. ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 2 0 , ▁Th ermo ▁Fish er ▁received ▁emer gency ▁use ▁authorization ▁from ▁the ▁F DA ▁for ▁a ▁test ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 9 - n Co V ▁to ▁help ▁address ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 - 2 0 ▁coron av irus ▁pan demic . ▁ ▁Pre de cess ors ▁and ▁mer ger ▁Th ermo ▁Electron ▁was ▁co - f ounded ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁by ▁George ▁N . ▁H ats op oul os ▁and ▁Peter ▁M ▁Nom ik os . ▁H ats op oul os ▁was ▁an ▁M IT ▁Ph D ▁in ▁mechanical ▁engineering ▁and ▁Nom ik os ▁a ▁Harvard ▁Business ▁School ▁gradu ate . ▁ ▁It ▁focused ▁on ▁providing ▁analyt ical ▁and ▁labor atory ▁products ▁and , ▁and ▁had ▁reven ues ▁of ▁over ▁$ 2 ▁billion ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁ ▁Fish er ▁Scient ific ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁by ▁Ch ester ▁G . ▁Fish er ▁from ▁Pitts burgh . ▁It ▁focused ▁on ▁providing ▁labor atory ▁equipment , ▁chemical s , ▁supplies ▁and ▁services ▁used ▁in ▁health care , ▁scientific ▁research , ▁safety , ▁and ▁education . ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Th ermo ▁Electron ▁and ▁Fish er ▁Scient ific ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁merge ▁in ▁a ▁tax - free , ▁stock - for - stock ▁exchange ; ▁the ▁merged ▁company ▁was ▁named ▁Th ermo ▁Fish er ▁Scient ific , ▁and ▁had ▁on ▁the ▁order