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FEBRUARY 2004 INDUSTRY NEWS


Cal Lab Co. News

Cal Lab Co., Inc. has been successfully re-assessed to ISO/IEC 17025 by A2LA. Cal Lab Co. currently holds one of the largest commercial calibration scopes of services in the nation. The scope of services includes national onsite service. Cal Lab Co. is also registered to the new ISO 9001:2000 standard through Underwriters Laboratories (U.L.).

Cal Lab Co. has been helping customers for over 26 years. Cal Lab's professional military technicians are able to recalibrate your test equipment on-site or in their modern lab facilities. All calibrations are traceable to the National Institute of Standards and TExhnology (NIST) and comply with QS 9000, ISO 10012-1, ANSI/NCSL Z540-1-1994 (formerly MIL-STD 4566A), FDA, 10 CFR 21, and UL standards.

Cal Lab Co. is located in South Holland, IL. For more information visit Cal Lab Co. or call them at 800-373-1759.

 

NAPT's Continuing Efforts

In an effort to continue providing the best ILC/PT’s and the highest level of service, NAPT has added a new staff member and is pleased to announce the return of a former member of the team.

New to NAPT is Judy Newman. Judy started with NAPT in January and will be involved with all aspects of customer service. Please join us in welcoming her to the team.

Effective March 1, Charles Ellis will be returning to NAPT. Chuck will be transiting his volunteer activities to a full time support. All of us are very excited to have Chuck back in the fold.

We see many changes being implemented by the accreditation bodies and as always NAPT, is taking the steps to support your needs. Whether it be adding ILC’s, adding staff or improving its management tools, NAPT is the leader in proficiency testing services. Please feel free to contact NAPT anytime about your needs.

 

Calibration Articles in Modern Machine Shop Online

Modern Machine Shop Online, North America's premier metalworking information source, has machine tool calibration articles of interest to the calibration professional available online. Visit Modern Machine Shop Online and read "In-House Measurement For Bi-Rotary Heads" and "Laser Calibration Insures Machine Tool and CMM Accuracy."

 

NATA Accreditation

SCALE Components have announced that their affiliated company, Calibration Services, has received NATA accreditation for all their weighing, instrumentation and calibration products.

The accreditation is for weighing devices, laboratory balances, industrial balances, industrial weighing appliances and hopper weighing systems.

NATA is Australia's government-endorsed accreditor. NATA endorsed test reports are widely recognized by many sectors of the Australian Government and Industry. NATA is also a signatory to the mutual recognition agreements of the International Laboratory Cooperation (APLAC). This means that NATA-endorsed test reports are accepted by many of Australia's trading partners in Europe, North-America, South Africa and throughout the Asia Pacific region.

NATA was created over 50 years ago to evaluate and recognize the technical competence of inspection, testing and measurement facilities in Australia. It has since developed into the world's largest national laboratory accreditation system.

 

ISWM 2004 Conference and Exposition
Growth and Efficiency Through Training and Technology
June 22-25, 2004
Northern Kentucky Convention Center, Covington, Kentucky

Invest in your future by joining business associates from across the U.S.A. and around the world at the 2004 Conference and Exposition. The theme for the 2004 conference reflects a renewed focus on the most important benefits of your association: increasing knowledge to advance professionalism within the weighing industry. Your conference will offer three days of leading-edge technical programs designed to provide you with tools to face the ever-changing business environment.

In addition to more than twenty educational sessions, Handbook 44 training and testing, Certified Weighing Salesperson and Certified Weighing Technician examinations (now adopted by some state weights and measures authorities) will be offered. The National Association of Proficiency Testing (NAPT) will also provide interlaboratory comparison/proficiency testing to satisfy the requirements of ISO 17025.

T he ISWM Exposition is recognized as the largest weighing equipment showplace of its kind. Weighing industry professionals from around the world will come together at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center June 22-25, 2004 to view the latest in innovative weighing equipment and network with recognized technical, sales and business professionals.

The 2004 ISWM Conference and Exposition will open its doors on Wednesday, June 23, 2004 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington, Kentucky. Exhibitors will enjoy more than 26,000 square feet of exhibit space in one of the nation’s newest and most popular convention centers. Best of all, Northern Kentucky is within a half-day’s drive of 60% of the U.S. population and boasts a world- class international airport, making it easily accessible to you and your customers.

