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No, I live on the West Coast but spent many weeks and months in Creston and the outlying areas. It is a nice part of the country and I hope to return and visit relatives sometime. Creston is on the main Chicago - Oakland/San Francisco Amtrak line. Worth a stop. Be sure to have a blizzard at the DQ if time allows. All imho. Are you a train spotter? J/w
http://www.amtrak.com/pdf/national.pdf
OT: Creston, IA
Look familiar?
Creston is in southwest Iowa on US Highway 34, about 30 miles west of Interstate 35. Creston got its name from a railroad survey crew that found it to be the highest point as they went between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The city is a division point on the BNSF, and a stop for Amtrak trains 5 and 6, the California Zephyr. The original depot has been restored and now holds the offices of the Chamber of Commerce, a museum, and Creston's City Hall. Passenger service stops are made at a nearby AmShack. Branch lines once went both north and south from Creston, and a portion of the northern branch remains.
Most of the traffic through the Creston yard is coal and grain. One finds grain elevators at both ends of the yard, and a steady stream of loaded and empty coal trains pass through the city, pausing only to change crews. Except for the restored depot, almost all remnants of 100 years of railroading in Creston are gone. If you look carefully at the open area northeast of the current yard office, the remains of a turntable pit and some of its tracks can be identified. Today, engine servicing at Creston is very limited.
The east side of the city surrounds the yard, which extends between Elm Street on the west and Osage street on the east. There is an underpass at Osage and another, under the center of the yard, at Cedar Street. The Elm Street grade crossing is near the old depot, where you may obtain the map above. As you might infer from the accompanying images, the area is readily accessable to railfans. Just west of New York Street, the route changes from double to single track, marking the beginning of the Nebraska Division. The double track east of Creston is operated under track warrant control, while to the west are sections of one and two track CTC territory.
Creston is at milepost 393 on the BN. Trains approaching the yard generally notify the yardmaster when passing through Afton (MP 383.6) to the east, and Prescott (MP 406.7) or Cromwell (approx. 397) to the west. BNSF radio communication changes channels at Creston, so it is necessary to monitor two frequencies in order to hear the calls to the yardmaster. The Amtrak schedule calls for the eastbound at about 8:45 a.m., and the westbound at about 9:45 p.m.
http://vtwi.org/iowaspots/spotsCreston.html
Yes, I also listen in on calls from time to time and certainly read the filings and such. You are right, there is much information tucked away, especially in the notes section of many annual reports.
Sam's Club, Costco Curbing Rice Sales
by Adam Davidson
All Things Considered, April 23, 2008 · Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Sam's Club and Costco divisions are placing limits on the amount of rice that customers can buy. Company officials say demand for rice has shot up sharply in the wake of concerns about global food shortages.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89886019&ft=1&f=1001
Yes, agree 100%. Nice post.
More to come imho.
Thanks for the input, much appreciated. Were you on the call live?
WaferGen Signs Up German Distributor
[April 3, 2008]
By a GenomeWeb staff reporter
NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – WaferGen Biosystems said earlier this week that IUL Instruments will be the exclusive distributor of its SmartSlide Micro-Incubation System in Germany.
The SmartSlide system is an integrated fluidics exchange micro-incubation product that works seamlessly with inverted microscopes. WaferGen said that the technology enables cell biology and stem cell researchers to conduct complex time lapse imaging studies in consistently optimal physiological conditions.
WaferGen said that IUL is showcasing the SmartSlide system at the Analytica 2008 conference currently being held in Munich, Germany.
http://www.genomeweb.com/issues/news/146085-1.html
Should be a good year for the company.
Spectranetics, Q1 2008 Earnings Call Transcript
John Schulte
Thanks Don. And good morning to everyone joining us for today's earnings call. As usual I am going to open up the call with some comments on our financial performance. And then focus on the key accomplishments in the first quarter. I will highlight some of our goals for the second quarter so you can measure our performance for the next call. The, Guy will review our financial operating performance in more detail for this past quarter. And then we will open up the call to your questions.
I have to say I am very pleased with both our top and bottom line performance in the first quarter of 2008. Our total revenue was 23.8 million this quarter, up 37% from the prior year quarter. Importantly, we saw strong revenue growth in every product line across our business. Total disposable product revenue grew 39% over the prior year.
Our vascular intervention business grew 36%. And our lead management revenue increased 48%. This strong performance on both sides of our business validates our decision to separate our sales force into two groups. One focused on vascular intervention, and the other on lead management.
I believe we now have the second largest sales force in the U.S. concentrated on peripheral vascular intervention and we have by far the largest team addressing lead management.
Equipment revenue was up 56% from the prior year and as expected, down 22% from a very strong fourth quarter. Importantly, we placed 24 new lasers last quarter, bringing our worldwide install base to 767 systems with 607 of these in the United States. I believe we are now about half way to our potential of approximately 1,500 laser systems worldwide. So while we have experienced a lot of growth in laser systems over the past three years, we still have plenty of room to grow.
In addition to strong growth in the United States, we also continue to see very nice growth internationally. Revenue outside the U.S. grew 35% and represented 11% of our total revenue. I am optimistic about the growth prospects outside the U.S. And expect a strong growth internationally will continue throughout the year.
On the bottom line, while we experience the pre-tax loss of $685,000, we expected a loss and in fact came in ahead of our plan. As usual, the year is front loaded with certain extensions such as the global sale meeting, so were pleased with a loss which was smaller than expected.
Although some of the savings in relation to our expectations was timing related and will likely be spent later in the year, we do expect to return a profitability in the second quarter. I am particularly pleased with our strong top line performance given our strategic decision during the fourth quarter to split our sales force into two separate groups, which was accomplished and executed seamlessly in January this year.
Following our fourth quarter call, many investors and analysts expressed concern that we were diverting resources away from atherectomy and toward lead management and it was perceived that we had lost confidence in the growth potential of our atherectomy business. In fact, quite the opposite is true.
To illustrate prior to the split, we head 90 full line sales people which included 14 managers and we estimate that they spent approximately 70% of their time on vascular intervention sales. That affectively implies a 63 people sale organization supporting the vascular intervention business.
In addition, we have 14 sales professionals dedicated to the lead management business. Plus an implied 27 sales professionals within the full line sales team, which gave us a total of 41 professionals selling lead management products prior to the split. So in summary we had effectively 63 individuals selling vascular intervention, and 41 individuals selling lead management products prior to the split.
As of March 31st, we had a total sales organization of 111 professionals. That's and add of seven. This included 76 supporting vascular intervention which was made up of quota carry reps and 12 sales managers. We also have 35 professionals supporting lead management of which 16 are quota carrying and 15 clinical support specialist and four sales managers.
This team managed to grow our disposable products revenue significantly on both a year over year and sequential basis during the same quarter that the sales force split was implemented. My hats off to the sales leadership team who did and excellent job executing the split of the sales organization. I am extremely proud of their accomplishment.
