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MAY 2004 INDUSTRY NEWS

 

IAS to Require Technician Certification for Calibration Laboratories

The International Accreditation Service (IAS) will require calibration laboratories to have certified technicians as part of accreditation by December 2009. Professional certification will be accepted as evidence of training and knowledge of the facilities’ metrology professionals. IAS accredits calibration laboratories by verifying technical competence and assessing their quality systems.

The new requirement will affect calibration laboratories already accredited by IAS, as well as applicants seeking accreditation. IAS is the first accreditation body in North America to include certification of calibration technicians as part of its evaluation.

"Certification raises the bar on professionalism in the calibration community because it requires a higher, continuous evidence of professional qualifications," said IAS President Chuck Ramani.
Certifications accepted by IAS include the Certified Calibration Technician certification from the American Society of Quality (ASQ), the PROCERH certification administered by CENAM of Mexico, the Measurement NVQ/SVQ Partnership Programme administered by NPL of the United Kingdom, National Certificate in Industrial Measurement and Control administered by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, or an equivalent certification.

IAS accredits calibration laboratories to ISO/IEC standard 17025, an internationally accepted standard for laboratory accreditation. The new requirement for technician certification fulfills the training and education components of the standard for verification of personnel competency.
"The staff of calibration labs will now be able to demonstrate the same level of professionalism that is currently required by those who work for testing laboratories and in code enforcement," said Ramani.

The International Accreditation Service, a subsidiary of the International Code Council, assesses and accredits competent testing and calibration laboratories, inspection agencies and fabricator inspection programs. In operation since 1975, IAS is one of the oldest accreditation bodies of its type and is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation recognized worldwide. To learn more about IAS and its programs in the fields of testing, inspection and conformity assessment, please visit www.iasonline.org, call 1-866-427-4422, or e-mail info@iasonline.org.

Proceedings of Recent Meetings of Interest to Calibration, Metrology, Quality Professionals

The proceedings of two recent meetings - the A2LA annual Conclave held on March 9 - 15, 2004 and the 12th Annual Conference on Quality in the Space & Defense Industries held on March 22 - 23, 2004 are available for reading on their respective web sites.

The A2LA's annual series of meetings began with the annual assessor orientation course. There were 17 participants, 15 of whom passed the exam administered at the end of the course. This year's plenary session was devoted entirely to assessor refresher training on ISO/IEC 17025 and A2LA’s interpretations for many of the requirements contained within.

To read the full account of the Conclave visit this page at A2LA.

Participants attending the Conference on Quality in the Space & Defense Industries (CQSDI) get the opportunity to hear presentations and participate in discussions regarding topics such as:

How is quality and safety culture changing?
Are we focusing on the right things?
What do we need to control?
What are the constructs?
What have we learned?
How do we manage culture and technology in a high-risk business?

The conference is carefully facilitated to promote direct interaction and open discussion of high visibility topics affecting the quality of products and services.

To view the presentations from the recent March, 2004 conference visit http://www.asdnet.org/cqsdi/resources/presentations.htm

International Association of Dimensional Metrologists Being Formed

As a result of a meeting held at this years International Dimensional Workshop 2004 in Nashville plans are being formulated to establish a new Association devoted to the training, support and needs of all Dimensional Metrologists. A steering committee was formed and a flyer was created to determine if there is sufficient interest to continue with this project. Work is progressing on a Mission Statement and Business Plan and input from any and all interested parties is welcome.

A flyer will be distributed at several shows coming up in the next few months. These will go to interested parties with the intention of building a list of potential members that can be signed up once the plan is ready and we have the necessary corporate sponsorship needed to get this endeavor off the ground. The Team is also looking for suggestions from potential members as to what they would like to receive from IADM as part of their membership benefits. The group hopes to publish a quarterly newsletter and establish a website once the organization is up and running.

