More
Kaman Corp., Bloomfield, CT, reported sales in the second quarter 2008 were $316.3 million, up 16.1 percent from the prior-year period. Profit from continuing operations in the second quarter was $6.1 million, down from $9 million. Industrial Distribution segment sales increased 16.5 percent in the second quarter to $203.3 million. Organic sales growth in the quarter was 8.4 percent, compared with 2.4 percent in the prior-year period, with the remaining growth coming from the acquisition of Industrial Supply Corp. More
Barnes Group Inc., Bristol, CT, aerospace and industrial components manufacturer and distributor, reported second quarter 2008 revenues were up 6 percent to $382.9 million driven by strong demand in the aerospace manufacturing and aftermarket businesses and international industrial businesses. Profit was up 22 percent. More

International Wire Group, Inc., Camden, NY, reported sales for the second quarter ended June 30, 2008, were $199.9 million, compared with sales of $200 million for the same period 2007. Profit was $5.6 million, an increase of 30 percent over the prior year due primarily to higher operating income.
The Black &Decker Corp., Towson, MD, reported sales were down 3 percent to $1.6 billion in the second quarter 2008, including a positive 5 percent impact from foreign currency translation. More
A. M. Castle &Co., Franklin Park, IL, a distributor of specialty metals and plastic products, reported sales for second quarter ended June 30, 2008, were $397.1 million, an increase of 6.6 percent from the prior-year period. Profit was down 30.7 percent. More
The Timken Company, Canton, OH, reported sales of $1.54 billion in the second quarter of 2008, an increase of 14 percent over the same period a year ago. Profit improved 60 percent from second quarter 2007. Strong sales in global industrial markets offset the impact of weaker North American automotive demand. More
Parker Hannifin Corp., Cleveland, OH, manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, reported sales for the fourth quarter ended June 30, 2008, were $3.3 billion, an increase of 13.3 percent over fourth quarter 2007. Profit was $252.6 million, 16.3 percent more than the same period a year ago. For the 2008 fiscal year, the company reported sales of $12.1 billion, an increase of 13.3 percent over 2007. More
France-based electrical manufacturer Legrand reported sales for the first half of 2008 were up 3.4 percent from the same period last year. Profit was up 19 percent. In the U.S. and Canada, sales were down 4.1 percent. More

RBC Bearings Inc., Oxford, CT, international manufacturer of precision plain, roller and ball bearings for the industrial, defense and aerospace industries, reported sales for first quarter were $92.4 million, an increase of 15.7 percent from the same period a year ago. Profit was $10.7 million, an increase of 8.7 percent in a year-over-year comparison.

Paris-based Rexel reported sales of €3.7 billion (US$5.7 billion) for the second quarter 2008, an increase of 27.3% over the same period 2007. The company reported organic growth of 2.3%. Profit was €196.9 million (US$306.5 million), compared with a reported loss of €30.1 million (US$46.9 million) a year ago. For the first six months ended June 30, 2008, sales were €6 billion (US$9.4 billion), an increase of 12.9% from the same period a year ago. Profit increased 72.1% to €259 million (US$403.9 million). More Industrial Distribution Group Inc., Atlanta, GA, distributor of maintenance, repair, operating and production (MROP) products and integrated supply services to manufacturers and other industrial users, is now owned by an affiliate of Luther King Capital Management. We are delighted that the merger with Eiger (the affiliate of Luther King) has been successfully completed,”said Charles A. Lingenfelter, IDG’s president and CEO. “The consummation of this transaction enables us to focus our full attention on our customers and suppliers. We will be a more agile company with the ability to adapt more swiftly in response to market changes.”Before the merger agreement, Luther King owned 14.9 percent of IDG common stock. More
Chicago, IL-based Grainger has agreed to a settlement of $6 million with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve a Trade Agreements Act and Sourcing complaint, which alleged that Grainger overcharged the government and illegally relabeled products manufactured in non-trade agreement countries so they could be sold to the U.S. government. The whistleblower case was unsealed in January 2008 in a federal court in Wisconsin. Grainger said it resolved the complaint “to avoid further costly legal fees.”  More
NorthEast Electrical Distributors, Canton, MA, a subsidiary of Sonepar USA, has opened a new branch in Milford, MA. The new location occupies 7,400 square feet, including a 1,400-square-foot storefront and merchandised counter area. More
Linde Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, a member of The Linde Group, has acquired P&B Industrial Sales Inc., a Sudbury, Ontario-based distributor of welding gases and equipment. More

