Business briefs

Electrical Apparatus, Jul 2004 by Jones, Kevin

Baldor partners with Chinese motor maker

Motor and control manufacturer Baldor Electric Co. of Fort Smith, Ark., recently announced that it has entered into a technological and sales agreement with Tech.Full Industry Co. Ltd., a manufacturer of induction linear motors located in Harbin, China. Baldor will help Tech.Full with design and manufacturing technology, as well as the creation of a nationwide sales network in China, while industrial growth in China will offer "good opportunities for us to expand exports to China of Baldor products," says Baldor president and CEO John McFarland. "This cooperation will allow us to build a more complete distribution system in China for our motor and drive products made in the United States," McFarland said. Baldor exports its products to about 65 countries around the world.

Eaton completes purchase of Invensys unit

Cleveland-based industrial manufacturer Eaton Corp. recently completed its $560 million purchase of Powerware Corp., the power systems business of London-based Invensys PLC. Based in Raleigh, N.C., Powerware makes uninterruptible power systems and power products and provides power quality services. Eaton Corp. posted 2003 sales of $8.1 billion and profit of $236 million.

Metering supplier buys disconnect line

Brooks Meter Devices Co. of Canton, Ohio, has bought the meter disconnect sleeve assets of Electrical Sales Engineering, Inc., of Bowling Green, Ky. The sale includes all machinery, inventories, and customer information for the IAN Boots line of disconnects. Electrical Sales Engineering is a distributor to the utility industry. Its subsidiary, IAN Industries, has been manufacturing disconnect sleeves for more than 25 years. Manufacturing of the IAN Boots line is to be moved to Brooks Meter Devices' facilities in Canton.

MagneTek receives Danish monitoring orders

Los Angeles electrical manufacturer MagneTek, Inc., recently received production orders for power distribution grid monitoring and control systems from NESA A/S, Denmark's largest electric utility. The systems include hardware and software for remote monitoring and control of 300 medium-voltage distribution transformers in and around the city of Copenhagen. The systems are valued at about $450,000. A production order for streetlight monitoring and control systems was received in April from Louis Poulsen A/S, an international corporation that markets and distributes luminaires and other electrical equipment.

3-D Service earns customer's safety nod

3-D Service of Massillon, Ohio, a servicer of commercial and industrial equipment, was recently recognized for its safety performance by AK Steel of Middletown, Ohio, a producer of flatrolled carbon and stainless and electrical steel products. 3-D Service employees worked a total of 1,816 hours at AK Steel's Middletown mill in 2003 without an accident or injury. The company put in 979 safe hours at the mill in 2002.

California pension fund faults Emerson

Emerson Electric Co. of St. Louis was one of four companies recently criticized by the California Public Employees' Retirement System. The pension fund said Emerson's board structure needs reform and that chairman Charles Knight "received an excessive retirement package," according to the

Associated Press. Knight is in line to receive minimum annual pay of $900,000 through September 2007, along with a "consulting contract" for an additional 15 years, according to the pension fund. The other companies that came in for criticism were Walt Disney Co., Royal Dutch Shell Group, and Maytag Corp., which the California pension fund said is governed by "a model of an entrenched board."

New England distributor opens new store

Granite Electric Supply Co. of Quincy, Mass., recently opened a supply store in Warwick, R.I., bringing to 16 the number of outlets it operates throughout New England. The new store, at 80 Access Rd., measures over 10,000 square feet in area. The family-owned company, founded in 1923, recently partnered with the Boston Red Sox, making Granite City the official distributor of electrical supplies and materials for Fenway Park.

Eaton named Power Quality Co. of the Year

Cleveland-based industrial manufacturer Eaton Corp. has been named Power Quality Company of the Year by marketing consulting firm Frost & Sullivan. Criteria for the award included "demonstrated market share growth, successful execution of innovative strategies, new market penetration, heightened customer satisfaction and loyalty, technological innovation, industry leadership, and strong brand recognition," according to Frost & Sullivan.

Financial briefs

Wire and cable supplier Superior Essex, Inc., of Atlanta has reported revenue of $302 million for the quarter ended March 31 compared with $250 reported for the same quarter the year before. "The increase in revenues includes the impact of higher copper prices in the 2004 first quarter compared to 2003," according to the company. Adjusted to a constant copper cost, revenue grew 5%.

New sales representatives