If you are interested in being a corporate sponsor or a member of the organization contact the following individuals for information: Dr. Ed Morse, UNC Charlotte, Ed Pritchard, Oak Ridge Metrology Center, Dr. Jim Salsbury, Mitutoyo

Joe D. Simmons Memorial Scholarship Soliciting Candidates

The Joe D. Simmons Scholarship is soliciting candidates for an award of $1500 to support the study of metrology and quality during the 2004–2005 school year. The award—to be administered by the school of the awardee— may cover tuition, fees, books and other incidental academic expenses for the winning scholar.

The Scholarship is in memory of Dr. Joe D. Simmons, who was Chief of the NIST Calibration Program, NIST liaison to the National Conference of Standards Laboratories, recipient of the Measurement Science Conference’s Andrew J. Woodington Award and the National Conference of Standards Laboratories’ Wildhack Award, cofounder and Chair of the Measurement Quality Division of the American Society for Quality Control (ASQ), and founding Chair of the Measurement Quality Conference. He devoted his later career to promoting institutional support for metrology as the cornerstone of quality. The Scholarship fosters the furtherance of metrology through education by striving to:

a) support the academic pursuit of a metrology career by worthy students;
b) promote and improve measurement science education and educational opportunity;
c) encourage talented individuals to enter the field of metrology; and
d) stimulate professionalism in metrology

through an annual award to a student exhibiting scholastic excellence in the study of measurement science and quality. The Scholarship is supported by the ASQ Measurement Quality Division, the Measurement Science Conference, NCSL International, and many individual friends and colleagues of Joe Simmons. It is to be awarded annually, with the awardee’s name announced at the annual conferences of the sponsoring organizations.

Educational institutions having curricula with substantial metrology content are urged to encourage high-potential students to apply.

Visit ASQ's Measurement Quality Division to download an application.

 

Blue Mountain Quality Resources, Inc. Adds A Training Facility To Their State College, PA Location

Blue Mountain Quality Resources, Inc. has added a training facility to their offices in State College, PA. Designed to accommodate up to six trainees, the facility boasts leading-edge technology and equipment specifically for Calibration Manager training.


“The training facility was built to meet customer needs. We can have smaller, more frequent, hands-on training classes at the convenience of our Calibration Manager users,” said Jim Erickson, president of Blue Mountain Quality Resources.


In addition, Blue Mountain provides regional training across the country, as well as on-site training at customer facilities. All of the Calibration Manager training provides users the tools and skills to use the software for optimal productivity. Blue Mountain's staff of professional trainers will guide trainees through each functional element of Calibration Manager in an instructional format that reflects normal everyday use.


Michell Instruments Accredited by UKAS for Relative Humidity Calibrations

Michell Instruments Ltd has been awarded accreditation by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) to perform calibrations on relative humidity instruments at their laboratory in Cambridge. This indicates the highest level of confidence, from the UK's national accreditation service, in a laboratory's ability to perform calibrations in a controlled and repeatable manner.

The accreditation covers the relative humidity range 10 to 98% RH at temperatures from 10 to 82 °C and 10 to 73% RH from 82 to 90 °C. Uncertainty is 2% of measured relative humidity at temperatures from 20 to 90 °C and 2.3% of measured relative humidity from 10 to 20 °C (at a coverage factor of k=2). Best measurement uncertainty for temperature is +/- 0.2 °C.

Michell Instruments’ laboratory was the first to be UKAS accredited for the calibration of dew point hygrometers in1986. The laboratory has the widest dew point range of any hygrometer manufacturer, anywhere in the World, and is now accredited at humidity levels from –90 up to +82 °C dew point, with best uncertainty of 0.15 ºC dew point at k=2 (for +20 ºC dew point).

These latest extensions mean that Michell can offer a full range service for dew point and relative humidity calibration, at a competitive price, backed up by eighteen years’ experience in meeting and exceeding the exacting requirements of the UKAS accreditation system. The system has worldwide recognition through the EA, ILAC and IAF.


