ISA Economic Indicators Report drops for second consecutive month

According to the latest Industrial Supply Association’s Economic Indicators Report (EIR), activity among its manufacturer and distributor members decreased for the second month in a row but remains in positive territory. The report showed manufacturer activity in April at 58.92% compared to 61.82% the previous month and the distributor index at 57.8% compared to 62.6% [...]

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Demand for industrial control equipment rises

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association’s Primary Industrial Controls Index increased 11.3% on a quarter-to-quarter basis during the first three months of 2012. The index stands 12% above its year-ago level and 52% above the cyclical trough observed in mid-2009. The Primary Industrial Controls and Adjustable Speed Drives Index, a broader measure of industrial control demands, [...]

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ELANTAS acquires casting resins business of Marbo Group

ELANTAS Electrical Insulation, a division of the German-based specialty chemicals group ALTANA AG, has acquired the casting resins business for electrical and electronic applications of the Italian Marbo Group. The casting resins business of Marbo includes products for the encapsulation or coating of electronic components with insulation materials (compounds). ELANTAS will mainly take over Marbo’s customers [...]

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PTDA Business Index for first quarter of 2012 indicates expansion and sales growth

The Power Transmission Distributors Association Business Index indicated that the first quarter of this year was the eighth consecutive quarter for business growth among PTDA members, with a reading of 75.4. Compared with a reading of 67.3 for the fourth quarter of 2011, the recently released first quarter results indicate the power transmission/motion control industry [...]

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Lista International launches electronic assembly website

Lista International Corp., a Holliston, Mass.-based manufacturer of products in progressive assembly, R&D, test and calibration, work cells, and parts storage, has launched a new Electronic Assembly Solutions micro-website (http://www.lista-elecassembly.com), where users can learn about customizable work stations and storage products for assembling electronic and mechanical parts, including circuit board assembly. The new site includes [...]

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March manufacturing technology orders up 11.3%

March U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $495.97 million according to AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, based in McLean, Va. This total, as reported by companies participating in the U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) program, was up 11.3% from February but down 1.4% when compared with the total of $502.89 million reported for March [...]

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Electrical Safety Foundation International unveils workplace safety program

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), a Rosslyn ,Va.-based group dedicated exclusively to promoting electrical safety, has launched “How Do You Know?”, a new workplace electrical safety awareness program developed to help employers answer the question, “How do you know if your workplace is properly protected from electrical hazards?” The program was unveiled at the [...]

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Graybar donates 130,000 food items to pantries nationwide

Graybar, the St. Louis -based distributor of electrical, communications, and data networking products, recently collected nearly 130,000 food items to benefit food pantries and other charitable organizations in the communities where it operates nationwide as part of its community platform, Graybar CARES. According to the company, Graybar CARES “stands for Community, Awareness, Responsibility, Education and [...]

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Correction: Magnetech’s operation in Huntington, W. Va. moves to new location, company headquarters still in Massillon.

Correction: An item in the May “Business briefs” incorrectly implied that the headquarters of Magnetech Industrial Services, Inc., of Massillon, Ohio, had moved. It was the company’s operation in Huntington, W.Va., that moved to a new location in Hungtinton. The company’s headquarters is still in Massillon. Electrical Apparatus regrets the error.

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Horace Barks, 1921-2012

Horace B. Barks, publisher and president of Barks Publications, Inc., died May 1 following a long illness. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 11. Friends and business associates who are able to attend are invited to call our office for details: 312-321-9440. In lieu of flowers, Mr. Barks’s family [...]

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