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Steady State for Bodycote
Steady State for Bodycote Treating and pressing specialist Bodycote’s has released its latest interim management statement, in which the company says that sales and trends in its sectors have remained stable over the last six months. “At the interim results we indicated that there
had been some modest improvement in automotive demand, compared to the very depressed levels in the early part of the year, but that aerospace and oil and gas demand was softening,” the report said. “In the period 1 July to 31 October, sales were 26.4%
lower than the same period last year (32.6% in constant currency) and overall sales levels and segmental trends have broadly remained similar to those seen in the second quarter.” The group recorded a headline operating loss of £1.7m for that period, com-
pared to a headline operating profit of £41.0m for the same period of 2008. Bodycote says that it still going ahead with its previously announced restructuring plans and the company has begun the reorganisation of its activities in Brazil.
Valve maker shuts off pirates Piracy is gaining momentum – and not only on the world’s seas. Copying branded products at the expense of the makers of the originals has long been big business and has become a major problem for the world’s economies. The valve industry is among the latest to report the theft of intellectual property. However, international initiatives are now being introduced to counteract the problem. Rotork, the British manufacturer of valve actuators, took an imita-
tor to court in a successful prosecution for contravening design rights and copyright laws. The Asian company had copied Rotork’s prize winning IQ and IQT actuator ranges. Trademark laws were also infringed. The product pirates were then forced to take down their stands at trade fairs in both Germany and the Netherlands.
Product piracy is worldwide no longer a marginal phenomenon. It is estimated to cost companies €660 billion, which amounts to 9% of world trade volume. In the past, the main focus of copiers was on consumer goods but now counterfeiters are increasingly turning to industrial products.
Mechanical and plant engineering, and therefore the valve industry, has been particularly hard hit by the development. Complete machines are being imitated but so are spare parts and components. The German Engineering Federation VDMA estimates annual losses at €7 billion.
Metalysis grant boost A £1.5 million development grant to Metalysis, is to help provide 90 jobs at the speciality metals technology innovator. The award from the Regional Development Agency Yorkshire Forward to the small high-tech company that was recently named one of the world’s leading cleantech innovators will provide skilled employment as the company gears up to develop a pioneering semicontinuous plant to produce titanium powders for worldwide markets.
metal-powder.net
November/December 2009 MPR
7
had been some modest improvement in automotive demand, compared to the very depressed levels in the early part of the year, but that aerospace and oil and gas demand was softening,” the report said. “In the period 1 July to 31 October, sales were 26.4%
lower than the same period last year (32.6% in constant currency) and overall sales levels and segmental trends have broadly remained similar to those seen in the second quarter.” The group recorded a headline operating loss of £1.7m for that period, com-
pared to a headline operating profit of £41.0m for the same period of 2008. Bodycote says that it still going ahead with its previously announced restructuring plans and the company has begun the reorganisation of its activities in Brazil.
Valve maker shuts off pirates Piracy is gaining momentum – and not only on the world’s seas. Copying branded products at the expense of the makers of the originals has long been big business and has become a major problem for the world’s economies. The valve industry is among the latest to report the theft of intellectual property. However, international initiatives are now being introduced to counteract the problem. Rotork, the British manufacturer of valve actuators, took an imita-
tor to court in a successful prosecution for contravening design rights and copyright laws. The Asian company had copied Rotork’s prize winning IQ and IQT actuator ranges. Trademark laws were also infringed. The product pirates were then forced to take down their stands at trade fairs in both Germany and the Netherlands.
Product piracy is worldwide no longer a marginal phenomenon. It is estimated to cost companies €660 billion, which amounts to 9% of world trade volume. In the past, the main focus of copiers was on consumer goods but now counterfeiters are increasingly turning to industrial products.
Mechanical and plant engineering, and therefore the valve industry, has been particularly hard hit by the development. Complete machines are being imitated but so are spare parts and components. The German Engineering Federation VDMA estimates annual losses at €7 billion.
Metalysis grant boost A £1.5 million development grant to Metalysis, is to help provide 90 jobs at the speciality metals technology innovator. The award from the Regional Development Agency Yorkshire Forward to the small high-tech company that was recently named one of the world’s leading cleantech innovators will provide skilled employment as the company gears up to develop a pioneering semicontinuous plant to produce titanium powders for worldwide markets.
metal-powder.net
November/December 2009 MPR
7