Expo 2004 is an event you won’t want to miss! Applications must be received by April 27, 2004 for exhibitors to be included in the 2004 Expo program and publicity. Early applicants will have the best choice of exhibit space.


Bird Technologies Group Expands Corporate Headquarters

Due to recent expansion, Bird® Technologies Group has officially relocated the Corporate Headquarters from Landerbrook Drive in Mayfield Heights, Ohio to Aurora Road in Solon, Ohio.

The change marks a strong move financially and supports the company's aggressive attitude towards growth. According to Bird Technologies Group Chief Financial Officer, Peter Rutkowski, the move allows "us to establish a global training facility, to be closer to one of our operating companies (Bird Electronic) also in Solon, and to consolidate operating costs."

Bird Technologies Group, parent to Bird® Electronic Corp. and TX RX Systems, Inc., specializes in providing simple, accurate, and reliable products and services to the public safety, government & military, semiconductor, broadcast, and wireless markets.

 

NCSL International South Texas Meeting - February 26

The next South Texas Section meeting will be held in Houston on February 26, 2004. The location for this meeting will be the Courtyard by Marriott located at 12401 Katy Freeway (281-496-9090). The hotel has a discount rate of $119.00 for attendees checking in on Wednesday, February 25. You do not need to be a NCSL member to attend.

The agenda for this meeting:

  • Chris Grachanen, Hewlett Packard, Regional Coordinator's Report and information about the Certified Calibration Technician (CCT) Program
  • Keith Bennett, Transcat, 17025 Pros and Cons
  • Matt Sell, On Time Support, An Alternative Metrology Software Architecture
  • Harvey Trager, Fluke, Workplace Safety
  • Kirk Mosher, Ruska, Percent of Reading Precision in Pressure Transfer Standards
  • Open Discussion
  • Tour of Transcat Laboratory

Please RSVP by Tuesday, February 24 to (361) 972-7742, (361) 972-7681, or Fax to (361) 972-8368.
NCSL membership is not required to attend! Meeting registration begins at 8:00am.

 

2004 Woodington Award Winner

Dr. Arthur McCoubrey was the recipient of the Andrew J Woodington Award at this January’s Measurement Science Conference. The Measurement Science Conference awards the Woodington to recognize a member of the measurement community who represents the highest level of professionalism, and dedication to the metrology profession. Dr. McCoubrey received the Woodington Award to recognize his distinguished career and accomplishments in metrology.

He first worked on microwave tube development and atomic and molecular physics research at Westinghouse Research Labs as a Research Physicist. At the National Company as the manager of the physics department he developed applications of quantum science to atomic clocks. As the Director of Central Research for Varian Associates he worked on microwave solid-state materials and device technology, and infrared photoemission. Dr. McCoubrey made technical and scientific contributions to the development and production of cesium beam frequency standards. He was one of the co-founders of Frequency and Time Systems, a Boston manufacturer of clocks and frequency standards.

He joined the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) as the Director of the Institute for Basic Standards. He then became the Associate Director for Measurement Services for NBS. His final assignment at NBS was as the Manager of Technical Applications of Measurement Standards. He retired in 1991.

He received his B.S. in Applied Physics from the California Institute of Technology and his PhD. in Physics at the University of Pittsburgh.

His professional activities included:
IMECKO, Technical Committee 8, Tractability of Measurements
National Academy of Science/ National Research Council Advisory Panel of NBS Time and Frequency Division
IEEE Metrification Committee/ Glossary of Metrological Terms.

Dr. McCoubrey has been a member of: the America Physical Society, American Society for Quality-Measurement Quality Division, and the IEEE.

 

Agilent Technologies' New Low-Priced Calibration Service Offering

Agilent Technologies Inc. introduced a low-priced calibration service for electronic test equipment used in general-purpose applications. Agilent now offers the most comprehensive calibration service portfolio available in the industry, giving customers a broad range of calibration choices so they can best match the usage requirements of their test equipment.