The most important initiative to the vascular intervention sales force is a successful expansion of the TURBO Booster. While the initial experience with a broad base of users demonstrated significant looming gains over our standard 2.3 and 2.5 millimeter laser catheters, some physicians felt that the technique was a bit cumbersome. They felt that the saline flush was more complicated than the standard setup and that in challenging lesions it was difficult to keep the laser catheter properly positioned on the TURBO Booster guiding sheet requiring repositioning with lengthen procedure time.
We were able to simplify the saline flush technique greatly shortening procedure time setup. We also determined that are what called the splitage issue was caused by the hyrdofilling coating on the laser catheter. We found there was a simple fix. We simply shortened the coating on the laser catheters so that the TURBO Booster was always locked down on an uncoated portion of the catheter. This solved the slippage issue.
Once these changes were implemented, case times drop significantly and user satisfaction increased as indicated by our strongest sales month of the quarter in March. We also made nice progress on the two clinical trials focused on the treatment of instent restenosis or ISR.
We have now enrolled 15 patients in Payton the ISR trial in Germany, which will evaluate the TURBO Booster plus PTA. There are now five hospitals enrolling in that trial. The salvage trial which is being done in the United States is also getting started very nicely. We have five patients enrolled in salvage and have four sites capable of enrolling. We expect to add six new sites in the second quarter.
Salvage is an ISR trial combining laser atherectomy with the TURBO Booster followed by a gore of viabon coverage stint. This is a 100 patient physician sponsored IDE trial jointly sponsored by Spectranetics and W.L. Gore. We certainly feel that scientifically based clinical trials evaluating the safety and ethicacy of laser atherectomy with the TURBO Booster will be very important to establish the clinical benefits of this treatment strategy.
This quarter we also initiated our first coronary trial in many years. The Tammy trial is a 200 patient randomized in five hospitals in Poland. The principle investigator in Tammy is Darius Dudek a world renowned intervention cardiologist in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, or AMI.
Tammy will treat AMI patients with large thrombus burtons. One group will receive laser plus direct tinting and the other will get balloon androplasty instinting. The in point will be a combination of SP resolution. Which is resolution of EKG abnormalities and the amount of distal embolization as measured by myocardial blush scores. Tammy will focus on the most complex AMI patients and represent a very nice new opportunity in the coronary market.
As we currently have very little business in this segment at the present time. We enrolled our first two patients in the first quarter. We are excited about the prospects of the Tammy trial and our excitement was fueled by a recent publication of and article of International Journal of Cardiology entitled "XMER laser in acute myocardial infarction single center experience on 66 patients."
This paper describes the laser experience of a hospital in Italy. The authors noted significant improvement in timmy flow, excellent ST resolution, a very low rate of distal embolization as measured by very high blush scores. A low complication rate and event free survival of 95% at six months follow-up.
The clinical in points documented in this paper are consistent with the clinicals of the Tammy trial. I am very excited about the progress we have mad in advancing our strategic initiatives in growing our vascular intervention business and building business in the future with these new trials.
We also made very good progress toward achieving our goals to accelerate the goal of lead management. In addition to completing the sales force split, we held two very successful master summits focusing on lead management. More than 40 physicians attended these live case training sessions with leading physicians as operators and moderators.
The goals of these master summits is to demonstrate best practices for removing pace maker and defibrillator leads as well as open up a dialogue regarding which types of leads should be removed in which types of patients.
This quarter we are also co-sponsoring a symposium at the heard rhythm society meeting entitled "Lead Extraction 2008: A critical review and implementation of heart rhythm guidelines." This symposium was developed under the offices of the Cleveland clinic and will feature a world class faculty. You can log into the heart rhythm society website for details of this very important symposium.
One goal of our lead management team is to demonstrate that the complication rate of lead extraction in centers using our lead extraction and system is very low in a broad variety of situations, including infection, malfunctions, and system upgrades. This month a paper published in the heart rhythm society medical journal based on the experience of the Bringham and Women's Hospital in Boston described their single center experience.
This consisted of 498 patients with 975 leads removed over seven years all using our clear system consisting of our laser sheet and lead locking device. The major complication rate was .4%. That's two major complications in 500 patients with no death and a success rate of 97.5% complete lead removal was achieved.
This landmark paper certainly demonstrated the safety and efficacy of removing pacing and defibrillator leads with our laser extraction system. This paper certainly supports the hypothesis of our lead management story.
In closing, I am very pleased with the progress we have made this quarter. We grew our top line and all of our products lines. We successfully completed the sales force split giving us significant market power and advanced our key clinical initiatives.
Our goals for the rest of this half are to accelerate enrollment in our three clinical trials, including Payton, Salvage and Tammy. We'd like to complete as least one business development deal that will either be a distribution arrangement or a bolt on acquisition using our existing cash resources and continue to execute as two separate sales organizations to grow the top line in both our vascular intervention and lead management businesses. I am very confident that we are well positioned to achieve our key goals for 2008 and beyond.
Now I will turn the call over to Guy who is going to provide some more color in our financial performance in the first quarter and will provide our financial guidance for 2008, and then we will open up the call.
Guy Childs
Thank you John. I am very pleased to report revenue of $23.8 million, up 37% compared with the 17.4 million during the year ago quarter. In flack compared with the fourth quarter of 2007 as expected.
Disposable product revenue was the most meaningful contributor to the growth and was up 39% on the strength of both vascular intervention and lead management sales, which grew 36% and 48% respectively.
On a sequential basis vascular intervention sales up $13.7 million were up $1 million or 8%. In lead management sales up of $6.4 million were down approximately $500,000 as expected and consisted with historical seasonality in this business. Within vascular intervention sales, our arethectomy business which includes laser arthectomy devices and the TURBO Booster products combined with our quick cross support catheters both contributed to the growth during the quarter.
Laser revenue was 1.7 million and an increase 56% compared with a year ago quarter and was down 22% from a very strong fourth quarter 2007. We are also pleased with laser placements of 24 during the quarter, which were in line with our expectation in compared with 34 placements in the year ago quarter.
On a geographic basis, U.S. revenue was $21.3 million, which represents 89% of worldwide revenue, an increase 38% on a year over year basis in 1% as compared to the fourth quarter of 2007.
Revenue outside the U.S. this quarter totaled $2.6 million which was up 35% compared to last year and down 10% on a sequential basis primarily on laser sales which was anticipated.
Gross margin for the fourth quarter was 72%, which was down from 73% in the year ago quarter and flack on a sequential basis. Operating expenses in the quarter were 18.5 million up 40% from the prior year quarter, due primarily to an expanded field organization, which now totals 111 employees as of March 31st, 2008 up from 79 a year ago, and 104 as of the end of 2007.
Within the 111, we have a total of 76 dedicated to our vascular intervention business and 35 to lead management business. We continue to expect in the year with the field sales organization of the range of 115 to 120 employees.
