IN FOCUS

(Radolfzell) The ALLMAG-Series of the Allweiler AG is specially aimed at the chemical industry. All pumps have been ATEX- certified from the middle of this year. Hence they comply with the EC-Regulations that are demanded from 1.7.2003 on when installed for the first time and for initial operation. The certification applies to the categories 2 and 3 and all temperature classes of the new standard.

Roper Industries reports that the net sales of the Fluid Handling segment declined 16% to $105 million in 2002, primarily resulting from the collapse of the semiconductor market.

Wilo Salmson Pumps has launched a new sewage lifting system capable of servicing multi-family dwellings and providing both reliable and safe pump operation. The Drainlift M, which is available in both single and double-pump configurations, incorporates a number of features that provide continuous sewage movement and intrinsically safe sanitation.

As announced at a company staff meeting Wilo plans to reduce the 98-strong workforce in the factory of Limerick (Ireland) by 85 workers.

The KSB Group is in the process of producing its biggest-ever symmetric butterfly valves, with an inside diameter of 3500 mm. The valves are destined for Ras Laffan, Qatar, where they will be installed in the world’s biggest cooling system and have to handle some 300,000 m³ of water every hour.

The Lowara FCS series of cast iron in-line centrifugal pumps has been extended with the introduction of new outlet sizes up to 150 mm in the FCS4 design, with 4 pole motor.

The ITT Industries, Inc. (NYSE: ITT) Board of Directors has voted to promote Brenda L. Reichelderfer to the position of Senior Vice President of the corporation. Reichelderfer is President of the company’s Motion & Flow Control businesses, and was elected Vice President of the corporation in 2001.

The Fluid Technology segment of ITT Industries is expected to produce approximately $1.9 billion in revenues in 2002, 39 percent of the company’s total. The company expects continued strong performance from the water and wastewater related businesses, which account for 60 percent of this segment’s revenues.

Under the name of FRISTAM (South East Asia) Pte. Ltd. and effectively October 1, 2002, FRISTAM has also established a new company in Singapore to even better cover the region of South East Asia, Korea and China. The founding of the company became necessary to further increase opportunities for hygienic pumps in the food and beverage industries as well as for applications in pharmaceutical, biotechnology and cosmetics sectors.

National-Oilwell, Inc. (NYSE:NOI) announced that it has received notice of early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 in connection with the previously announced acquisition of Hydralift ASA (OSE:HYD).