MANKATO, MN – Winland Electronics Inc. today announced second-quarter net sales of $5.1 million, down 10.5% year-over-year.

The firm reported a net loss of $822,000, compared to a net loss of $714,000 in the comparable quarter in 2009.

EMS sales for the quarter totaled $4.4 million, a decline of 12.5% compared to the same quarter last year.

EMS sales were up 18.5% sequentially over the $3.7 million the firm reported in the first quarter.

The company reported an operating loss of $205,000 in its EMS business for the quarter, versus operating income of $22,000 in the comparable period in 2009.

For the first six months of 2010, sales totaled $9.7 million, down 24.9% year-over-year.

Winland reported a net loss of $1.4 million in the first six months of 2010, versus a loss of $839,000 in the comparable period in 2009.

EMS sales during the first half of 2010 totaled $8.1 versus $11.4 million in 2009. Winland’s EMS business recorded an operating loss of $248,000 versus an operating profit of $628,000 last year.

Winland designs and manufactures custom electronic control products and systems.

GLENVIEW, IL – Illinois Tool Works Inc. said it acquired Ion Systems Inc. on May 18.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Ion Systems, producer of electronic static control products, will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITW, and will become part of the company's existing ionization and static electricity control business.

ITW will continue to operate Ion Systems as a separate business, as part of the Simco electrostatic processes platform.

BILLINGSTAD, NORWAY – EMS firm Kitron reported second-quarter 2010 revenue of NOK 425.7 million, up 1.3% compared to the same quarter last year on higher medical demand.

Profit before tax and discontinued operations was NOK 1.7 million, down 37% year-over-year.

CHICAGO – The rebound in orders in the EMS sector has brought with it an uptick in M&A activity.