingent consideration valuation and underlying assumptions.) The fair values of the net assets acquired from Propel Labs, Inc. as of the acquisition date were determined to be $17.4 million of goodwill, $32.1 million of definite-lived intangible assets and $0.1 million of net tangible assets. We expect the goodwill recorded to be deductible for income tax purposes. The acquired cell sorting system fits well into Bio-Rad's existing product portfolio and may offer researchers greater access to this technology. In July 2012, we acquired all of the outstanding shares of DiaMed Benelux for 4.6 million Euros (approximately $5.6 million) in cash. This acquisition was accounted for as a business combination as DiaMed Benelux represented an integrated set of activities and assets that was capable of being conducted and managed for the purpose of providing a return and therefore constitutes a business in accordance with GAAP. The amount of acquisition-related cost was minimal as Bio-Rad primarily represented itself during the acquisition process. This business acquisition is included in our Clinical Diagnostics segment's results of operations from the acquisition date. We acquired net tangible liabilities with a fair value of $2.3 million and the fair values of the assets acquired as of the acquisition date were determined to be $3.0 million of goodwill and $4.9 million of definite-lived intangible assets. The goodwill recorded will not be deductible for income tax purposes. DiaMed Benelux became the exclusive distributor of certain Bio-Rad immunohematology products in the Benelux market as a result of the 2007 acquisition of DiaMed Holding AG. This distributor acquisition is consistent with our stated objective to control the distribution of our own products and services. In January 2012, we purchased, for cash, certain assets from a raw material supplier for approximately $12.5 million. This asset acquisition was accounted for as a business combination as the certain assets acquired represented an integrated set of activities and assets that is capable of being conducted and managed for the purpose of providing a return and therefore constitutes a business in accordance with GAAP. The amount of acquisition-related cost was minimal as Bio-Rad primarily represented itself during the acquisition process. This business acquisition is included in the Clinical Diagnostics segment's results of operations from the acquisition date. The fair value of the assets acquired was determined to be $6.3 million of net tangible assets, $5.1 million of intangible assets and $1.1 million of goodwill. We expect the goodwill recorded to be deductible for income tax purposes. In addition, we paid $2.0 million for employment agreements as an incentive to certain employees of the acquired business to remain with Bio-Rad. Such amount will be expensed over the next two years and is recorded in Prepaid expenses, taxes and other current assets and Other assets in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. We believe this acquisition will allow us to secure the supply of critical raw materials and lower our overall costs in the Clinical Diagnostics segment. We do not consider any of these business combinations in 2012, individually, or when aggregated, to be material and therefore have not disclosed the pro forma results of operations as required for material business combinations. In October 2011, we acquired all of the issued and outstanding stock of QuantaLife, Inc. (QuantaLife). The fair value of the consideration as of the acquisition date was $179.4 million, which was comprised of $150.3 million paid in cash at the closing date, a $5.0 million holdback of cash until the completion of certain post-closing matters, and $24.1 million in contingent consideration potentially payable to QuantaLife shareholders. The contingent consideration was initially recognized at its estimated fair value of $24.1 million, based on a probability-weighted income approach that would reach $48 million at October 4, 2011 upon the achievement of all sales and development milestones. The contingent consideration for the development milestone was valued based on assumptions regarding the probability of achieving the milestone, with such amounts discounted to present value. The contingent consideration for the sales milestones was valued based on a statistically significant number of simulations for each potential outcome. (See Note 3 for further discussion of the contingent consideration valuation and underlying assumptions.) The operating results of this business are included in the results of operations of our Life Science segment from the acquisition date. The acquisition was accounted for as a business combination. The determination of the fair value of net assets acquired of QuantaLife was based upon valuation information, estimates and assumptions available at October 4, 2011. During the second quarter of 2012, we finalized the determination of fair value for certain acquired tax attributes and adjusted the preliminary carrying values of goodwill and certain other assets and liabilities in order to reflect final information received, resulting in an overall reduction of goodwill of $0.6 million. These measurement period adjustments had no impact on our condensed consolidated results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012. The final fair values of the net assets acquired were determined to be $105.5 million of goodwill, $94.7 million of intangible assets and $20.8 million of net tangible liabilities. We do not expect the goodwill recorded to be deductible for income tax purposes. Integrating the acquired QuantaLife business into Bio-Rad is expected to expand our current portfolio of products for the amplification and study of DNA and we believe it will complement Bio-Rad's existing business.

2.ACQUISITIONS

In August 2012, we acquired from Propel Labs, Inc. a new cell sorting system, an automated, easy-to-use benchtop cell sorting flow cytometer. The new system will be sold exclusively under the Bio-Rad brand as the S3^TM Cell Sorter. This asset acquisition was accounted for as a business combination as the new cell sorting system represented an integrated set of activities and assets that is capable of being conducted and managed for the purpose of providing a return and therefore constitutes a business in accordance with GAAP. The amount of acquisition-related cost was minimal as Bio-Rad primarily represented itself during the acquisition process. This business acquisition is included in our Life Science segment's results of operations from the acquisition date.