R.A. Electrical Services News

R.A. Electrical Services has joined the rank and file of the Government Suppliers and has been supplying calibration and repair services to the U. S. Navy. The CAGE Code granted by the Defense Logistics Agency is 3SGV9.

This accomplishment is specially welcomed by some U.S. Government customers overseas. Utilizing R.A. Electrical Services can now be automatic instead of the time consuming process of seeking approvals and registrations.

"This marks a historic moment in the life of R.A. Electrical Services which started business more than a decade ago in the UK, with a single line of porosity meter calibration services, helping Boeing subcontractors in their quest for quality," commented Bob Abrahams, the Business Development Manager of R.A. Electrical Services.


Update From UpState Metrology

UpState Metrology, Inc. a leading calibration facility in Rochester, New York now offers on-line services called "Easy Track". Easy Track allows customers to receive copies of all calibration certificates, data sheets and recall notifications, go to www.upstateeasytrack.com or see the link at UpState Metrology for more information.


UK Manufacturer Expands Calibration Laboratory

Norbar Torque Tools Ltd in Banbury is delighted to announce the opening of its new, enlarged and modernised UKAS accredited calibration laboratory. A significant investment, it has been built to cope with current and future demands for its services. A UKAS certificate is supplied as standard with all of Norbar’s measuring systems up to 6800 N.m and is optional for torque wrenches and torque multipliers within this range. The service is also available for all existing torque measurement equipment and torque tools, whether of Norbar manufacture or not.

Torque measurement is a serious business. In the extreme, people's lives may depend on the accuracy with which a bolt is tightened. Too tight and it may fracture, too loose and it may not do the job it is designed to do. In aerospace, the oil industry and many others, precision is vital. So, Norbar spends a lot of time and effort on calibration and accuracy of measurement.

It was the first company in Britain to commercially manufacture a torque wrench and since then, has continued to invest in the latest design, manufacturing and quality control technology. It now has the largest and most modern factory in Europe exclusively devoted to the development and production of torque tightening and measuring equipment.

Norbar was the first torque equipment manufacturer to have an in-house NAMAS calibration laboratory (the precursor to UKAS) and continues to offer the most comprehensive service available. The laboratory has approval for torques between 0.05 and 6800 N.m. A UKAS calibration service is available for all makes of torque wrench, torque multiplier and torque testing device within this range. Calibration up to 100,000 N.m. is also available, traceable to National Standards.

Get in touch with Norbar now for efficient, cost effective UKAS calibration. For further information please contact: -Philip Brodey, Norbar Torque Tools Ltd., Beaumont Road,BANBURY, Oxon OX16 1XJ
Tel: 01295 270333 ** Fax: 01295 753609 ** e-mail: pbrodey@norbar.com

 

Mark-10 Corporation Has Moved

Mark-10 has moved to a new, state-of-the art facility in eastern Long Island that greatly increases the size of their production and office space. The new address is:
Mark-10 Corporation
11 Dixon Avenue
Copiague, NY 11726
New Telephone: 631.842.9200
New Fax: 631.842.9201

Mark-10's toll free number, 1.888.MARK.TEN remains the same and their online home hasn't changed either. Mark-10 offers a complete line of digital force gauges, torque gauges, motorized and manual test stands, gripping fixtures, and complete testing systems for force measurement and torque measurement applications. Mark-10 products are widely used in the automotive, medical, pharmaceutical, and general manufacturing industries. Visit at www.mark-10.com.

 

UKAS Accreditation for Hart Scientifics’ European Primary Temperature Laboratory

Hart Scientific, a Fluke company, has gained UKAS accreditation for its new European primary standards temperature laboratory in Norwich, UK. The laboratory, which first opened to customers in June 2003, now offers a comprehensive range of UKAS-accredited and traceable calibrations, as well as metrology services. Customers include organizations with high-end temperature measurement instruments that require calibration and verification to ITS-90 standards, the international temperature scale established in 1990.

