In Brief
Ismeca Expands Production Capabilities
A leading manufacturer of automation equipment, Ismeca S.A. (La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland) has added 9000 m2 of floor space to its headquarters. The three-story addition, according to the company, will allow the consolidation of corporate offices that are currently scattered throughout the region. The increase in space will also permit the integration of Ismeca subsidiary Vibreurs & Applications. For more information, contact Ismeca S.A., 283, rue de l'Helvétie, CH-2301 La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland; phone: +41 39 257237; fax: +41 39 265989.
Hydro Polymers Hikes PVC Compounding Capacity
Hydro Polymers (Newton Aycliffe, Co. Durham, UK) has announced that it will add more than 20,000 t of gell and powder capacity to its PVC compounding facility. The $7.5-million expansion is scheduled to be completed over the next two years. Between 1995 and 1998, says managing director Geoff Richards, "Norsk Hydro will have invested over $75 million expanding and modernizing PVC resin and compound manufacturing at Aycliffe, almost doubling the scale of our operations." For additional information, contact Hydro Polymers Ltd., Newton Aycliffe, Co. Durham DL5 6EA, UK; phone: +44 1325 300555; fax: +44 1325 300215.
Filtertek France Receives ISO Certification
Filtertek S.A. (Plailly, France) has been certified to ISO 9001, allowing the company's French facility to join Filtertek Ireland as a fully ISO-certified operation. The company manufactures filtration devices and thermoformed packaging. For more information, contact Filtertek S.A., ZA de la Dame Jeanne, F-60128 Plailly, France; phone: +33 344 541990; fax: +33 344 543892.
Lemo Turns 50, Renews ISO Certification
A global supplier of connectors, Lemo S.A.(Ecublens, Switzerland) marked its 50-year anniversary by renewing its ISO 9001 certification. Lemo, which was founded in 1946, gained international prominence in 1957 when the company launched its push-pull self-latching system. The company currently employs 800 people and manufactures more than 47,000 different components. For more information, contact Lemo S.A., Ch. des Champs-Courbes 28, Case Postale 194, CH-1024 Ecublens, Switzerland; phone: +41 21 6911616; fax: +41 21 6911626.
Certification Body Offers Easier Route to ISO 9000
Companies with 30 or fewer employees are the target customers for a certification scheme launched by Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance (LRQA; Coventry, UK). A range of options developed by the company, including a fixed fee that can be reimbursed in interest-free monthly installments, makes it easier for small businesses to achieve compliance with ISO 9000, according to LRQA. For more information, contact LRQA, Hiramford-Middlemarch Office Village, Siskin Dr., Coventry CV3 4FJ, UK; phone: +44 1203 882390; fax: +44 1203 639493.
Battelle Expands Medical Product Development
Battelle (Geneva, Switzerland) has acquired the medical product development capabilities of Larren Corp. (Boulder, CO, USA). Battelle, with facilities in more than 40 cities worldwide, is specialized in the development of new technologies and products. Contact Battelle Europe, 7, route de Drize, CH-1227 Carouge, Geneva, Switzerland; phone: +41 22 3030707; fax: +41 22 3436732.
BRI, Presidio Collaborate
Contract-research organization BRI International Ltd. (London) and Presidio Systems Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA, USA), a supplier of software for clinical trial design, data capture, and review, have announced an agreement in which the two companies will work together. One specific area of collaboration involves Presidio's clinical trial applications with BRI's tools to run the trials. For additional information, contact BRI International Ltd., Glengorse, Battle, E Sussex TN33 0TX, UK; phone: +44 1424 776200; fax: +44 1424 772625.
Heaters Ease Compliance
A manufacturer's line of etched-foil Kapton heaters recently received UL recognition, making it easier for medical design engineers using the component to comply with harmonized standards such as ANSI and UL 2601-1. The Kapton heaters manufactured by Elmwood Sensors (Pawtucket, RI, USA) are routinely used in blood analyzers and infusion pumps. Contact the company at 500 Narragansett Park Dr., Pawtucket, RI 02861-4325, USA; phone: +1 401 7271300; fax: +1 401 7285390.
