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ITASCA, IL – ITW has filed its 10-Q quarterly report showing third quarter operating revenues in its Power Systems and Electronics unit grew $53.3 million year-over-year, or 9.4%, to $620.7 million. Year to date, the segment is up 9.7% through Sept. 30.

For the quarter, the operating margin was 19%, down 50 basis points from a year ago. However, base margins climbed 40 basis points during the quarter. Base manufacturing revenues grew 3.1% and operating income was up 5%. Acquisitions made up another 3.7%, while currency translation costs added 2.5%. Growth was spurred primarily by a 26.4% jump in ITW’s international welding business. The acquisition revenue was primarily due to the purchase of a PCB fabrication business and a welding accessories business, ITW said.

The business unit includes Speedline Technologies, Vitronics-Soltec and Kester Solder, among others.

LAGUNA, PHILIPPINES – Integrated Microelectronics Inc. will build biometric authentication cards for Validus Technologies Corp., the companies announced this week. The value of the manufacturing deal was not disclosed.

The Validus-designed VALIDcard is a type of powered card that comes fully self-contained within a card form factor. It has uses in e-commerce, online banking, health care, physical and logical access, and security.

IMI is a top 40 EMS manufacturer with annual revenues of about $400 million.

Validus, which owns powered card patents, “chose IMI as its manufacturing partner due to [its] excellence in engineering, global manufacturing operations and key patents relating to advanced electronics assembly,” said Travis McGregor, CEO of Validus.

Validus and IMI also are producing V2.0 Beta VALIDcards, to be released to beta customers within weeks.

TAMPA, FL -- Kimball International paid $5.4 million for Genesis Electronics Manufacturing, a Tampa-based EMS firm acquired by Kimball in September.

Kimball, whose EMS group's sales rank in the top 25 worldwide, declined to specify the price at the time of the acquisition. However, the amount, which covers Genesis' assets and some liabilities, was included in the company's recent earning report.

Genesis had 2007 revenues of about $16 million.

Genesis' programs and staff will be moved to Kimball’s Tampa facility.

LOUISVILLE -- Sypris Solutions today reported revenue of $100.2 million for its third quarter, down 4.1% from the prior year.

The company swung to a net loss of $7.8 million, whereas a year-ago it reported income of $2.6 million. The most recent results included restructuring charges of $700,000 and foreign exchange losses of $1.0 million.

WASHINGTON, DC -- The AeA and the Electronics Components Association (ECA) are considering a merger, the two groups said.

In a statement, AeA chairman Peter Boni said there is a growing need "for a trade association that has the size, scale and flexibility to support and promote its members and the industry as a whole."

Ironically, ECA was spun out in mid 2006 when the Electronics Industries Alliance diviied up its assets among its member organizations. Moreover, in September the AeA (formerly the American Electronics Association) and the Information Technology Association of America, another former EIA partner, announced discussions to merge their respective memberships and programs.

AeA has 2,400 corporate members and focuses on lobbying at the state, federal and international levels. Its 2006 revenues, the last year for which records are available, were $19.4 million.

ECA has more than 92 members and reported a small loss on revenues of $1.9 million in 2006.

ITAA has 360 members and concentrates on business development, public policy advocacy, market forecasting and standards development. Its 2006 revenues were $5.9 million. Combined, the groups spent $2.25 million to lobby the federal government in 2007, according to required filings, and have been increasing their contributions this year.