IN FOCUS

Oct 16, 2003. EX Corporation reported that orders, sales and earnings for the three months ended September 30, 2003, improved from the same quarter of last year, and, as expected, were below this year’s second quarter levels primarily due to seasonal factors.

Oct 16, 2003. Pentair reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.77 for the third quarter 2003, noting that third quarter margins in the Company’s Water Technologies Group improved to the same level as in last year’s third quarter, and that the Enclosures Group recorded its seventh consecutive quarter of sequential margin improvement.

Oct. 14, 2003–Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation announced net income per share of $1.39 for the third quarter of 2003, an increase of 7 percent from net income per share of $1.30 in the third quarter of 2002. Sales in the quarter were $2.03 billion, 11 percent above last year. Net income was $107 million compared to $93 million in 2002.

ITT Industries, Inc. named Shigenori “Nori” Morimoto as the corporation’s Director, Value-Based Six Sigma (VBSS), the company’s overarching strategy for continuous improvement.

Pfeiffer Vacuum has been selected for membership into the new Kempen /SNS Smaller Europe SRI Index, launched on October 1st 2003.

Georg Fischer streamlines its three core businesses and launches a comprehensive structural programme to improve operational performance in all three corporate groups. These measures will result in a lasting increase of the Company’s profitability and reduce its net financial debt, even in a continuously difficult economic environment.

The Weir Group PLC announces the appointment of Chris Rickard to the position of Group Finance Director Designate.

Grundfos A/S – the Danish production company of the Grundfos Group employing 3,800 people – was honoured by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) at the EFQM Forum in Helsinki – a highly estimated conference with participation of more than 700 business managers from all over Europe.

BOC Edwards has been awarded UL 3101 and CSA C22.2 1010 approvals for its highly successful XDS range of dry vacuum scroll pumps.

The SKF B-shares are today traded in Stockholm, London, Paris and Zurich, and its American Depositary Receipts, ADR’s, on NASDAQ in the USA. SKF has decided to leave three out of the five stock exchanges.