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Tapflo AB, with its head office in Kungälv, Sweden has purchased 49 percent of the shares in the Milan-based company, CDR Pumps. Tapflo will thereby have access to the Italian pump manufacturer’s vast technical competence as well as the company’s wide range of magnetically driven centrifugal pumps.

Pentair today announced its second quarter 2005 results, highlighting a 50 percent year-over-year increase in earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations driven by stronger margins in Pentair’s Enclosures and Water businesses, coupled with share gains in robust Enclosures markets and the contributions of the new water businesses acquired in the WICOR purchase in August 2004.

Thanks to innovative products such as our cancer treatment Erbitux and liquid crystals, Merck’s profitability continues to rise,” said Bernhard Scheuble, Chairman of the Executive Board of Merck KGaA. “Excluding the gains from our strategic divestments, Merck’s profit after tax rose a very substantial 27%. Excluding divested units, Merck continues to expect Group sales to rise by a single-digit rate in 2005.”

IDEX Corporation announced record financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2005. Orders were up 18 percent, sales increased 16 percent and net income rose 27 percent to an all-time high of $28.9 million. Diluted earnings per share were 55 cents versus 44 cents in the year-ago period.

Franklin Electric Co., Inc. reported record second quarter 2005 net income of $13.5 million, an increase of 25 percent from $10.9 million for the same period a year ago. Diluted earnings per share were $0.59 compared to $0.48 for the second quarter of 2004.

Gardner Denver, Inc. announced that revenues and net income for the three months ended June 30, 2005 were $250.3 million and $14.7 million, respectively. These results represent a 77% improvement in net income and 55% increase in revenues, compared to the second quarter of the previous year.

Spirax Sarco, Inc. (SSI), has purchased all relevant business assets of EMCO Flow Systems of Longmont, CO, from Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. of Fort Collins, CO.

Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation announced net income per share of $1.37 for the second quarter of 2005, an increase of 33 percent over net income per share of $1.03 in the second quarter of 2004. Sales in the quarter were a record $2.83 billion, 18 percent above the same period in 2004.

Flowserve Corp. announced it is commencing a major refinancing effort and has entered into a commitment agreement letter with Bank of America and Merrill Lynch & Co. to borrow up to $1 billion, consisting of up to $400 million of a revolving credit facility and up to $600 million of term debt.

The company operating the wastewater treatment plant in St. Johnsbury was recognized for its commitment to safety excellence by the Vermont Occupational Health and Safety Administration (VOSHA).