The competitively priced Industry Calibration service is designed for customers who need calibration services for general-purpose applications from R&D to manufacturing to field service. Industry Calibration, which includes calibration data and adjustments, is available for a wide variety of Agilent and third-party electronic test equipment, including basic instruments such as digital multimeters, power supplies, counters, function generators and oscilloscopes. It is also available for RF/microwave equipment, such as signal generators, spectrum analyzers and network analyzers.

Agilent continues to offer both its Inclusive and Standards-Based Calibration services. Inclusive Calibration provides additional test points, calibrating the instrument to a level equivalent to when the instrument was originally manufactured, and is especially well suited for high-performance, critical applications such as final production test and R&D design validation. Standards-Based Calibration, which includes Z540, ISO 17025 and accredited options, is ideal for customers with specific quality-standard requirements. All Agilent calibration services are available by returning the equipment to Agilent or directly at customers' sites.

"We are pleased to now offer our customers a full range of calibration services so they can buy the right amount of calibration to meet their needs," said Jake Egbert, vice president of Agilent's Service Solutions Unit. "Agilent Industry Calibration allows customers to purchase services delivered with the quality and expertise Agilent is known for, at an extremely attractive price."

Additional information about Industry Calibration is available at www.agilent.com/find/industrycal.


3D Instruments Has Moved to a New Location

3D Instruments has moved to a new location. The new address and phone number are: 2900 E. White Star, Anaheim, California tel: (714) 399-9200, fax: (714) 399-9221.

3D Instruments manufacture the original direct drive pressure gauge in test gauge and process gauge accuracies. See our digital pressure gauge products including the new digital test gauge, our versatile Star digital pressure calibrator, low pressure gage, precision test pressure gauge, hand held pressure generator, portable pressure calibration test kit, pressure volume controller and filled system temperature gauge along with other products and accessories.


Analytical Calibration Services Expanded at Pharmaceutical Calibrations and Instrumentation, LLC

Pharmaceutical Calibrations and Instrumentation, LLC (PCI) is now offering a wide range of calibration and qualification services for analytical laboratory equipment. PCI provides GMP, GLP, and ISO 9000 compliant instrument preventive maintenance, validation and compliance services independent of the equipment manufacturer. These services include pre-use qualification (IQ, OQ, PQ) for all system installations, as well as, existing installations requiring post-use qualification (PM, OQ, PQ).

PCI is a nationwide leader in calibration, consulting and validation services in FDA regulated environments. The company is committed to providing a consistent and dependable service, both On-Site and in PCI’s Metrology Laboratory. Calibrations are performed by cGMP/GLP-trained personnel; knowledgeable in quality guidelines enforced by the FDA, EPA and ISO.

PCI has office locations in North Carolina, Indiana and Kalamazoo. For additional information, contact PCI at 877-PCI-CALS or visit their web site at www.pci-llc.com.


President Continues to Make Technology a Priority - Technology Administration Receives Half Billion Dollars in Proposed Funding

President Bush outlined his continued support for science and technology in the FY 2005 budget request he sent to Congress on February 2. Under the proposed plan the Technology Administration (TA) would receive $529.8 million. The funding builds on the President’s continued commitment to research and development, especially in the areas of nanotechnology and cybersecurity. “The President realizes that technology is central to both our economic security and our homeland security,” said Under Secretary of Technology Phillip J. Bond. “Given the President’s efforts to hold the line on non-defense funding, this budget request represents a significant investment in our science and technology infrastructure that would enable us to both win the war on terror and remain competitive around the world.” The Technology Administration includes the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Office of Technology Policy (OTP), and the National Technical Information Service (NTIS).

Below is a more detailed breakdown of the TA budget:
The President’s request for NIST is $521.5 million. The request is divided into three appropriations:
$422.9 million for Scientific and Technical Research and Services (STRS), including $417.5 million for the NIST Laboratories that provide U.S. industry and the science/technology community with the measurement capabilities, standards, evaluated reference data and test methods needed to support innovation, improve quality and lower transaction costs in virtually all technology-intensive sectors; and $5.4 million for the Baldrige National Quality Program.