The laboratory is equipped with standards and calibration equipment capable of temperature measurement from -200 °C up to +1000 °C, with uncertainties as low as 0.00007 °C. It has the capacity to provide both accredited and traceable calibration services to producers and users of precision temperature measurement equipment throughout greater Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Such a high level of measurement accuracy is required in primary and secondary laboratories, as well as a growing number of manufacturing companies that rely on precise temperature controls for manufacturing processes. These industries include pharmaceuticals, petrochemical and food products.

The lab utilizes a wide range of Hart Scientific equipment such as ITS-90 fixed-point cells, maintenance furnaces, standard platinum resistance thermometers (SPRTs), thermometer readouts and fluid baths, as well as using electrical standards supplied by Hart Scientifics’ parent company, Fluke.

For more information visit www.hartscientific.com/products/cal_lab_europe.htm

 

FARO's Earnings Per Share Jump to 20 Cents From 4 Cents on 57% Sales Increase

FARO Technologies, Inc. reported a 473% increase in net income in the first quarter of 2004 to $2.8 million, or 20 cents per diluted share, from $489,000, or four cents per diluted share in the first quarter of 2003. Fully diluted shares grew approximately two million shares or 16.5% to 14.1 million shares at April 3, 2004, from 12.1 million shares at March 29, 2003. Sales for the quarter increased 56.7% to $21.0 million, from $13.4 million in the first quarter of 2003. Gross margin increased eight percentage points to 64.0% in the quarter, from 56.0% in the first quarter of 2003, as a result of lower service expenses, less price discounting, and increased production efficiencies.

Income from operations increased $2.8 million from $459,000 in the first quarter of 2003 to $3.3 million in the first quarter of 2004. This increase was primarily a result of an increase in gross profit of $6.0 million, offset by a $2.5 million increase in SG&A expenses. On a sequential quarter basis, operating margin improved to 15.9% in the first quarter of 2004, compared to 11.8% in the fourth quarter of 2003.

"We showed continued strong year-over-year growth in the first quarter, continuing a trend shown throughout 2003," said Simon Raab, President and CEO. "We took a number of initiatives in the quarter to help continue our penetration into the large, underserved CAM2 market. These included expansion of our sales force around the world, with an emphasis in the Asia/Pacific, and the establishment of service centers in key newer markets including Brazil, Japan, and China. Besides expanding into new geographic regions, we are also focused on further penetrating our larger existing customers. Sales to existing customers represented 68% of total sales in the quarter, compared to 62% in all of 2003.

"Regionally, sales in the Americas increased 57.4% in the first quarter of 2004 to $8.5 million, from $5.4 million in the first quarter of 2003. Sales in the Europe/Africa region increased 65.6% to $10.1 million, from $6.1 million in 2003. Sales in the Asia/Pacific region grew 26.3% to $2.4 million, from $1.9 million in 2003.

 

William J. Kroll Inducted into New Jersey High-Tech Hall of Fame

Mr. William J. Kroll, Chairman, President and CEO of Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc., was inducted into the New Jersey High-Tech Hall of Fame at the fifth annual award ceremony and dinner, which took place on April 29, 2004 at the Sheraton at Woodbridge Place, Iselin, NJ.

The New Jersey High-Tech Hall of Fame was created to spotlight the high-tech achievements of Business Leaders, Researchers, Educators, and Government Officials, who, through their leadership and accomplishments, have made New Jersey one of the premier high-tech states in the nation. These leaders were selected by the industry itself through balloting coordinated by the AeA, the nation's largest high-tech trade association, the Biotechnology Council of New Jersey, and the Healthcare Institute of New Jersey.