Of that total, approximately two-thirds will be supporting our vascular intervention business and one-third our lead management business. We also intend on expanding our sale organization outside of the U.S. primarily in Europe by 8 to 10 professionals in 2008 of which four were hired during the first quarter of 2008.
Pre-tax loss for fourth quarter - pre-tax loss for the first quarter of 2008 was $685,000 compared with pre-tax income of $165,000 for the first quarter of 2007 and pre-tax income of $628,000 in the fourth quarter of 2007.
I will close with some commentary on our annual financial guidance for 2008, which is unchanged form the guidelines provided on our fourth quarter call. We expect revenue for 2008 to be within the range of 104 million to 110 million. Representing 25 to 33% growth compared to 2007.
Gross margin is expected to be with in the range of 72 to 74%, research development and other technology costs are expected to be approximately 14 to 15% of revenue and SG&A costs are expect to be in the range of 55 to 58% of revenue.
Gross margin and operating expense cost may fall outside the ranges provided above at any given quarter due to factors that include, but are not limited to, timing and move related costs associated with the move of our manufacturing operations to an expanded facility, product development costs, clinical trial enrollment rates, and expansion of field sales organization.
...
continued
http://seekingalpha.com/article/73687-spectranetics-q1-2008-earnings-call-transcript?source=yahoo&page=-1
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Medtronic settles Spectranetics suit
Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal - by Carissa Wyant Staff Writer
Medtronic Inc. has settled a lawsuit with Spectranetics Corp. over a technology used by Medtronic that Spectranetics claimed to have patented, media reports said.
Bloomberg News said that an attorney for Fridley-based Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) wrote a letter to a U.S. District judge in Austin, Texas, saying that a settlement was reached Monday in a case involving technology used for sucking deposits out of blood vessels, the heart and lungs.
The letter provided no further details of the settlement.
Colorado Springs, Colo.-based Spectranetics had alleged that Medtronic's Export XT 6F model aspiration catheter infringed on a patent it held for catheter devices that remove intravascular, pulmonary and cardiac obstructions.
cwyant@bizjournals.com | (612) 288-2108
22-Apr-08 Pacific Growth Equities Initiated Neutral
# Coverage initiated on Spectranetics by Pacific Growth EquitiesBriefing.com(Tue, Apr 22)
Spectranetics First Quarter Revenue up 37% to $23.8 Million, Driven by Strong Vascular Intervention and Lead Management Performance
Wednesday April 23, 6:00 am ET
Affirms 2008 Financial Guidance
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Spectranetics Corporation (Nasdaq:SPNC - News) today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2008.
Revenue for the first quarter of 2008 was $23.8 million, up 37% compared with revenue of $17.4 million for the first quarter of 2007. Disposable product revenue rose 39% to $20.1 million, laser revenue increased 56% to $1.7 million, and service and other revenue increased 11% to $2.1 million, all compared with the first quarter of 2007. The increase in disposable product revenue was comprised of a 36% increase in vascular intervention product sales (including atherectomy products and support catheters) and a 48% increase in lead management revenue, compared with the prior-year first quarter.
The worldwide installed base of lasers increased to 767 as of March 31, 2008 (607 in the United States), which included net laser placements of 24 units in the first quarter of 2008, compared with 34 net placements in the first quarter of 2007.
Gross margin for the quarter was 72% of revenue, compared with 73% in the first quarter of the prior year. Operating expenses in the quarter were $18.5 million, up 40% from the prior-year first quarter due primarily to costs associated with the expansion of our United States field sales organization, which includes 111 employees at March 31, 2008, combined with increased product development and clinical study costs.
The pre-tax loss for the first quarter of 2008 was $685,000, compared with pre-tax income of $165,000 for the first quarter of 2007. Given the Company’s significant historical net operating losses that are available to offset future taxable income, any income tax expense or benefit is a non-cash item. As a result, management believes that pre-tax income or loss is the most appropriate measure of its operating performance.
For the first quarter of 2008 Spectranetics reported a net loss of $405,000, or $0.01 per share, compared with a net loss of $65,000, or $0.00 per share, in the first quarter of 2007.
Cash, cash equivalents and current and non-current investment securities totaled $53.4 million as of March 31, 2008, compared with $54.4 million as of December 31, 2007.
“We achieved significant sales growth both in our vascular intervention and lead management product groups, reflecting the strength of our technology and the continuing opportunities in these markets,” said John G. Schulte, President and Chief Executive Officer. “This strong performance also validates our decision to separate the sales force into two groups focused on vascular intervention products and lead management products. The split of the sales team, which we initiated in January, allows our sales representatives to more effectively build their business by concentrating on one set of products and call points.
“Our financial results to date are on track with our expectations, and we look forward to continued growth and improving profitability. As such, we are affirming the annual financial guidance we provided in February,” said Schulte.
2008 Financial Guidance
Spectranetics affirms the financial guidance for 2008 provided earlier this year, which is repeated herein for reference.
The Company expects revenue for 2008 to be within the range of $104 million to $110 million, representing 25% to 33% growth compared with 2007.
Gross margin for 2008 is expected to be within the range of 72% to 74%. Research, development and other technology costs are expected to be approximately 14% to 15% of revenue and selling, general and administrative costs are expected to be within the range of 55% to 58% of revenue. Gross margin and operating expense costs may fall outside of the ranges provided above in any given quarter due to factors that include, but are not limited to, timing of move-related costs associated with the move of our manufacturing operations to an expanded facility, product development costs, clinical trial enrollment rates and expansion of the field sales organization.
Pre-tax income for 2008 is expected to be within the range of $1.0 million to $5.0 million. The Company believes that pre-tax income is the most relevant measure of its operating performance given that income taxes are a non-cash expense due to historical net operating losses available to offset future taxable income. For that reason and the fact that significant fluctuations in the effective income tax rate are expected from quarter to quarter, the Company is not providing guidance on net income.
In assessing the Company’s financial guidance, Spectranetics’ management considered many factors and assumptions including, but not limited to, current and projected sales trend data; status, timing and progression of the Company’s product development projects; current and projected spending levels to support sales, marketing, development and administrative activities; anticipated timing and costs associated with the relocation and consolidation of its headquarters and manufacturing operation, and other risk factors discussed in Spectranetics’ publicly filed documents.
Conference Call
Management will host an investment-community conference call today beginning at 8:00 a.m. Mountain time, 10:00 a.m. Eastern time, to discuss these results. Individuals interested in listening to the conference call should dial (888) 803-8271 for domestic callers, or (706) 634-2467 for international callers. The live conference call will also be available via the Internet on the investor relations section of www.spectranetics.com.
A telephone replay will be available for 48 hours following the conclusion of the call by dialing (800) 642-1687 for domestic callers, or (706) 645-9291 for international callers and entering reservation code 43850304. The web site replay will be available for 14 days following the completion of the call.