The NIST Laboratory budget includes several research initiatives to strengthen our nation’s technological competitiveness, including:

  • $15.6 million to support advances in key manufacturing areas, including nanomanufacturing research, nanometrology for the electronics and semiconductor industries, advanced medical technologies, and measurements and standards for international trade, and to create a National Nanofabrication and Nanometrology User Facility;
  • $18.6 million for research on measurements and standards for public safety and security, including improved standards, technology and practices for building construction and for the safety of emergency first responders; measurement technologies for homeland security such as the rapid detection and response to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive agents; improved standards and technologies for biometric identification; and cybersecurity;
  • $16.2 million for advanced measurement science, standards and services, including measurement capabilities to support emerging technologies in biosystems; research on quantum-level computing and communications systems; improvements to NIST’s critical time scale and time dissemination services; and an expansion of the NIST Competence Program to foster new measurement capabilities needed in developing areas of science and technology;
  • $8.3 million for capability improvements at the NIST Center for Neutron Research, to enable this facility, which has been called the highest performing and most used neutron facility in the United States, to significantly expand its collaboration with industrial, government and academic researchers in materials science, biotechnology, chemistry, engineering, and physics (in addition, this increase will help to cover sharp increases in NCNR’s operating costs); and
  • $25.5 million for special instrumentation and equipment needs for the new NIST Advanced Measurement Laboratory. The AML is the world’s most sophisticated measurement and standards laboratory, and will facilitate high-precision research in support of key areas such as nanotechnology, biotechnology and homeland security. To take advantage of its unique mix of capabilities to control vibration, temperature, humidity and other environmental factors affecting precision metrology experiments, NIST requires equally specialized instruments and equipment.

$59.4 million for Construction of Research Facilities (CRF), covering critical issues in safety, maintenance, repair and facilities upgrades. The CRF budget includes two important initiatives:

  • $25.7 million primarily to address pressing issues of facility modernization at the NIST Boulder Labs that are impairing NIST’s ability to deliver critical measurement services in several areas, including time and frequency standards; and
  • $10.6 million to increase the NIST annual safety, capacity, maintenance and major repairs budget for Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo., to avoid continual costly deterioration and obsolescence issues.

39.2 million for Industrial Technology Services (ITS), including funding for the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership that supports a national network helping many small U.S. manufacturers become more competitive and productive.

 

Sypris Reports 17% Increase in Fourth Quarter Revenue

Sypris Solutions, Inc. reported revenue increased 17% to a record $78.2 million for the fourth quarter compared to $66.7 million for the prior year period.

For the full year 2003, revenue increased to $276.6 million from $273.5 million for the year-earlier period.

"We are pleased with the financial results for the quarter," said Jeffrey T. Gill, president and chief executive officer. "The Company recovered solidly from the difficulties of the third period, which were largely responsible for the decline in net income for Sypris during 2003. Net orders increased 52% to a record $99.6 million for the quarter, resulting in a year-to-date increase in net orders of 21% to a record $321.7 million when compared to 2002. Backlog increased as well, rising 29% to a record $199.0 million at the end of 2003."

"We continued to invest in our future during 2003, with spending for new equipment, capacity and capabilities rising 129% to $45.8 million, which included the purchase of the award-winning plant in Morganton, North Carolina from Dana Corporation at year end. The Company's balance sheet remains in excellent shape, and with over $80 million of cash and available credit, we are in a solid position to pursue opportunities to further accelerate the Company's growth."

Revenue for the Electronics Group increased 13% to $53.0 million in the fourth quarter from $46.8 million for the prior year, and increased 14% sequentially from the third quarter of 2003 primarily due to increased shipments to aerospace and defense customers and a firming in the demand for test and measurement services. Gross profit for the quarter increased 12% to $11.1 million from $9.9 million in the same period in 2002, and 36% sequentially from the third quarter of 2003 as a result of the increased shipments and the nonrecurring expenses incurred during the third quarter of 2003.

For the full year, revenue for our Electronics Group declined 3% to $180.7 million from $186.6 million for the prior year, primarily reflecting lower shipments during the first half of 2003, the delay of certain aerospace and defense shipments into 2004, and a decline in revenue for test and measurement services. Gross profit for the year declined to $36.3 million from $37.8 million, while gross margins remained fairly constant at 20% of revenue.