Kroll's experience spans 30 years and includes executive management in almost every area of business, including eleven years of service to Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. For the past two years Kroll served as President and CEO of Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc., and he acted as Senior Vice President, and Vice President of Sales and Marketing from 1986 to 1994. During his hiatus from Matheson Tri-Gas, Mr. Kroll served as Executive Vice President of Business Development at EMCORE where he was instrumental in taking that company public. He became a much sought after spokesperson for the technical community and was key in forming joint ventures, acquisitions and international distribution agreements. His more notable accomplishments were the formation of GELcore, the joint venture in solid-state lighting with General Electric Lighting; the joint venture with Uniroyal Technology Corp., in the formation of Uniroyal Optoelectronics, the maker of light emitting diode chips; and the joint venture with Union Miniere in the use of Germanium substrates for III-V devices.

Kroll completed his undergraduate and graduate work at Northwestern University. He is an established author having penned more than 50 papers in the areas of physical and chemical vapor deposition for semiconductor technology and is a member of IEEE, SEMI, SPIE, SAE, The Electrochemical Society and MRS. He has served on the Boards of the AeA, CGA, Princeton Photonics, Optoelectronics Materials Center and Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc.

 

EPTECH - Regional Professional Electronics Shows Produced Across Canada

EPTECH is the only series of coast-to-coast national electronics shows in Canada. The series is sponsored by EP&T, Canada's largest professional electronics trade publication, and is produced by LVP Media Inc., a leading technology-information provider.

Annual EPTECH events are held in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto/Markham, Vancouver and Quebec City. EPTECH shows in Halifax, London, Winnipeg, Moncton and Saskatoon are held at a frequency of less than every year.
Employing a highly time-efficient table-top display format, EPTECH shows target electronics designers, engineers, technicians, technologists, purchasers, technical managers and researchers.

EPTECH exhibitors cover a very broad spectrum within the electronics industry, displaying such products as semiconductors and ICs; passive and electromechanical components; test equipment and electronic instrumentation; connectors; design, test and technical software; technical computer systems and products; design, testing and contract manufacturing services; electronic chemicals and materials production equipment; and industrial electronics products.

Visit EPTECH 2004 to learn more about the 2004 schedule.

 

When Microns Matter: NIST Web Site Smooths the Way

A new National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Web site enables manufacturers to check the accuracy of measurement software used to verify the smoothness of product surfaces.

Automotive, aerospace and optic industry engineers should find the NIST virtual surface calibration Web site particularly useful. Those industries rely on precise measurements of surface smoothness to ensure the efficiency of cylinder-piston engines, to make high-performance metal wind tunnels, and to produce better optical components.

Until now, manufacturers have had difficulty spotting errors in results calculated by the analysis software of measuring instruments. An undiscovered surface flaw can make a multimillion dollar line of finished products useless.

Visitors to the free NIST Web site can validate software measurements without access to proprietary software codes. The Internet site contains NIST two-dimensional surface texture analysis software and a database of approximately 10 different types of surface profiles or “silhouettes” including surface parameters calculated by NIST. Surface parameters indicate how smooth or rough a surface is or specify the shape of a surface profile.

Visitors can download surface profiles from the NIST Web site and run these profiles through their own measurement software. The surface parameters produced by the visitor’s software later can be compared with those of NIST. Manufacturers also can upload their own surface profiles to NIST and run the data through the NIST analysis software. If the results agree, the users can have more confidence in the accuracy of their software. The NIST virtual surface calibration Web site was developed in consultation with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

It is available at http://ats.nist.gov/VSC/jsp. NIST expects to add three dimensional topographic data and associated calculated parameters to the site in 2005.

 

Agilent Technologies Adds Pre-Owned Equipment Resellers to Agilent Advantage Assurance Program

Agilent Technologies Inc. announced that DoveBid Test and Measurement Group, MetricTest and TestEquity have been added as authorized resellers to the Agilent Advantage Assurance program. Pre-owned instruments sold under the Agilent Advantage Assurance program have been evaluated, calibrated and guaranteed by Agilent to meet performance standards, giving customers a low-risk option for purchasing pre-owned test equipment.