Charlotte Winnelson Co., Charlotte, NC, has opened the Win Kitchen and Bath Showcase where contractors and their customers, as well as architects and designers, can view and see in action the latest items for homes and businesses. Charlotte Winnelson is associated with WinWholesale Inc. More
Building Materials Holding Corp., San Francisco, CA, will discontinue operations at its wholly-owned subsidiary SelectBuild Florida over the next four months in an effort to better align costs with current market conditions. The move comes a week after BMHC announced it was out of compliance with financial covenants for its current credit facility. More
Eaton Corp., Cleveland, OH, has acquired the engine valves business of Indian company Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd. The engine valves business of Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd. had 2007 sales of $5 million.
Real gross domestic product -the output of goods and services produced by labor and property in the U.S. -increased at an annual rate of 1.9 percent in the second quarter of 2008 (from the first quarter to the second quarter), according to advance estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the first quarter, real GDP increased 0.9 percent. More
ERIKS has acquired Seals, Packings &Gaskets Ltd. in the United Kingdom. SPG sells gaskets, rubber and moulded parts. It has sales of GBP7 million (US$13.7 million at current exchange rates). More
VWR International, LLC, West Chester, PA, distributor of laboratory supplies, has acquired Spektrum-3D Kft, a Hungarian scientific laboratory supply distributor. More

Gardner Denver, Inc. has acquired Best Aire, Inc., a distributor of compressed air and gas products serving the Ohio market through its headquarters in Millbury, OH. It has additional distribution operations in Kalamazoo, MI, and Indianapolis, IN.
Anixter International Inc., Glenview, IL, distributor of communication products, electrical and electronic wire &cable, fasteners and other small parts, has acquired QSN Industries, Inc. and Quality Screw de Mexico SA. Anixter will pay $80 million in cash and assume liabilities for both companies. Combined annualized sales for these businesses are expected to be more than $100 million in 2008. More
Construction spending during June 2008 was estimated at $1,081.9 billion, 0.4 percent below the revised May estimate, according to the U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce. More
Manufacturing was flat in July, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business. In the report, manufacturers indicated no change in overall business activity when comparing July with June. This continues a trend biased toward relatively minor contraction established more than 12 months ago, according to ISM. More
The National Electrical Manufacturer Association’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index for current North American conditions slipped to 37.5 in June, a decline of 10.5 points from a month ago. More

International sales in the second quarter 2008 remained strong for those who sell abroad, increasing for 66% of respondents in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s quarterly Manufacturing Barometer. International sales projections for the next 12 months increased slightly to 38% of revenue, three points higher than both the prior quarter and the second quarter 2007.Of those industrial manufacturers selling abroad, almost two-thirds are either pessimistic or uncertain about the world economy over the next 12 months, an increase from 22% a year ago. More

BlueLinx Holdings Inc., Atlanta, GA, a distributor of building products in North America, reported sales for the second quarter ended June 28, 2008, were $835 million, a decline of 22.9 percent from the same period a year ago. Profit totaled $6.6 million, an increase of 22.2 percent. More 
Huttig Building Products, Inc., St. Louis, MO, a distributor of millwork, building materials and wood products, reported a net loss of $2.5 million for the second quarter ended June 30, 2008. Huttig reported a profit of $1.1 million for the same quarter in 2007. Sales were $195.4 million in the second quarter, a decline of 18 percent. More
United Stationers Inc., Deerfield, IL, master distributor of business, janitorial/breakroom and industrial products, reported sales in the second quarter 2008 were up 9.7 percent to $1.25 billion. Seven percent of the growth rate came from ORS Nasco, which was acquired in December 2007. More
Interline Brands, Inc., Jacksonville, FL, a distributor and direct marketer of maintenance, repair and operations products, reported sales for the second quarter of 2008 were $311.4 million, a 0.6 percent decrease compared to the same period 2007. Profit decreased 6.7 percent. More
Phoenix, AZ-based Avnet, Inc. reported sales of $17.95 billion for fiscal year end 2008, up 14.5 percent over fiscal year 2007. Profit improved 27 percent to $499.1 million. Organic growth was 4.9 percent over the prior year.