"Net orders increased 4% for the quarter and the year, with net orders of $191.5 million for the full year 2003," said Gill. "Backlog increased at a slightly higher rate, rising 9% to $125.8 million at the end of 2003. We believe the outlook for aerospace and defense spending remains solid and with the expected firming of the economy, we should see an increasingly positive contribution from our test and measurement services business, which has been impacted by the downturn in the markets for commercial aerospace, telecommunications and semiconductor products during the past several years."

 

International Isotopes Inc. Acquires Exclusive Patent Technology For Production of Ultra Pure Fluorine Gas Products

International Isotopes Inc., a manufacturer of nuclear medicine calibration and reference standards and radioisotopes for medical devices and clinical research, announces the acquisition of all patent technology and intellectual property for a Fluorine Extraction Process (FEP) from International Machine Design (IMD), Boston, MA.

The FEP patents and intellectual property will be used for production of several high purity fluorine products and International Isotopes Inc will be establishing a new fluorine products division to capitalize upon the FEP patent technology and establish commercial scale production capacity of these gases. High purity fluorine gases are in ever-increasing demand for ion- implantation or chemical vapor deposition processes for microelectronics
components and high-speed silicon chip manufacture.

Fluorine production is an entirely new product line for the Company. However, International Isotopes Inc feels it is uniquely well suited in several respects to pursue the FEP market.

First, handling the raw material (uranium tetra fluoride) requires an operating permit and safety management programs specifically licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Although this type of regulation presents a major barrier to entry to most businesses, International Isotopes Inc already has the staff, safety programs, and
the infrastructure necessary to support NRC licensing for the new FEP facility.

A second advantage is the Company is located relatively close to an approved disposal site for the uranium oxide waste product resulting from FEP production.

A third advantage is the Company's existing quality assurance program that ensures the pedigree and consistent quality standards of the FEP products just as it has for the various medical devices and nuclear medicine reference and calibration standards currently manufactured by the Company.

Steve Laflin, President and CEO said, "The purity of FEP products is an order of magnitude better than commonly available fluorine gas products and makes them ideally suited to specialty applications such as microelectronics, where ultra high purity gases are required. In addition, the production costs of FEP products are low in comparison with ultra pure fluorine products manufactured by other commercial methods. The Company expects to effectively compete with existing high purity fluorine product suppliers."

Mr. Laflin continued, "I am very excited about this new opportunity and the prospects of working hand-in-hand with the original developers of the technology and markets. We believe the market size and growth outlook for these high purity fluorine products is excellent and should provide the Company an opportunity to grow our revenue substantially. At this point we anticipate the start of production process design and initiation of our permitting activities in the first quarter of 2004. Ultimately I believe we will have some production capacity in place and be able to provide our initial product qualification samples to prospective customers before the end of calendar year 2004 and FEP product revenues commence in 2005."

International Isotopes Inc. manufactures a full range of nuclear medicine calibration and reference standards and provides a selection of radioisotopes and radiochemicals for medical devices, calibration, clinical research, life sciences, and industrial applications. The Company also provides a host of analytical, measurement, and processing services on a contract basis to clients.

 

MKS Instruments Reports Fourth Quarter 2003 Financial Results

MKS Instruments, Inc., a leading worldwide provider of process control technologies for improving productivity in semiconductor and other advanced manufacturing processes, reported fourth quarter and full year 2003 results.

Fourth quarter 2003 revenues totaled $101.8 million, a 25 percent increase from $81.6 million in the third quarter of 2003 and a 31 percent increase from $77.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2002.

For the full year of 2003, net sales increased by 7 percent to $337.3 million from $314.8 million in 2002. The GAAP net loss was reduced to $16.4 million, or $0.32 per basic share, in 2003 from $39.5 million, or $0.79 per basic share, in 2002.

"We are pleased with our strong revenue growth and return to profitability at the beginning of what we see as a cyclical upturn. Fourth quarter revenues increased across our product groups, as an improving economy and higher utilization at the leading edge drove semiconductor capital equipment investment," said John R. Bertucci, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President.