"In March we announced an industry-first approach for purchasing pre-owned test equipment that significantly reduces the risk of unknown quality," said Bill Highstreet, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Financial Solutions Unit. "With the addition of DoveBid TMG, MetricTest and TestEquity, we are expanding the reach of the Agilent Advantage Assurance program. Customers who buy Agilent-assured equipment get the confidence and peace of mind that comes from knowing their equipment performance and quality is guaranteed by Agilent."

DoveBid TMG, MetricTest and TestEquity are leading U.S. providers of pre-owned test and measurement equipment for a variety of markets such as electronics, aerospace and defense, and communications. Each company offers fully refurbished equipment and has a proven track record of customer satisfaction. Under the Agilent Advantage Assurance program, Agilent or HP brand pre-owned instruments purchased through an approved Agilent reseller are sent to Agilent for evaluation and calibration to full product specifications. Instruments covered by the program come with one year of protection against all repair costs and one year of free technical support. Agilent Advantage Assurance equipment has been available through resellers on eBay since March 2004.

 

NAPT's Announcements

NAPT would like to announce the addition of on-site facilitation and administration of ILC/PTs. We will review existing ILC/PTs prior to arrival to ensure conformance with ISO Guide 43. Usually most ILC/PTs can be conducted in 1 to 2 days. This service is primarily aimed at companies with multiple locations and/or Technicians where scheduling is a potential issue and for those parameters where the traditional ILC/PT format is not available or appropriate.

NAPT still has space available in the upcoming regional tests.
May 20, 2004- Troy, NY - Hosted by HJM Precision
Tests offered include Scale, Balance, Optical Comparator, Surface Plate, Height Gage and Hand Tool Set (includes a Micrometer, Caliper and Dial Indicator)
SCHEDULING CLOSES MAY 5, 2004.

June 23-25, 2004- Covington, KY @ the ISWM Annual Conference
Tests offered include Scale and Balance

Call (952) 920-1488 today to schedule your participation!! Many other regional sites are in development.
Other sites NAPT in the process of developing are based upon expected demand. If you are interested in participating in ILC/PTs at any of these sites please call the NAPT office at (952) 920-1488 for more information as it becomes available.
July- Phoenix, AZ or Los Angeles
September- Chatanooga, TN
October- Minneapolis, MN
October- McAllen, Tx and Mexico
November- Columbus, OH

NAPT to exhibit at NCSLI Technical Conference
NAPT will be exhibiting at the NCSLI Technical Conference in Salt Lake City, UT July 11-15, 2004. If you are planning on attending please stop by our booth and say hello. We look forward to meeting you!

 

ASQ's Measurement Quality Division's 2004 Conference

The 2004 Conference will be held at:
USAF Primary Standards Laboratory
Conference & Cafeteria Facilities
Newark Metrology Operations
Heath, Ohio 43056

Heath, Ohio is conveniently located 20 miles east of Columbus off I-70 and served by Columbus airport. Many hotel and dining facilities exist in the surrounding area.

Abstract submissions of less than 100 words are invited from the following suggested (but not limited to) categories:

· Measurement Uncertainty
· Training
· Standards affecting Inspection and Measurement
· Measurement Techniques
· Inspection Techniques
· Certification
· Laboratory Accreditation
· Inspection and Measurement Quality
· Statistical Application in Inspection and Measurement

Proposals for workshops on September 22, 2004 are also invited from workshop sponsors.Workshops already planned:
· The ASQ Certified Calibration Technician (CCT) Exam Review

For further information, please contact:
Inspection Division
Gregory S. Gay: ggandlg@net-link.net
Jenny Persful: jpersful@sabincorp.com

Measurement Quality Division
Dilip A. Shah: emc3solu@aol.com
Hershal Brewer: hbrewer@iasonline.org

A limited number of EXHIBIT TABLES and PROMOTIONAL SPONSORSHIPS are also available for a nominal cost. Please contact Dilip Shah for information.