About Spectranetics
Founded in 1984, Spectranetics manufactures and sells the only excimer laser approved in the United States, Europe and Japan for use in minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures. This technology treats complex cardiovascular conditions by photo-ablating multiple lesion types into tiny particles that are easily absorbed into the blood stream. The Company’s disposable catheters use high-energy “cool” ultraviolet light to vaporize arterial blockages in the legs and heart, as well as scar tissue encapsulating pacing and defibrillation leads. For more information visit www.spectranetics.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements are based on current assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties may include market acceptance of excimer laser atherectomy technology, increasing price and product competition, increased pressure on expense levels resulting from expanded sales, marketing, product development and clinical activities, uncertain success of the Company’s strategic direction, dependence on new product development, intellectual property claims of third parties, availability of inventory from suppliers, the receipt of FDA approval to market new products or applications and the timeliness of any approvals, market acceptance of new products or applications, product defects, ability to manufacture sufficient volumes to fulfill customer demand, availability of vendor-sourced components at reasonable prices, unexpected delays or costs associated with the Company’s relocation and consolidation of its headquarters and manufacturing operations, and price volatility due to the initiation or cessation of coverage, or changes in ratings, by securities analysts. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any anticipated results, performance or achievements, please see the Company's previously filed SEC reports. Spectranetics disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any financial projections or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
cont'd...
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/080423/20080423005332.html?.v=1
That is a great question. Since 2003, the stock has been doing very nicely and the market cap is still fairly small imho. The dividend is an added benefit. What do you think? TIA
No "recession" for Northrop. The increased dividend is good news imho.
Thanks for posting the article, very good information imho.
Global market for HPLC Systems & Accessories is projected to reach $3.0 billion by 2010. Future growth in the relatively mature HPLC market is expected from replacement sector, technology refinement and improvements, rather than from new product developments. These include device automation, software improvement and high speed and accuracy in analysis with the advent of LCMS systems.
San Jose, CA (PRWEB) April 22, 2008 -- Over the years, Liquid Chromatography has emerged as a workhorse technology in life sciences, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, research and development, and industrial chemicals. Used alone or in combination with other high performance technologies, HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) is a versatile technique for efficient separation, quantification and characterization of constituents of complex chemical mixtures. Present day HPLC devices are capable of analyzing almost all types of biological compounds including small molecules that can be isolated or synthesized.
United States and Europe comprise the major markets, collectively accounting for an estimated 70% share of the global HPLC systems & accessories market for 2008, as stated by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Proliferation of new applications, especially in biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, is one of the major factors driving growth. Other drivers include integration with complementary techniques or the growing shift towards 'hyphenated technologies', and growing acceptance and addition of new dimensions to the technique.
HPLC Systems & Accessories: A Global Strategic Business Report
HPLC Columns market in United States represents the largest market, with sales estimated at $303 million for 2008. Despite relatively mature conditions and resultant slow pace of growth, HPLC market in United States is benefiting from the introduction of fast LC technologies. Fast LC systems offer various advantages to research laboratories, which include superior resolution, high sensitivity, and enhanced throughput.
Asia-Pacific region is projected to record fastest growth, posting a CAGR of 7.5% over the period, 2000-2015. HPLC market in countries such as India is expected to witness rapid growth, propelled by an increase in life sciences research activities. HPLC pumps market in the region is projected to reach $79 million by 2010.
Germany is one of the leading producers and consumers of analytical instrumentation and laboratory equipment in Europe. HPLC is a popular technique employed by the bioanalytical, chemical and pharmaceutical industries in Germany. HPLC sample injectors market in Germany is estimated at $45 million for 2008.
Key players profiled in the report include Agilent Life Sciences and Chemical Analysis Group, Dionex Corp., ESA Biosciences Inc., Hitachi High Technologies America, Jasco Corporation, Knauer Scientific Instruments, Merck KgaA, Shimadzu Corp., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc, Varian Inc., Waters Corporation, and ZirChrom Separations Inc.
The report titled "HPLC Systems & Accessories: A Global Strategic Business Report" published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., analyzes the market over the period 2000-2015. Analysis is presented for United States, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Product segments analyzed include HPLC Pumps, HPLC Sample Injectors, HPLC Columns, HPLC Detectors, Fraction Collectors and Accessories.
For more details of this research report please visit http://www.strategyr.com/HPLC_Systems_and_Accessories_Market_Report.asp.
About Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (GIA) is a reputed publisher of off-the-shelf market research. Founded in 1987, the company is globally recognized as one of the world's largest market research publishers. The company employs over 700 people worldwide and publishes more than 880 full-scale research reports each year. Additionally, the company also offers a range of over 60,000 smaller research products including company reports, market trend reports, and industry reports encompassing all major industries worldwide.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 9:16 AM MST
General Dynamics to build new Landsat in Gilbert
The Business Journal of Phoenix
A General Dynamics unit in Gilbert will work on a $116 million contract to build a satellite for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission.
GD's Advanced Information Systems will design and build the satellite, integrating government components and providing on-orbit engineering support as well as other services under the contract.
The satellite will glean data and images for use in agriculture, education, business, science and government. It will be an upgrade, providing 60 percent more coverage of the Earth's surface per day than the current model
GD has built 11 satellites at its Gilbert facility, including NASA's Swift and Rhessi, which are in orbit. Another, the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope, is awaiting launch at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) is based in Falls Church, Va.
General Dynamics first-quarter earnings up nearly 32 percent
By STEPHEN MANNING 04.23.08, 2:34 PM ET
WASHINGTON -
Defense contractor General Dynamics Corp. said Wednesday its first quarter earnings rose nearly 32 percent, led by big sales increases in the division that makes armored vehicles, tanks and combat equipment.
The Falls Church, Va.-based company that also builds warships and Gulfstream private jets said it earned $572 million, or $1.42 per share, up from $434 million, or $1.06, in the first quarter of 2007. Sales totaled $7 billion, up 11 percent.
That was stronger than both the $1.29 per share in earnings and $6.89 billion in revenue expected by analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial.
In afternoon trading, General Dynamics shares fell 63 cents 87.38.
The company did not provide updated guidance for 2008, but Nicholas Chabraja, the company's chief executive, said given the strong start to the year, the company's earlier guidance was "conservative." In January, General Dynamics expected to earn between $5.55 to $5.65 per share for the year. Analysts predict $5.75 per share on $29.52 billion of revenue.
"We are going to beat our guidance," Chabraja told analysts Wednesday in a conference call.
Chabraja, 65, also said an announcement will likely come next month about his future and a possible successor as chief executive. Analysts have speculated he will retire soon, and his contract expires in the summer of 2009. Chabraja said the company's board has already made a decision and would meet in May to complete it.
Like much of the defense industry, General Dynamics has benefited from the military's need for supplies to fight battles in Iraq and Afghanistan. The company provides everything from armored vehicles to bullets, and is participating in a massive military project to retrofit and build military vehicles with stronger armor to ward off roadside bombs.