 

NACLA News - Election of Board Members, Re-election of President, Office Relocation

The membership of the National Cooperation for Laboratory Accreditation (NACLA) has elected Dr. Louis T. Dixon to a second one-year term as President and has elected three new individuals to the NACLA Board of Directors/Operations Council.

The three new Board/Council members are: David Alderman, Group Leader of the Standards Coordination and Conformity Group of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Joseph Bransky, a representative of the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) who represents General Motors on the QS-9000 Supplier Task Force and the TS 16949 International Automotive Task Force (IATF); and William Tilstone, Executive Director of the National Forensic Technology Center.

NACLA has relocated its operations from its Gaithersburg, Maryland office to two new offices, effective January 1, 2004.

  • NACLA's new corporate office is located near Orlando, FL. The mailing address is:
    NACLA, c/o Guildline Instruments, Inc., 103 Commerce St., Suite 160, Lake Mary, FL 32746. Phone is (407) 333-3327. Fax, (407) 333-3309. Email, treasurer@nacla.net.

    NACLA's Treasurer, Tony Anderson, will be the main contact at the corporate office. All NACLA corporation inquiries, communications with the NACLA President and officers, financial matters, dues and fees, and general NACLA business will be handled from this office.


  • NACLA's new Washington office is located at 3800 N. Fairfax Dr., #1304, Arlington, VA 22203. Phone is (703) 351-8098. Fax, (703) 351-8097. Email, naclaexec@comcast.net.

    Heading the Washington office will be Joe O'Neil, NACLA Executive Administrator. The focus of this office will be technical matters such as committee activities, and issues relating to NACLA's main mission, the evaluation and recognition of accreditation bodies.

For more information visit NACLA.

 

Industrial Vibration Consultants Acquires The Modal's Shop Vibration Analysis Division

Industrial Vibration Consultants (IVC), a leader in delivering predictive maintenance consulting services to U.S. industry, has acquired the heavy industrial application engineering services (AES) division of The Modal Shop, an advanced vibration and process analysis firm in Cincinnati.

The Modal Shop, a PCB Group Company, provides a variety of products and services to aid engineers in dynamic process control, predictive maintenance and product structural analysis. The AES division provides comprehensive vibration and dynamic analysis capabilities in a variety of manufacturing industries. Services range from basic machine vibration analysis and performance benchmarking to advanced diagnostics utilizing all available data sources, including acoustics, pressure, force, tension, load and vibration. AES has been a leader in the field of rolling mill chatter analysis, as well as process dynamic analysis as it applies to production performance and product quality.

With the acquisition, IVC also hired Bob Miller, The Modal Shop’s senior industrial consultant and a founding member of the AES division. Miller will serve as technical director of IVC and will head up IVC’s newly formed Applications Engineering Group. Miller has over 20 years of experience in both military and commercial predictive maintenance applications, with a heavy concentration in the automotive and steel manufacturing fields. He will lead the Applications Engineering Group in developing advanced diagnostic capabilities in multi-channel production and process analyses.

“We’re very excited to acquire this division of The Modal Shop and have Bob join our predictive maintenance team,” said John Langhorne, president of IVC. “This is a significant step toward our goal of becoming the unquestioned leader in vibration analysis.”

 

New Magazine of ISO

ISO Focus is the new magazine of ISO, replacing ISO's former magazine, the ISO Bulletin.

With ISO Focus, whether you are already in the world of standardization, or a complete stranger to it, whether you are in business or in industry, in a small and medium sized enterprise or multinational company - you will get a panoramic view of what is being done in international standardization, why it has been done and what will be done.

Visit ISO and preview the January issue and learn how to subscribe.

 

Hexagon Strengthens Its European Management

Mr. Per Holmberg is assuming a newly established position as President of Hexagon Metrology Europe including its subsidiaries DEA and Mirai in Italy, Leitz in Germany and C E Johansson in Sweden.

Mr Holmberg is 44 years old and has spent most of his working life with the Electrolux Group. He has worked in various senior positions in the USA, Germany, Italy and the Far East.