 

National Instruments Reports First Quarter Revenue Up 26 Percent

National Instruments reported first quarter revenue of $125 million, an increase of 26 percent compared to the first quarter of 2003 and the highest quarterly revenue in NI history. Fully diluted earnings per share (EPS) for Q1 were 16 cents with net income of $12.8 million, up 90 percent from Q1 2003.

"Our aggressive R&D investments throughout the economic downturn continued to pay off and position us well for future success," said Dr. James Truchard, NI CEO. "The measurement capabilities of virtual instruments are approaching or exceeding traditional instruments, with the added benefits of computer-based automation. Strong growth for LabVIEW 7 Express as well as PC-based data acquisition, PXI, Compact FieldPoint, machine vision, and modular instrumentation drove record quarterly revenue, demonstrating that virtual instrumentation has further penetrated mainstream measurement and automation applications.

Highlights
· Second consecutive quarter of record revenue
· Net income up 90 percent
· Record revenue and record net income expected for 2004
· Strong quarterly growth for NI LabVIEW software, PC-based data acquisition, PXI, Compact FieldPoint, machine vision, and modular instruments
· NI LabVIEW 7 Express named EDN Innovation of the Year

 

John Gajewski Joins Meriam Process Technologies

Meriam Process Technologies is pleased to announce that John Gajewski has joined Scott Fetzer as General Manager.

Most recently, John served for seven years as the President of Emerson Electric,
Process Analytic Division, Orrville, OH, with engineering offices in Mexico, Singapore, Germany, India and China – providing instrumentation and custom systems for the process control industry, the same general markets served by Meriam. Prior to his nine years with Emerson, John held ever more significant executive operations positions with GE, where he served for eighteen years. He received a B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

Now with John on board, we are ever more confident you will be delighted with the renewed energy and purpose of our company and our people. Meriam Process Technologies, formerly Meriam Instrument, manufactures reliable and accurate process measurement instrumentation for pressure, flow and level. Since 1911 the process industries have relied on Meriam for NIST traceable calibration standards and cost effective indicators and controls. Today, in addition to our mechanical indicators and primary elements, Meriam offers microprocessor controlled pressure calibrators, HART communicators, device management database software, process indicators with digital and analog outputs, and complete flow systems.

 

MKS Instruments Reports First Quarter 2004 Results

MKS Instruments, Inc., a leading worldwide provider of process control technologies for improving productivity in semiconductor and other advanced manufacturing processes, reported first quarter 2004 financial results. Net sales were $133.0 million, up 31 percent from $101.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2003 and up 83 percent from $72.8 million in the first quarter of 2003.

"I am pleased to report another strong quarter, with 31 percent sequential quarterly revenue growth on top of 25 percent sequential growth in the fourth quarter, driven mainly by the semiconductor capital equipment ramp. Gross margin increased to 41 percent in the first quarter of 2004 from 37 percent in the fourth quarter of 2003. We gained share in key markets and posted strong results across all product areas. Our operations and supply chain management organization and our suppliers continued to execute, with on-time deliveries of advanced, reliable products that improve customers' productivity," said John R. Bertucci, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President.

"We see a lot of opportunity ahead, and MKS is in an excellent position to participate fully in this semiconductor capital equipment spending growth cycle. We expect our sequential quarterly growth to continue at a rate consistent with or higher than the growth of the semiconductor capital equipment industry. Based on current order patterns, we anticipate that second quarter revenues could increase sequentially by 10 to 15 percent and range from $146 to $153 million..."


Transcat Appointed as Authorized Agilent Distributor

Transcat has recently been appointed as one of 15 select distributors to be authorized by Agilent to sell Agilent products. Agilent is a leading manufacturer of high accuracy precision instruments for Test, Calibration, and R&D applications.

Products included in this agreement are Oscilloscopes, Power Supplies, Bench Digital Multimeters, Power Sensors, Data Acquisition Products, and Function Generators.
In addition to offering Agilent products, Transcat provides accredited calibration services for Agilent products and all other types of test & measurement instruments.
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