Combat division sales rose 27 percent to $1.99 billion, which Chabraja attributed largely to the armor work, known as Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, or MRAP. The Pentagon ordered thousands of the vehicles, but the program could drop off as early as this year once the orders are filled. Chabraja said other programs would make up for the lost business.
Analyst Paul Nisbet of JSA Research said that could include upgrading worn out military equipment from Iraq or a contract the Pentagon will award later this year to replace Humvees. However, he said General Dynamics "won't maintain the huge jump rate they had this quarter."
Sales in the marine systems unit, which builds submarines and ships, posted a nearly 10 percent sales increase to $1.37 billion, while information systems and technology sales slipped 1.3 percent to $2.35 billion.
General Dynamics also saw sizable sales gains in its aircraft division, which consists primarily of the Gulfstream private jet company. Sales rose 16.9 percent in the division to $1.27 billion.
The company is seeing strong orders for Gulfstream jets, as international customers in cash rich places like Russia, the Middle East and China are buying the private planes. Gulfstream recently unveiled plans to build its biggest, fastest and longest range jet, the G650. Demand has been heavy for the new plane, Chabraja said.
San Jose, CA (PRWEB) April 23, 2008 -- In the modern world, metal composite materials have become an essential application part in civil engineering projects, fiberglass, etc. Rapid adoption of MMCs is attributed to their constant development in terms of such characteristics that are hard to find in alloys or metals. The cost-effective materials fill the gap of material requirement left by monolithic materials. The advanced materials offer increased strength (tensile & yield), wear resistance, stiffness, corrosion resistance, low thermal elongation, and thermal shock resistance.
World metal matrix composites market is all set for an above average growth over the 2001-2010 period, as stated by recent report published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Asia-Pacific (inclusive of Japan) is forecast as the fastest growing region, exhibiting a CAGR of 8% over 2001-2010, while the United States will continue to maintain its dominating presence in the global metal matrix composites market, with a share estimated at 36% for 2008.
Metal Matrix Composites: A Global Strategic Business Report
In terms of product segment, refractory metal matrix composites market is anticipated to offer high growth potential with a CAGR of over 8% during 2001-2010. The segment is also the largest, accounting for an estimated share of 62% for 2008. aluminum matrix composites market is projected to exceed $68 million by 2010.
Among the various end-use industries for metal matrix composites, ground transportation market, with a share estimated at 57% for 2008, forms the largest, while the aerospace market is expected to emerge as the fastest, with a CAGR of 7% over 2001-2010. Other end-use industries analyzed include electronics/thermal management market, industrial market and other markets (including consumer products and defense sectors).
Metal matrix composites act as a perfect solution for several engineering tasks, where increased stiffness, strength, temperature, conductivity, and low weight are pre-requisites. Cost plays an important role in the growth of MMCs, as their production involves processing of pre-established metals with reinforcements. Despite its small market size, global metal matrix composites have become an important element for many technologies. Market players either are specialized in specific product categories or use particular production process or material. Rising power demand combined with the need for uninterrupted power supply is expected to propel the market for MMCs. In addition, reductions in production costs of MMCs would also boost demand in the transportation sector. The market is likely to further receive positive response from non-aerospace and non-transportation sectors, if the industry effectively promotes the product by highlighting its benefits.
Key industry participants profiled in the report include 3M Company, ADMA Products, Inc., Aerospace Metal Composites Limited, Ametek Specialty Metal Products, Brush Engineered Materials Inc, Ceradyne, Inc., CPS Technologies Corporation, Ceramic Protection Corporation, Composite Technology Corporation, DWA Aluminum Composites, Deutsche Edelstahlwerke GmbH, Electrovac AG, FMW Composite Systems, Inc., Foster-Miller, Inc., Momentive Performance Materials Inc., Hitachi Metals, Ltd., Metal Matrix Cast Composites LLC, MI-Tech Metals Inc., PLANSEE Thermal Management Solutions, Talon Composites LLC and Thermal Transfer Composites LLC.
The report titled "Metal Matrix Composites: A Global Strategic Business Report" published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. discusses the prevailing trends, issues, demand forecasts, and activities that affect the industry. The metal matrix composites market is analyzed in $ Million by the following geographic regions - United States, Europe, Asia-Pacific (including Japan), and Rest of World. The study also enumerates recent developments, mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic industry activity.
For more details about this research report, please visit http://www.strategyr.com/Metal_Matrix_Composites_Market_Report.asp
About Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (GIA) is a reputed publisher of off-the-shelf market research. Founded in 1987, the company is globally recognized as one of the world's largest market research publishers. The company employs over 700 people worldwide and publishes more than 880 full-scale research reports each year. Additionally, the company also offers a range of over 60,000 smaller research products including company reports, market trend reports, and industry reports encompassing all major industries worldwide.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Telephone 408-528-9966
Fax 408-528-9977
Email press @ StrategyR.com
Web Site www.StrategyR.com
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/composites_metal/matrix_aluminum_nickel/prweb881504.htm
The share price is not a bad value and the company's growth potential is real. No reason to think Northrop falter any time soon.
News
Northrop Grumman KC-45: Why We Won - Versatility
Wednesday April 23, 2:15 pm ET
Highlighting reasons the U.S. Air Force selected the KC-45 Tanker as best for our men and women in uniform.
WASHINGTON, April 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The U.S. Air Force found Northrop Grumman's (NYSE: NOC - News) bid to build the next generation of aerial refueling tankers superior to Boeing's in four of the five most important selection criteria. Despite this fact, the losing bidder wants the Government Accountability Office to overturn the Air Force decision to award the contract to Northrop Grumman even though the Air Force conducted what even Boeing described as a fair, open and transparent bidding process. Here is another reason Northrop Grumman won, drawn from a list of facts included in the Mission Capability section of a redacted version of a protected Air Force selection document.
Versatility
The Air Force found Northrop Grumman provides tremendous versatility in its aircraft, including "Better airlift efficiency, cargo capability, pallet capability, passengers and aero-medical capability." Although refueling is the primary mission, the KC-45's excellent mobility capability will provide future commanders with increased operational flexibility.
The Air Force concluded that Northrop Grumman's plane was superior because it could transport more cargo pallets, carry more people and evacuate more wounded soldiers than Boeing's, depending on which of these critical missions the Air Force would need to accomplish at any given time.
In choosing Northrop Grumman, the Air Force was being entirely consistent in what it told both bidders it was looking for all along. When its Request For Proposal (RFP) was finalized in Jan. 2007, the Air Force made clear it expected its new tanker to be versatile, noting that its evaluation would include "Airlift efficiency, cargo, passengers, aero-medical evacuation, ground turn time, and cargo bay reconfiguration," adding that greater flexibility and efficiency than the previous aircraft "Will be viewed as advantageous to the government."