Hexagon Metrology is the world leader within the metrology industry and the future growth potential is strong. The new European organization creates opportunities for increased customer focus during a though period in the European market. It will generate an even stronger growth potential for the business area.

 

Symmetricom Completes Merger-Related Consolidation of Manufacturing Operations

Symmetricom Inc., a leading supplier of network synchronization and timing solutions for the global telecommunications industry, announced the formal closure of its Irvine, California manufacturing site. This closure, announced in May 2003, completes the integration of Symmetricom’s Technology Research Center into a single facility located in Beverly, MA. It is also the final facility consolidation associated with the company’s acquisitions of Datum, Inc. and TrueTime. Integration activities conducted since the mergers closed have reduced Symmetricom's active square footage from over 450,000 in October 2002 to less than 295,000 today and are expected to save the company $30M in annual operating expenses.

As part of the consolidation, operations for the company's rubidium-based atomic frequency standards have successfully been moved to Symmetricom’s Technology Realization Center (TRC) in Beverly, MA. The TRC produces precise time and frequency standards based upon the unique atomic properties of quartz, rubidium, cesium and hydrogen. These atomic standards are essential for a broad array of applications including systems for telecommunications, metrology, as well as space, defense and avionics.

 

Quarterly Reports From Perkin Elmer, AMETEK, and Danaher

  • PerkinElmer, Inc. a global leader in health sciences and other advanced technology markets, announced GAAP earnings per share of $.21 from continuing operations on revenue of $432.6 million for the fourth quarter ended December 28, 2003. Revenue from continuing operations in the fourth quarter of 2003 was $432.6 million, an increase of 6.0% from the fourth quarter of 2002, driven by revenue growth in all segments. The Company generated operating cash flow of $77.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2003 and $167.5 million for the full year 2003, an increase of $28.9 million and $59.8 million, respectively, compared to the fourth quarter and full year 2002. The Company paid down $20 million of its long-term debt during the fourth quarter of 2003, and reduced long-term debt by $70 million during 2003.
  • AMETEK Inc. announced fourth quarter and full year results that established records for sales, operating income, net income and diluted earnings per share. The Company also announced several significant changes including a stock split, dividend increase and the expanded use of restricted stock as part of its long-term compensation structure.

    AMETEK achieved 2003 sales of $1.09 billion, up 5% from year 2002 results.
    "AMETEK had a very good 2003," noted Frank S. Hermance, AMETEK Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Contributions from acquired businesses enabled us to grow the top-line during a difficult time for the manufacturing sector. An improving mix of businesses combined with our successful operational excellence focus enabled us to post another year of record earnings," he commented.

    For the 2003 fourth quarter, Electronic Instrument Groups (EIG) sales increased 15% to $151.9 million. "EIG sales were up in the quarter as the contribution from the acquisitions of Solidstate Controls and Chandler Instruments and internal growth in our high-end analytical instruments business more than overcame lower aerospace and power instrument sales...," said Mr. Hermance. For the year, EIG sales of $561.9 million were up 4% from 2002 sales of $539.4 million.
  • Danaher Corporation announced results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2003.

    Net earnings for the fourth quarter of 2003, including the impact of a gain related to the curtailment of the Company’s cash balance pension plan of $0.09 per share, were $169.9 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, compared with $161.7 million, or $1.03 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2002, including the effect of unusual items.

    Net earnings for the fourth quarter of 2003, excluding the pension curtailment gain, were $155.4 million, or $0.97 per diluted share, a 23% increase over the comparable earnings per share amount for 2002.

    Sales for the 2003 fourth quarter were $1,488.8 million compared to $1,275.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2002, an increase of 17%.

    Sales for 2003 were $5,293.9 million compared to $4,577.2 million in 2002, an increase of 16%.

    H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We are pleased to report record fourth quarter and full year results. Total sales for the quarter grew 17%, including a 6% increase in revenues from existing businesses, the largest such increase since the third quarter of 2000. We experienced strong gains in both our process/environmental controls and our tools and components segments. We have again achieved record cash flow with 2003 operating cash flow totaling $861.5 million, a 21% increase over the 2002 level of $710.3 million. As signs of an economic recovery become more broad-based, we are again optimistic about our ability to outperform in 2004.”
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