Stamford, CT-based Crane Co. (NYSE: CR), a diversified manufacturer of highly engineered industrial products, reported second quarter sales of $644 million, up 16 percent compared to the second quarter of 2010. Core sales improved 10 percent. Profit improved 26 percent to $50.4 million.

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For the first six months, sales increased 16 percent to $1.25 billion. Profit was $98.9 million, compared to $73.3 million a year ago.

Second quarter Aerospace & Electronics sales increased 23 percent, reflecting a 21 percent improvement in Aerospace Group sales and a26 percent improvement in Electronics Group revenue. The Aerospace Group sales increase reflected higher OEM and aftermarket shipments while Electronics Group sales grew across all business solutions.

Engineered Materials segment sales of $60.1 million increased 2 percent compared to the second quarter of 2010, as a result of higher revenues from transportation and building products customers, partially offset by a decline in sales to recreational vehicle manufacturers, as OEMs reduced production in late June.

Second quarter Fluid Handling segment sales increased 13.5 percent, with core sales increasing 6.4 percent. Sales increased in each major business unit. On July 12, 2011, Crane purchased W. T. Armatur GmbH & Co. KG for approximately $38 million.

Merchandising Systems sales of $94 million increased 26 percent, reflecting $13.2 million of sales associated with the December 2010 acquisition of Money Controls. Excluding the acquisition, both Payment Solutions and Vending sales increased in the quarter.

Second quarter sales in the Controls segment were $29.2 million, an increase of 13 percent primarily reflecting improvement in industrial, transportation, and upstream oil and gas related demand.