These desires were also documented in a public white paper the Air Force produced a month later entitled "The Need For A Flexible Tanker," in which the Air Force wrote that it was looking for "A flexible aerial refueling aircraft that can operate throughout a battlespace to deliver fuel and/or cargo and/or passengers."
That same paper quoted Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Commander of the U.S. Transportation Command, as saying he was seeking flexibility. "I am looking for versatility; single-mission airplanes don't give that," said Schwartz, who later also said he wanted the new tanker to "Have a dual-role use" and be a "Game-changer over time."
Sue Payton, the Air Force's chief acquisitions officer, summarized the superiority of Northrop Grumman's plane this way in the document she provided to the bidders in which she explained her decision: "In my judgment, Northrop Grumman's ... aircraft offers significant advantage in the important areas of aerial refueling and airlift and represents superior value to the government."
The results are clear: Men and women of the Air Force who have a solemn responsibility to protect those fighting to defend freedom at home and abroad, as well as provide taxpayers the best possible value, concluded that Northrop Grumman's plane passed these two crucial tests with flying colors.
As the New York Times put it in a recent editorial, opponents of the Air Force's selection "Would rather have the Air Force buy a more expensive plane, and one that ... doesn't meet its needs nearly as well."
About the KC-45
The KC-45 Tanker aircraft will be assembled in Mobile, Ala., and the KC-45 team will employ 48,000 American workers at 230 U.S. companies in 49 states. It will be built by a world-class industrial team led by Northrop Grumman, and includes EADS North America, General Electric Aviation and Sargent Fletcher.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.
Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation
Not a prob. This is an exciting time for Northrop imho. Many current projects in the works. The company is very busy based on my observations.
General Dynamics to provide JTRS capabilities, information assurance services
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., 18 April 2008. General Dynamics won a contract valued at up to $140 million to develop and integrate the maritime and fixed-site joint tactical radio capabilities and provide information assurance services for the Lockheed Martin Airborne, Maritime and Fixed Site (AMF) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) team.
An essential part of the tactical Global Information Grid, AMF JTRS will provide secure data, voice, and video for on-the-move tactical platforms for joint forces, aircraft, maritime assets and fixed sites worldwide.
Work on the program will be performed in Scottsdale, Ariz., by General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics.
General Dynamics will develop and provide qualification testing for the joint tactical radios for Maritime and Fixed Sites, including radio set certification, waveform integration, and deployment of fixed-site communication equipment.
The company is also leading the information assurance development for the on-the-move networked communications for the Lockheed Martin AMF JTRS team. This includes development of the Type 1 INFOSEC modules for the airborne, maritime and fixed-site radios; and obtaining certification and accreditation for the AMF JTRS radios and system. This will include the processing of High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor (HAIPE) services for classified data.
http://mae.pennnet.com/display_article/326200/32/NEWS/none/none/1/General-Dynamics-to-provide-JTRS-capabilities,-information-assurance-services/?dcmp=ENL
SprayCool supplies liquid-cooled enclosure for Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle
LIBERTY LAKE, Wash., 22 April 2008. SprayCool, developer of advanced thermal-management solutions for the military, won a contract from General Dynamics to supply additional enclosures for the Command Variant of the U.S.M.C. Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV).
The units will be used to support ongoing hardware/software integration efforts throughout the current System Design and Demonstration (SDD) phase.
The Multi-Processor Unit (MPU), which SprayCool is under contract to provide, is the heart of the EFV's command-and-control capability.
The Command variant of the USMC EFV uses high-end commercial-grade electronics in a SprayCool enclosure to deliver mission processing demands.
The commercial boards in the SprayCool MPU--originally designed to be air-cooled--include five servers, a switch, an I/O board, and two expansion cards.
The SprayCool MPU's are fully rugged, sealed enclosures that enable commercial boards to meet the temperature, vibration, and EMI requirements of MIL-STD 810F and MIL-STD 461, and have been tested in the EFV vehicle environment.
The SprayCool 9-slot enclosure uses the company's patented 2-phase, liquid-cooling technology for maximum environmental control and flexibility, and can operate in temperatures ranging from -40 degrees C to +60 degrees C.
The product is upgradeable, capable of accepting a wide range of card types within the same chassis, simplifying the technology refresh cycle. It provides years of thermal headroom, considering it is capable of supporting cards sets of almost twice the power and thermal load as those deployed today. The EFV program has leveraged this feature during development, with new cards and capabilities added almost every 2 years with minimal NRE expense, saving the program costs and schedule.
http://mae.pennnet.com/display_article/326348/32/NEWS/none/none/1/SprayCool-supplies-liquid-cooled-enclosure-for-Marine-Corps-Expeditionary-Fighting-Vehicle/?dcmp=ENL
iRobot's Future Combat Systems contract grows to more than $60 million
BURLINGTON, Mass., 22 April 2008. iRobot Corp. has reached a funding agreement with the U.S. Army's Lead Systems Integrator (LSI) of Boeing and Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) team on the previously determined direction of SUGV acceleration on January 17, 2008 under the Future Combat Systems (FCS) program.
Valued at $6 million, this award adds and accelerates delivery of 25 FCS Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) near-term robots for testing to provide added capabilities to soldiers in the field. iRobot's FCS Program contract now totals approximately $63 million.
Helen Greiner, co-founder and chairman of iRobot, says: "With this agreement, as well as the recently announced accelerated testing schedule for FCS SUGV robots, it is clear the U.S. Army truly values the mission critical role robots play in theater as part of warfighters' teams."
In 2003, iRobot announced it was selected by the U.S. Army and its Lead System Integrator team of Boeing and SAIC to develop a next-generation SUGV for the FCS program.
Modeled after the combat-proven iRobot PackBot, SUGV features a rugged, lightweight body enabling a single soldier to carry and deploy the robot. By being linked in to the FCS network, the images and information gained by the SUGV can rapidly be made available to the warfighter.
http://mae.pennnet.com/display_article/326349/32/NEWS/none/none/1/iRobot's-Future-Combat-Systems-contract-grows-to-more-than-$60-million/?dcmp=ENL
Boeing employs RFID Global Solution tracking system at Kennedy Space Center
MOUNT AIRY, Md., 21 April 2008. RFID Global Solution Inc. (RFIDGS) is implementing a radio-frequency identification (RFID)-enabled asset tracking system for The Boeing Company at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The system, designed by RFIDGS, uses advanced active-RFID technology to locate equipment and tools within several facilities and mobile vehicles.
The system uses the company's GlobalView real-time location tracking software to monitor the whereabouts of critical assets and components across pre-defined areas of the space center.
The system supports vehicle-mounted visibility solutions with mobile terminals, powered by GlobalTrac, used in support of the delivery of payloads to the launch site.
