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News

SIOUX FALLS, SD -- Raven Industries reported third-quarter net sales rose 6% to $57.4 million and net income was relatively flat at $7 million for the period ended Oct. 31.

The company's Electronic Systems division reported record quarterly revenues and strong incremental profitability.

SAN JOSE -- Sanmina-SCI Corp.'s fourth-quarter sales fell 2% to $2.77 billion versus last year, the company said last night. The company provided preliminary results but did not release full results due to an ongoing restatement of past financial reports, It said it expects to post between a penny-per-share loss and profit of 1 cent per share, excluding one-time items.

For the year, sales fell 6% to $10.96 billion.

On a conference call with analysts, Sanmina guided for first-quarter sales of $2.7 billion to $2.85 billion and for fiscal 2007 sales of $11.8 billion to $12.3 billion. The company forecast operating margins of 7 to 7.5%.

In a research note, Deutsche Bank analyst Carter Shoop called the fiscal 2007 guidance "bullish," adding, "We believe the low-end of guidance will prove difficult to achieve."

ATLANTA – ASYS Inc., the maker of automation equipment for electronics manufacturing, will represent Rehm Thermal System Solutions in Brazil. The representation includes sales and service, the company said in a press release.

ASYS maintains offices in Sao Paulo and Manaus, Brazil.

Germany-based Rehm provides reflow sytems, curring and drying ovens and customized thermal systems. IT has more than 1,800 reflow systems installed worldwide.

ASYS makes SMD board handlers, laser and label marking systems, depaneling systems and other equipment. It is also the parent company for EKRA.

TEMPE, AZ -- Finetech will offer Technical Product Trade's wire bonders in North America, the company said today. No financial details were disclosed.

Wessling, Germany based TPT makes benchtop manual and semiautomatic wire bonders.

PALO ALTO, CA -- H-P reported fourth-quarter net income of $1.7 billion, up fourfold from last year, on a sales jump of 7% to $24.6 billion. Demand was strong for PCs, printers, the company said.

The news was tempered by revelations that the Securities and Exchange Commission has launched a formal inquiry into the company's "pretexting" investigation, in which members of the H-P board reportedly authorized the gathering of information on other board members and company employees. It was later revealed that illegal means were used to gain the information.

Excluding one-time items, H-P said it would have earned $1.9 billion. Last year's results included $1.57 billion in restructuring charges.

SAN JOSE – Demand for semiconductor devices will continue unabated through 2009, Semiconductor Industry Association said yesterday in a Webcast annoucning its annual forecast.

A strong wave of consumer demand for electronic products will push sales to $321 billion in 2009, a compound annual growth rate of 9%. Total worldwide sales were $227.5 billion last year.

WESTLAKE, OH – Nordson Corp. today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire testing and inspection equipment manufacturer Dage Holdings, Ltd. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed. The acquisition is subject to review by the German Federal Cartel Office.

Nordon also owns Asymtek, March Plasma Systems and EFD, among others.

Dage employs more than 200 people and had revenues of approximately $59 million during the 12-month period ending Oct. 31.

Dage makes bond testing and digital x-ray systems.

“The purchase of Dage fits Nordson’s strategy of acquiring companies with above-average
growth in markets currently served by Nordson companies,” said Edward P. Campbell,
chairman and chief executive. “Over the three-year period ending April 30, Dage revenues and operating profit grew at annual rates of 24% and 69%, respectively. These growth rates are nearly identical to those of Nordson’s Advanced Technology Systems segment, which since 2003 has grown revenues and operating profit at annual rates of 23% and 59%, respectively.”

Campbell added, “Dage’s operating margins during the first half of its fiscal 2007 were 21%.

The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Nordson’s fiscal year 2007 earnings per share.

SAN JOSE – SEMI has issued an alert for producers of semiconductors who sell products in China. As of March 1, semiconductor equipment will be required to comply with China RoHS; specifically, products will require environmental labels and supporting self-declared information in Chinese with regard to six hazardous substances.

SPOKANE, WA - ACE has appointed Fix-Trade BV and Process Support Products to represent its products in Europe and the U.K.

Fix-Trade BV becomes ACE’s exclusive provider of sales, service, installation and support in the Benelux region, while Process Support Products will take on the same responsibilities in the U.K.

WOBURN, MA - Innov-X is offering an online video demonstration on handheld XRF RoHS compliance screening. The online demo gives a demonstration of a handheld XRF unit, and provides information on Innov-X’s own line of handheld XRF analyzers.

Thief River Falls, MN - Digi-Key signed an agreement to globally distribute SMC’s pressure switches, vacuum switches, digital pressure regulators, digital flow switches and accessories. The parts are available directly from Digi-Key.

TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS -- Bonso Electronics International, a maker of sensor and communications products, reported net sales rose 29.7% to $20.7 million for the three month period ended Sept. 30. Net income rose 98% to $483,000 during that time.

Prices for oil, raw material and labor cut the gross profit margin from 19.7% to 18.9% in the quarter.