analytica 2026 is now behind us, and we are taking home the message we developed for the event, along with the positive feedback: the laboratory as an isolated workplace is a thing of the past. What we showcased at the trade fair in Munich is a laboratory that is already ready for use today, connected, transparent and efficient.

As a laboratory equipment manufacturer, we deliberately designed our stand to be a living example. Not merely as a showroom for individual products, but as a real-world application scenario in which infrastructure, equipment and data are conceived as an integrated whole.

Infrastructure as a Platform – what this actually means

Laboratory infrastructure is about more than just furniture. Fume cupboards, work surfaces and utility supplies form the foundation. When these elements work in tandem with equipment, software systems and safety technology, they create real added value. That was precisely our approach at analytica.

Three partners, one system

We had three strong partners at our stand who brought this concept to life:

  • Siemens demonstrated how a laboratory’s status can be visualised digitally – from energy data for individual devices and sample tracking in the LIMS to room control via the Smart Room Operator. Siemens also provides an integrated solution for safety: the Sinorix al-deco extinguishing system automatically detects fires in the laboratory fume cupboard and combats them directly at the source – without manual intervention and with minimal damage. The result of the complete package: less loss of information, faster processes, clear documentation – and maximum safety.
  • C. Gerhardt integrated the VAPODEST 500 – an automated distillation system – directly into our laboratory fume cupboard. Connected to the Siemens system, samples were digitally recorded, tracked and analysed. An example from real-world laboratory practice: fewer manual steps, full traceability.
  • Liebherr Professional Appliances complemented the setup with an under-counter laboratory refrigerator, integrated directly into the Köttermann laboratory workstation – monitored via Siemens technology, with precise temperature control and automatic alerts. Cooling, storage and monitoring, without any disruption.
What this means for laboratory planning

Anyone planning or modernising a laboratory today stands to benefit from precisely this approach: when infrastructure, equipment and data systems are coordinated from the outset, the result is not a collection of isolated solutions – but a system that grows, documents and protects.
As a manufacturer of laboratory infrastructure, we see it as our mission to create this platform. To find and integrate the right partners. And to offer solutions that really work in day-to-day laboratory operations.

Fancy finding out more about a connected laboratory?

If you’d like to see what a comprehensive system like this might look like for your specific situation, please feel free to get in touch. We’ll show you what’s possible today.

You can contact us here


    Fume cupboard technology in the spotlight at analytica

    Fume cupboards are essential for safe laboratory work—yet they are also among the biggest energy consumers in a lab. Rising energy prices and ambitious sustainability targets intensify the tension between maximum protection and responsible resource use. What’s needed are solutions that do not compromise occupational safety, but ideally enhance it, while making energy efficiency measurable and transparent.

    This is exactly where modern fume-cupboard technologies come into play.

    Why fume cupboards must be reassessed 

    For decades, fume cupboards were operated according to a clear principle: maximum safety through high and constant extract-air volumes. Increasingly, this approach reaches its limits—because what used to be a robust safety buffer has become a major cost and sustainability factor in daily operation. In many laboratories, ventilation and exhaust air account for around 40–60% of total energy consumption.

    That’s why “safety only” is no longer enough as a benchmark. Today, fume cupboards must meet additional requirements: they should be safe, energy-efficient, and operationally controllable. This shifts their role within the overall laboratory system into sharper focus.

     

    Reassessment is not a technological gimmick—it’s a strategic necessity. Anyone who continues to view fume cupboards in isolation leaves significant potential untapped in operating costs and CO₂ reduction. What’s needed are solutions that keep safety fully standards-compliant while actively contributing to the optimisation of lab operation.

    The key question is no longer whether energy can be saved, but how safety and efficiency can be combined sustainably—without complicating everyday lab work.

    Efficiency in the lab comes from interaction—not from sacrifice

    Modern fume-cupboard concepts follow a holistic approach. Instead of providing high air volumes across the board, extract air is controlled according to demand. Three factors are decisive:

    • Aerodynamically optimised fume-cupboard designs that maintain containment even at reduced air volumes
    • Intelligent extract-air control systems that adjust volume flow dynamically to the sash position
    • Digital control and monitoring solutions that make consumption transparent and enable adjustments digitally

    This means safety is achieved not by “more air”, but through precise engineering and smart control.

    Luftvolumenstrom des EcoPlus Laborabzugs
    Einsparpotenzial beim EcoPlus Laborabzug

    Trade fair focus: fume-cupboard technology that delivers measurable energy savings

    At the international trade fair analytica in Munich (24–27 March 2026), Köttermann and Siemens will jointly demonstrate how fume cupboards can be understood as part of a connected system. The focus is on practical solutions that deliver impact in ongoing lab operations.

    1

    Safety remains non-negotiable
    Compliance with all relevant standards and protection goals remains the foundation—enhanced by intelligent airflow design that ensures safety even with reduced air demand.

    2

    Energy efficiency becomes predictable
    Variable volume flow systems, automatic sash functions and demand-based control strategies reduce energy consumption noticeably—without additional effort for lab staff.

    3

    Transparency creates new room for action
    Integrated measurement and monitoring make energy use visible. This enables well-founded decisions for sustainable lab strategies—from operational optimisation to long-term planning.

    From a single component to an overall concept

    The value of modern fume-cupboard technology doesn’t arise in isolation, but through interaction with building services, control systems and the usage concept. This is where the joint approach of Köttermann and Siemens comes in: fume-cupboard technology is designed as an integral building block of a future-proof laboratory.

    Invitation to connect

    analytica provides space for professional exchange—about technical solutions, concrete savings potential, and how labs can be planned and operated to meet the requirements of safety, cost-effectiveness and sustainability at the same time.

    Get your free ticket here: