Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT), Latrobe, PA, reported fiscal 2012 third quarter sales of $696 million, up 8 percent on an organic basis.

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Carlos Cardoso, Kennametal’s president and CEO, said: “The March quarter reflected ongoing global expansion which benefited many of our served end-markets and geographies. Organic sales grew by 8 percent year over year, demonstrating the effectiveness of our strategies to continue to outperform industrial production and further gain market share.

“… During the March quarter, we also completed the closing of our recently announced acquisition of Deloro Stellite. This transaction reinforces our strategy of acquiring technologies that strengthen our core business and further diversify our mix of served end markets."

Industrial segment sales of $419 million increased by 7 percent from $392 million in the prior-year quarter, driven by organic growth of 5 percent and the impact of more business days of 4 percent, partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency effects of 2 percent. On an organic basis, sales growth was led by aerospace and defense growth of 14 percent and general engineering growth of 7 percent while transportation end-market sales remained at a relatively similar level as the prior year. On a regional basis, sales increased by 12 percent in the Americas, 11 percent in Europe and were relatively flat in Asia due to strong comparisons from the prior year quarter.

Industrial segment operating income was $71 million compared with $54 million for the same quarter of the prior year.

Infrastructure segment sales of $278 million increased 25 percent from $223 million in the prior-year quarter, driven by 13 percent organic growth, 10 percent growth from acquisition, and business days also favorably impacted sales by 3 percent, partially offset by unfavorable foreign currency effects of 1 percent. The organic increase was driven by 12 percent higher sales of energy and related products, as well as a 12 percent increase in demand for earthworks products. On a regional basis, sales increased by 24 percent in Asia, 16 percent in Europe and 13 percent in the Americas.

Infrastructure segment operating income was $34 million, compared with $36 million in the same quarter of the prior year.

Year-to-date, sales were $2 billion, compared with $1.7 billion in the same period last year. Sales increased as a result of organic growth of 13 percent, the impacts of more business days of 2 percent and acquisition of 1 percent, and a slightly favorable impact from foreign currency effects.