Parker Extends Precise Medical Seal Capability; Acquires Hi-Tech Group Companies (14262)
CLEVELAND, -- Parker Hannifin Corporation (NYSE:PH), a leader in motion and control technologies, has acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of the capital stock of HTR Holding Corp. and its subsidiaries, including Hi- Tech Rubber, Inc., Inland Technologies, Inc., Ventrex, Inc. and Accusil, Inc. The acquired companies operate under their own names and under the trade names Hi-Tech Group, A.C. Hoffman Engineering and Infinity Plastics. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. HTR Holding Corp. sales for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2007, on a consolidated basis, were approximately $93 million. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings within its first full year of operations and its sales will be reported as part of Parker's Industrial North America segment.

NEW! Series DLD Dual Channel Leak Detection Relay (14175)
Dwyer Instruments, Inc., the preferred source for your complete range of practical and affordable instrumentation, has just released the NEW SERIES DLD DUAL CHANNEL LEAK DETECTION RELAY. The Series DLD is used to monitor the shaft seal of two submersible pumps to detect a leak before pump failure. A leak is detected by sensing the status of a float or conductivity switch installed in the seal cavity. When this resistance drops below the set sensitivity, the output relay energizes and the LED indicator illuminates. The DLD offers normally open relay contacts to energize an alarm and de-energize the pump in the event of a leak. When the seal failure condition clears, the relay automatically resets. Installation is made simple with the standard 8-pin octal mount.

PARKER FLUID CONTROL DIVISION INTRODUCES NEW CAR CARE VALVES (14172)
NEW BRITAIN, CT, Parker Fluid Control Division, manufacturers of the Skinner and Gold Ring lines of solenoid valves and the Sinclair Collins line of process control valves, now offers a new line of solenoid valves designed exclusively for the car wash industry. The Car Care Solenoid Valve line reliably meets the most demanding applications including presoak, soap dispensing, water purification, water softening, hot waxes, spot-free rinsing, blowers and driers, and high-pressure washes.

Sit Down Low Cost Downdraft Table, Easy Bench (14139)
Maximum Comfort: Designed ergonomically with standard desk height and full leg room to reduce operator strain and fatigue and optimize productivity and efficiency.

Parker TFD Launches Universal Push-to-Connect Assembly (14124)
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Parker Hannifin’s Tube Fittings Division, in conjunction with the Hose Products Division and Parflex Division, has developed a Universal Push-to-Connect (UPTC) assembly that provides fast and efficient, leak-free connections for compact fluid power systems in industrial, mobile and construction equipment.

Tuthill Coupling Group Acquires Quick Seal Product Line (14087)
BEREA, Ohio — Tuthill Coupling Group, which manufactures Hansen and Coupleurs Gromelle quick connect couplings, has acquired the QUICK SEAL line of leak testing and pressure vessel testing equipment from Tuthill Pump Group. For over 40 years, QUICK SEAL has been an industry leader in providing leak test plugs and filling connectors that have been recognized for their superior quality.

Zollner Elektronik Chooses Schreiner ProTech Pressure Compensation Seal (14065)
SOUTHFIELD, MI, Schreiner ProTech today announced Zollner Elektronik will be integrating Schreiner’s innovative pressure compensation seals (PCS) into Zollner’s electronic control units used in automotive applications. These special seals are the ultimate solution for reducing adverse effects of environmental conditions on sensative electrical components.

Pinnacle Airlines Expands Aircraft Maintenance Operations at Fort Wayne Airport. To occupy 60,000 sf facility; add 16 jobs (14030)
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (February 21, 2008)—Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. has announced plans to increase its aircraft maintenance operations at Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA), relocate to a larger facility at FWA, increase employment levels, and operate new direct Northwest Airlink flights between FWA and Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport (MSP) for Northwest Airlines. Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. is a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (NASDAQ: PNCL). Both are based in Memphis, Tenn.

Paychecks Shrink and Insecurity Grows (14025)
Sometimes we would rather be wrong, but the numbers continue to reinforce our dour take on current economic conditions. The latest evidence comes in a set of numbers released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday. Some quick calculations by senior economist Jared Bernstein showed that paychecks for typical workers are shrinking at an accelerating rate. January saw a loss of 1.4% in buying power, compared to steady real growth of 2.0% last year. The dive was caused by a combination of three factors: wage growth slowed, employers cut back on weekly hours, and inflation ticked up (boosted by high energy prices). Our prognosis is that wages will continue to stagnate or shrink through the year. As EPI President Larry Mishel said in a piece for The Nation by Nancy Cleeland, "For workers, this is as good as it's going to get for a while."

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions launches a spring-energized PTFE based seal the Turcon Variseal Ultra-Clean (14003)
Fort Wayne, Iniana - In many applications the open spring of the standard seal is acceptable. However, in food, beverage and pharmaceutical processing where cleanliness is paramount, the area of dead space around the spring where bacteria can potentially be caught can pose a risk of contamination. Trelleborg Sealing Solutions recognized the need to offer an enclosed Turcon® Variseal® design requiring the spring to activate. Considerable research and development work has resulted in this unique design, thus ensuring cleanliness throughout the process.