"This effort with Boeing at the Kennedy Space Center extends RFID Global Solution's deployment of automatic data capture technology across all aspects of the aerospace marketplace," says Dave Eagleson, RFID Global Solution's senior VP of sales and marketing.
http://mae.pennnet.com/display_article/326331/32/NEWS/none/none/1/Boeing-employs-RFID-Global-Solution-tracking-system-at-Kennedy-Space-Center/?dcmp=ENL
Weapons at the speed of light
By Courtney E. Howard
Laser weaponry will be a tool in the U.S. military’s arsenal much sooner than many think, with the first applications for missile defense from the ground and the air.
Leading the way is the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA’s) Airborne Laser (ABL), expected to be fielded within the next few years. Perhaps the MDA’s most famous program, the Airborne Laser is designed to destroy missiles in their boost phase.
“ABL, with its future capability to destroy a missile in flight, is a critical and necessary component of an integrated missile defense system,” says Alexis Livanos, corporate vice president and president of the Northrop Grumman Space Technology sector in Redondo Beach, Calif.
“The high-energy COIL laser beam, traveling at the speed of light, coupled with the operation of the beacon illuminator that is used for atmospheric compensation, are examples of how we are employing Northrop Grumman advanced technologies to defend our nation and its assets,” Livanos says.
The operational phase of the ABL begins with the six strategically placed infrared sensors that detect the exhaust plume of a boosting missile. Once a target is detected, a kilowatt-class laser, the Track Illuminator (TILL), tracks the missile and determines a precise aim point.
The Beacon Illuminator (BILL), a second kilowatt-class laser, then measures disturbances in the atmosphere, which are corrected by the adaptive optics system to point and focus the high-energy laser at its intended target. Using a large telescope located in the nose turret of the ABL aircraft—a modified Boeing 747 jetliner—the beam control/fire control system focuses a separate megawatt-class laser beam onto a pressurized area of the boosting missile, holding it there until the concentrated energy causes the missile to break apart, according to the MDA. Contrary to what many may think, the ABL high-energy laser does not explode the missile, but rather heats it to such an extent that it implodes.
This past summer, the Boeing-led ABL team tracked an airborne target, compensated for atmospheric turbulence, and fired a surrogate for its high-energy laser.
During the test, the ABL 747-400F aircraft took off from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and used its infrared sensors and its TILL to find and track an instrumented target board located on the U.S. Air Force’s NC-135E Big Crow test aircraft. The Big Crow then fired its beacon laser at the ABL aircraft to enable ABL to measure and compensate for laser-beam distortion caused by the atmosphere. Lastly, ABL fired the surrogate high-energy laser (SHEL) at the Big Crow target board to simulate a missile shootdown. With the exception of ABL’s BILL, this flight test demonstrated the entire engagement sequence from target acquisition to pointing and firing the SHEL.
“This successful test shows that ABL can find and track a target, use its beam control/fire control system to compensate for atmospheric turbulence, and fire a surrogate high-energy laser to simulate a missile intercept,” says Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems in Washington. “We have now demonstrated most of the steps needed for the Airborne Laser to engage a threat missile and deliver precise and lethal effects against it.”
In upcoming flight tests, ABL will again demonstrate the engagement sequence, but this time use the return from its BILL instead of the Big Crow’s beacon laser to measure atmospheric distortion.
The program will install the actual Northrop Grumman-built high-energy laser in the aircraft to prepare for the first intercept test against an in-flight ballistic missile in 2009. The high-power chemical laser has completed rigorous ground testing at Edwards Air Force Base and is being prepared for installation, Boeing officials say.
Boeing is the prime contractor for ABL, which will provide a speed-of-light capability to destroy all classes of ballistic missiles in their boost phase of flight. Boeing provides the modified aircraft and the battle-management system and is the overall systems integrator. ABL partners are Northrop Grumman, which supplies the TILL and BILL high-energy lasers, and Lockheed Martin, which provides the nose-mounted turret and the beam control/fire control system.
Northrop Grumman mobile lasers
The U.S. Army has selected the Northrop Grumman Space Technology segment for the first phase of a program to demonstrate a mobile, solid-state laser weapon system mounted on a ground vehicle. The High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator (HEL TD) is intended to counter rockets, artillery, and mortars (counter-RAM) at the High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility (HELSTF) at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.
If deployed, HEL TD could support the transition to an Army acquisition program.
Northrop Grumman Space Technology won a one-year, $8 million contract, which could reach nearly $50 million over three years if options are exercised, from the Army Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville, Ala. Under the contract, Northrop Grumman is designing a ruggedized beam-control subsystem deployed on a tactical combat vehicle.
“We have built and tested a counter-RAM laser beam control system and integrated it with a command-and-control system to detect, track, and destroy incoming threats in flight,” Dan Wildt, director of Northrop Grumman’s Directed Energy Systems, says. These accomplishments include hand-off from an acquisition radar, passive and active tracking of targets, aim-point maintenance, and predictive avoidance.
The HEL TD team led by Northrop Grumman consists of BAE Systems, Ball Aerospace & Technologies, and L-3 Communications Brashears. Northrop Grumman will provide systems engineering, system integration, the beam control subsystem, the power subsystem, the thermal subsystem, and C3I. BAE Systems will provide the vehicle and platform integration; Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. will supply beam alignment and stabilization systems; and L-3 Communications Brashears will supply the beam director.
Northrop Grumman Corp. officials also opened a specialized facility in Redondo Beach, Calif., exclusively for the system integration and production of high-energy laser systems for the military. The Directed Energy Production Facility is specifically designed for the production of high-energy, solid-state lasers and their integration onto military vehicles.
The facility’s first project is to build and demonstrate the first 100-kilowatt solid-state laser sufficient for Phase 3 of the Joint High-Power Solid State Laser (JHPSSL) program.
High-energy liquid lasers
Officials at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., have contracted professionals at Textron Defense Systems, an operating unit of Textron Systems Corp. in Wilmington, Mass., to design the unit cell module for a 150-kilowatt laser weapon system (LWS) as part of the High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS) program.
The goal of HELLADS is to develop a high-energy laser weapon system, on the order of 150 kilowatts, that also is smaller and lighter than existing laser systems. With a weight goal of less than 11 pounds per kilowatt, HELLADS will enable high-energy lasers (HELs) to be integrated onto tactical aircraft. The compact system is intended to shoot down tactical targets, such as surface-to-air missiles and rockets, and to overcome the engagement-range limitations of larger, ground-based systems.
Based on the $1.45 million contract, Textron engineers are designing a unit cell laser module with integrated power and thermal management. It must be capable of 17 kilowatts of output power and meet DARPA’s aggressive weight, volume, beam quality, and runtime requirements for the LWS. Textron Defense Systems’ design is based upon the company’s ThinZag Ceramic solid-state laser technology. If the module proves successful, additional laser modules will be fabricated to produce a 150-kilowatt laser, which will be integrated with an existing beam-control solution to produce a laser weapon system demonstrator, Textron officials say.
