IN FOCUS

For the second time within a few weeks, Pfeiffer Vacuum won an award for its outstanding investor relations work. This time, the German magazine CAPITAL together with the DVFA, the German Association for financial analysis and asset management, awarded the prizes.

The Asian market for hardware and consumables to create the ultrapure water needed by the power, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical industry will rise from $1.7 billion this year to $2.3 billion in 2008.

Following antitrust investigations, the EU Commission has approved unconditionally the acquisition of Flender Holding GmbH by Siemens. The manufacturer of mechanical and electrical drives, located in Bocholt, Germany, will be integrated into the Siemens Automation and Drives (A&D) Group.

Dresser-Rand Company announced today that a wholly owned subsidiary has entered into an agreement with Tuthill Corporation of Burr Ridge, Illinois to acquire certain assets of its Tuthill Energy Systems division (TES).

Attractive accessories are now available for the density and concentration measurement of two- and three-component liquids: The special accessories Inline Adapter and Inline Pump by Anton Paar complement the new transducers with stainless steel housing DPRn 427S and DSRn 427S.

With the further development of the company already announced by the Supervisory Board, KSB AG has made additional personnel changes. The Chairman of the Board of Management, Prof. Dr. h. c. Josef Gerstner, left the company on Friday, 1 July 2005. Mr Gerstner and KSB are parting by best mutual agreement.

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, said today it has signed a $2-billion, five-year revolving credit facility agreement with a group of 20 banks.

Dewatering is one of the key areas in the new ABS strategy, in which ABS moves its focus from being a pump supplier to offering more of the company’s extensive dewatering application know-how. This new focus means increased availability, expanded product portfolio and a further developed service and rental concept.

Gardner Denver, Inc. reported that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Thomas Industries Inc. (“Thomas”). Total cash consideration for the outstanding shares and share equivalents of Thomas amounted to $734.2 million. The net transaction value, including the assumption of $8.7 million of long term debt and net of $262.8 million of cash acquired, was approximately $480.1 million.

Wilo AG is one of the leading international suppliers of pumps and pump systems and can look back on another successful fiscal year in 2004: The worldwide group turnover increased by 7.2 per cent from 616.6 million to 660.8 million Euros.