MDM News Digest 3814

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3M, St. Paul, MN, has agreed to acquire Ligacon AG, a Switzerland-based manufacturer and supplier of filtration systems and filter elements for the pharmaceutical, biotech and general industrial markets. 3M has also agreed to acquire EMFI S.A. and SAPO S.A., manufacturers of polyurethane-based structural adhesives and sealants headquartered in Haguenau, France. More
 
Global chemical company Ashland Inc. has agreed to acquire Hercules Inc., Wilmington, DE, in a deal valued at $3.3 billion. More
 
Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL, has acquired the TRYMER polyisocyanurate (PIR) rigid foam business. TRYMER will maintain its brand name and operate as a separate business. More
 
Kennametal Inc., Latrobe, PA, has tapped a new chief for its Metalworking Solutions Services Group. Paul DeMand will take the position of president for the unit, which comprises about 60 percent of Kennametal's overall revenues. More
 
Canada wholesale trade sales rose 1.6 percent to $44.2 billion in May, the fourth gain in the last five months. When removing the effect of price changes, sales in constant dollars increased by 0.7 percent in May. More
 
Canadian manufacturing sales rose 2.7 percent to $51.4 billion in May. Sales increased for 16 of 21 industries, representing 94% of total manufacturing sales. However, despite these gains, May's sales remained below year earlier levels and well below the peak of $53.1 billion in March 2007. Petroleum and coal products accounted for almost half of the growth in manufacturing sales in May. Sales climbed to $7.7 billion, and have increased by almost 20 percent since March 2008. More
 
U.S. wholesale prices increased 1.8 percent in June, seasonally adjusted, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported. Within finished goods, the index for energy goods climbed 6.0 percent in June after rising 4.9 percent in May. The index for finished goods other than foods and energy (core inflation) increased 0.2 percent for the second consecutive month. More
 
Canadian nonresidential investment reached $10.5 billion between April and June as the increase was led by spending on medical facilities and office buildings. However, after taking into account higher construction prices, investment in non-residential construction declined 3.7 percent in 2002 constant dollars. More
 
May U.S. manufacturing technology consumption was $341.21 million, according to the American Machine Tool Distributors'Association and the Association For Manufacturing Technology. This total was down 16.4 percent from April, but up 2.2 percent from the total of $333.80 million reported for May 2007. With a year-to-date total of $1,942.37 million, 2008 is up 17.2 percent compared with 2007. More

According to the quarterly Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI Survey on the Business Outlook, an indicator for the industrial sector, overall manufacturing activity in the

is expected to remain flat over the next three to six months. The June 2008 composite index registered a drop to 50 from 57 as reported in the March

2008. The index measures the direction of change rather than the absolute strength of activity in manufacturing. More

Praxair Inc., Danbury, CT, reported second quarter sales of $2.88 billion, up 23 percent from the second quarter of 2007. Profits were up 20 percent. Sales for the first six months ended June 30, 2008, were $5.54 billion, an increase of 23 percent. Profits were up 18 percent. More
 
Danaher Corp., Washington, D.C., reported sales from continuing operations for the second quarter 2008 were $3.28 billion, an increase of 25% over the same period 2007. Profit increased 18% over second quarter 2007 to $363 million. More
 
Anixter International Inc., Glenview, IL, a distributor of communication products, electrical and electronic wire &cable and a distributor of fasteners and other small parts to Original Equipment Manufacturers, reported sales for the second quarter increased 7 percent over the same quarter a year ago to $1.62 billion. Profit was up 4 percent. More
 
SKF reported sales increased 7.4 percent for the second quarter. Sales for the first six months were up 8 percent. More