“This DARPA initiative allows us to demonstrate compact, scalable, laser weapon system architectures based on ThinZag technology and accelerate the deployment of directed-energy weapons to the warfighter,” says Dr. John Boness, vice president, Applied Technology, Textron Defense Systems’ Advanced Solutions Center in Wilmington, Mass.
The HELLADS program also is funding the Aero Adaptive Beam Control program, designed to optimize the performance of high-energy lasers on tactical aircraft against targets in the aft field of regard. Current optical turret designs protrude, causing severe aero-optic distortions due to turbulence in the wake and unsteady shock movement over the aperture, reducing the effectiveness of directed-energy weapons. This program will examine flow-control strategies, explore the feasibility of a flow-control system synchronized with adaptive optics, and potentially culminate in wind-tunnel testing and the demonstration of an adaptive optics system and flight test turret.
http://mae.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=Archives&Subsection=Display&ARTICLE_ID=317483&dcmp=ENL
Q2 2008 Varian Medical Systems, Inc. Earnings Release - After Market Close
http://biz.yahoo.com/research/earncal/20080423.html?t=var
The Company also announced that its annual general meeting of shareholders will be held at the offices of Security Capital Assurance Ltd, A.S. Cooper Building, 26 Reid Street, Hamilton, HM 11, Bermuda on Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. local time.
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Anyone planning to attend? TIA
Thanks for the info. I will update the iBox.
ITT gets $111M contract for countermeasure system for US Navy aircraft
http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/0-0&fp=480ef35b77ee73bb&ei=kgEOSP6NK6COrAO37PyCBg&url=http%3A//money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/newstex/AFX-0013-24655752.htm&cid=1152825986&usg=AFrqEzfyKwQfwQFUh8QUvq-rrBeIP8Xbyg
Coherent to outsource Auburn optics manufacturing operations
April 18, 2008, Santa Clara, CA--Coherent entered into a definitive agreement to sell certain assets of Coherent's Auburn Optics manufacturing operation to Research Electro-Optics (Boulder, CO), a privately held optics manufacturing and technology company. Consistent with the asset transaction, Coherent and REO have entered into a strategic supply agreement whereby REO will provide optical manufacturing capabilities for Coherent, including fabrication and coating of optical components.
The transition of the optics manufacturing assets from Auburn to Boulder will begin immediately and is expected to be completed no later than the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2009. Coherent will further discuss the transaction during its previously announced second fiscal quarter financial results conference call on April 24, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. PST.
According to an article in The Union newspaper (Grass Valley, CA), the outsourcing move will affect the jobs of about 100 people, including residents who live in southern Nevada County. "It's part of the company's strategy to effectively manage production in cost-effective ways," said Leen Simonet, executive VP and CFO of Coherent. Simonet denied any hardship to local workers, as they would be offered jobs at Research Electro-Optics or provided with help to find work locally. Simonet would not comment on the future of Coherent's manufacturing presence in Auburn. It was unclear whether any manufacturing jobs remain.
For more information, visit www.coherent.com.
Fri Apr 18 09:42:00 CDT 2008
http://www.laserfocusworld.com/display_article/326220/12/none/none/INDUS/Coherent-to-outsource-Auburn-optics-manufacturing-operations
Fremont General's senior ratings cut to 'C'; outlook stable - Moody's
http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/0-0&fp=480e4aed9d1710cf&ei=9AAOSNmVE5SoqgP1iqytBw&url=http%3A//www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do%3FnewsId%3D63451699537433&cid=1153093568&usg=AFrqEzdaQbR7LXdo82gA5BiY2ubv4I00ow
DuPont's first-quarter net rises 26%; 2008 outlook affirmed
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=dow
Sales of a substantial number of shares of the Company’s common stock in the public market could cause a decrease in the market price of the common stock. At March 31, 2008, the Company had 26,754,662 shares of common stock outstanding. A significant number of those outstanding shares either are eligible for resale to the public without restriction pursuant to Rule 144(k) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or are eligible for resale to the public pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act. At March 31, 2008, options to purchase 4,770,000 shares of common stock were outstanding of which all were vested, and warrants to purchase 4,832,734 shares of common stock were outstanding. If a significant portion of these shares were sold in the public market, the market value of the common stock could be adversely affected. www.sec.gov
During the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company's cash and cash equivalents increased by $320,430. This increase was a result of cash provided by continuing operations of $840,425, cash provided by investing activities of $851 and the effect of exchange rates on cash of $219,471 offset by cash used in financing activities of $740,317. Operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2007 exclusive of changes in operating assets and liabilities provided $593,739 in cash, as well as a increase in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other payables of $1,744,542, and a decrease in deposits and other assets of $163,716, offset by an increase in accounts receivable and inventory $1,661,572.
To the extent the Company's operations are not sufficient to fund the Company's capital requirements, the Company may enter into a revolving loan agreement with a financial institution, attempt to raise additional capital through the sale of additional common or preferred stock or through the issuance of debt, or sell shares of Vyta Corp common stock held as an investment by the Company. At December 31, 2007, the Company owned 23,245 shares of Vyta Corp. common stock with a market value of approximately $5,346 based upon the closing bid price of $0.23 per share. Although at the present time the Company has revolving loan agreements with several financial institutions, the Company cannot provide any assurances that it will be able to enter into any such agreement in the future or be able to raise funds through the further issuance of debt or equity in the Company. www.sec.gov
NewMarket China, Inc. Conducts Earnings Webcast Today at 5:00 PM EDT on 36% Revenue Increase to $40 Million With 83% Net Income Growth in 2007
Wednesday April 9, 9:24 am ET
DALLAS, TX--(MARKET WIRE)--Apr 9, 2008 -- NewMarket China, Inc. (OTC BB:NMCH.OB - News) CEO John T. Verges and CFO Philip J. Rauch will conduct an audio Webcast today at 5:00 p.m. EDT to review the Company's 2007 business operations and financial performance filed last week on SEC Form 10-KSB. The Company reported $40.0 million in revenue, increasing revenue by 36% over 2006. Net income increased 83% from $542 thousand in 2006 to $991 thousand in 2007.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=NMCH.OB&t=1d&c=
NewMarket China, Inc. Webcast Reviewing 2007 36% Revenue Increase to $40 Million With 83% Net Income Growth Now Available Online
Thursday April 10, 9:41 am ET
DALLAS, TX--(MARKET WIRE)--Apr 10, 2008 -- NewMarket China, Inc. (OTC BB:NMCH.OB - News) CEO John T. Verges and CFO Philip J. Rauch conducted a Webcast yesterday to review the Company's 2007 business operations and financial performance filed last week on SEC Form 10-KSB. An archive of the call can be accessed at http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=127668.
http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/080410/0385570.html
11 Apr 2008
Overseas regulatory announcement re Indofood Agri Resources Limited: Notice of Annual General Meeting
http://www.firstpacco.com/admin/upload/ir/announcements/ea080411a.pdf