IN FOCUS

Iwaki Iberica Pumps SA announced that dated July 1, 2003 Mr. Guillermo Ashby was appointed Director of sales with responsibility for Spain and Portugal.

As part of BOC Edwards’ ongoing implementation of its business strategy for materials & services around the world, Olivier Blachier was recently appointed as head of business development, materials & services (M&S).

The Wilo AG in Dortmund, Germany, has decided to retroactively merge its three domestic plant manufacturers. EMU Wasser- und Abwassertechnik GmbH in Roth, EMU Anlagenbau GmbH in Hof sowie die EMU Anlagentechnik Nord GmbH, Hamburg, with its branch in Woldegk, are now joined to EMU Anlagenbau GmbH.

The company Lutz-Jesco GmbH in Wedemark near Hannover took over Technopool Schwimmbadtechnologie GmbH in Bissendorf near Osnabrück on the first of July 2003. Mr. Heinz Lutz is the new managing director of Technopool.

During the first six months of 2003, the Grundfos Group achieved a pre-tax profit of 374 million Danish kroner – an increase of 162 million Danish kroner compared with the same period last year. According to Group President Jens Jørgen Madsen this is the result of a healthy combination of growth in sales, tight cost-control and improved efficiency.

In the first six months of the financial year, BWT – the Best Water Technology Group – had very different sales and earnings results in its two main divisions Aqua Ecolife Technologies (AET) and Aqua Systems Technologies (AST). While the AET division developed well, despite the difficult German market, the decline of sales and margins in the semiconductor business resulted in losses in the AST division, which ultimately strongly impaired the group result.

Weir Engineering Services are pleased to confirm the recent acquisition of the Allen Gwynnes Pump business.

National-Oilwell today announced that David D. Harrison, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Pentair has been appointed to National Oilwell’s board of directors.

Grundfos Indonesia receives awards for best IT practices by Indonesia’s top business magazine, Warta Ekonomi.

Thomas Industries Inc. announced the acquisition of Aldax AB, of Stockholm, Sweden, for an undisclosed amount. For the past 8 years, Aldax has served as the distributor for Thomas pumps and compressors in Scandinavia. Annual sales for Aldax are under five million dollars.