Waters Corporation
A maker of analytical instruments that help scientists separate, identify, and measure chemicals, Waters Corporation builds liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry systems (like ACQUITY UPLC and Xevo) used by pharmaceutical, industrial, and academic labs, plus thermal analysis tools under its TA Instruments brand. Founded in 1958 by James Waters, the company began as a five-person "research boutique" in the basement of the Framingham, Massachusetts police station, building custom instruments like nerve gas detectors before becoming a leader in chromatography.