The fair value of the consideration as of the acquisition date was $49.6 million, which included $5.0 million paid in cash at the closing date and $44.6 million in contingent consideration potentially payable to Propel Labs' shareholders. The contingent consideration was initially recognized at its estimated fair value of $44.6 million, based on a probability-weighted income approach related to the achievement of certain development and sales milestones. The contingent consideration for the development milestones was valued at $19.9 million, based on assumptions regarding the probability of achieving the milestones, with such amounts discounted to present value. The contingent consideration for the sales milestones was valued at $24.7 million, based on a statistically significant number of simulations for each potential outcome. (See Note 3 for further discussion of the contingent consideration valuation and underlying assumptions.)

The fair values of the net assets acquired from Propel Labs, Inc. as of the acquisition date were determined to be $17.4 million of goodwill, $32.1 million of definite-lived intangible assets and $0.1 million of net tangible assets. We expect the goodwill recorded to be deductible for income tax purposes. The acquired cell sorting system fits well into Bio-Rad's existing product portfolio and may offer researchers greater access to this technology.

In July 2012, we acquired all of the outstanding shares of DiaMed Benelux for 4.6 million Euros (approximately $5.6 million) in cash. This acquisition was accounted for as a business combination as DiaMed Benelux represented an integrated set of activities and assets that was capable of being conducted and managed for the purpose of providing a return and therefore constitutes a business in accordance with GAAP. The amount of acquisition-related cost was minimal as Bio-Rad primarily represented itself during the acquisition process. This business acquisition is included in our Clinical Diagnostics segment's results of operations from the acquisition date.

We acquired net tangible liabilities with a fair value of $2.3 million and the fair values of the assets acquired as of the acquisition date were determined to be $3.0 million of goodwill and $4.9 million of definite-lived intangible assets. The goodwill recorded will not be deductible for income tax purposes. DiaMed Benelux became the exclusive distributor of certain Bio-Rad immunohematology products in the Benelux market as a result of the 2007 acquisition of DiaMed Holding AG. This distributor acquisition is consistent with our stated objective to control the distribution of our own products and services.

In January 2012, we purchased, for cash, certain assets from a raw material supplier for approximately $12.5 million. This asset acquisition was accounted for as a business combination as the certain assets acquired represented an integrated set of activities and assets that is capable of being conducted and managed for the purpose of providing a return and therefore constitutes a business in accordance with GAAP. The amount of acquisition-related cost was minimal as Bio-Rad primarily represented itself during the acquisition process. This business acquisition is included in the Clinical Diagnostics segment's results of operations from the acquisition date. The fair value of the assets acquired was determined to be $6.3 million of net tangible assets, $5.1 million of intangible assets and $1.1 million of goodwill. We expect the goodwill recorded to be deductible for income tax purposes. In addition, we paid $2.0 million for employment agreements as an incentive to certain employees of the acquired business to remain with Bio-Rad. Such amount will be expensed over the next two years and is recorded in Prepaid expenses, taxes and other current assets and Other assets in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. We believe this acquisition will allow us to secure the supply of critical raw materials and lower our overall costs in the Clinical Diagnostics segment.

We do not consider any of these business combinations in 2012, individually, or when aggregated, to be material and therefore have not disclosed the pro forma results of operations as required for material business combinations.

In October 2011, we acquired all of the issued and outstanding stock of QuantaLife, Inc. (QuantaLife). The fair value of the consideration as of the acquisition date was $179.4 million, which was comprised of $150.3 million paid in cash at the closing date, a $5.0 million holdback of cash until the completion of certain post-closing matters, and $24.1 million in contingent consideration potentially payable to QuantaLife shareholders. The contingent consideration was initially recognized at its estimated fair value of $24.1 million, based on a probability-weighted income approach that would reach $48 million at October 4, 2011 upon the achievement of all sales and development milestones. The contingent consideration for the development milestone was valued based on assumptions regarding the probability of achieving the milestone, with such amounts discounted to present value. The contingent consideration for the sales milestones was valued based on a statistically significant number of simulations for each potential outcome. (See Note 3 for further discussion of the contingent consideration valuation and underlying assumptions.) The operating results of this business are included in the results of operations of our Life Science segment from the acquisition date. The acquisition was accounted for as a business combination.

The determination of the fair value of net assets acquired of QuantaLife was based upon valuation information, estimates and assumptions available at October 4, 2011. During the second quarter of 2012, we finalized the determination of fair value for certain acquired tax attributes and adjusted the preliminary carrying values of goodwill and certain other assets and liabilities in order to reflect final information received, resulting in an overall reduction of goodwill of $0.6 million. These measurement period adjustments had no impact on our condensed consolidated results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012.

The final fair values of the net assets acquired were determined to be $105.5 million of goodwill, $94.7 million of intangible assets and $20.8 million of net tangible liabilities. We do not expect the goodwill recorded to be deductible for income tax purposes. Integrating the acquired QuantaLife business into Bio-Rad is expected to expand our current portfolio of products for the amplification and study of DNA and we believe it will complement Bio-Rad's existing business.