Flir slaps Fluke with lawsuit over YouTube video
A Portland Business Journal report says Flir Systems Inc., Wilsonville, Ore., has filed suit against Fluke Corp., Everett, Wash., regarding a YouTube video Fluke published in March of a “drop test” involving several competing infrared scanners. Flir says two of its products are misrepresented in the video.
In the video the Flir scanners appear to break when dropped from two meters, while the Fluke meter appears to not suffer any damage. According to the article, Flir is charging rival Fluke with manipulating its cameras to “make it appear they broke when dropped.”
LumaSense acquisition adds transformer sensors
LumaSense Technologies, Santa Clara, Calif., a maker of temperature and gas sensing products, has acquired fiber-optic sensing technology from Canada-based Opsens Inc. used to help energy companies identify transformer hot spots and perform critical high-voltage equipment temperature monitoring. The deal for Opsens' PowerSens system rounds out LumaSense's fiber optics portfolio designed to help utilities improve power grid reliability involving generation, transmission and distribution assets, the company said.
State Electric Supply to build new branch in Chillicothe, Ohio
A report in the Chillicothe Gazette said State Electric Supply, Huntington, W.Va., will build a new $1.6 million branch in Chillicothe, Ohio, that will take the place of the company's two existing locations in the town, located approximately 45 miles south of Columbus, Ohio. The article said the new building in Chillicothe's Gateway Industrial Park will be 15,790 square feet and have a 12,750-square-foot warehouse.
NEMA's Industrial Controls Index posts gain in Q2
NEMA's Primary Industrial Controls Index increased 6.4 percent in the second quarter of 2010 versus the first quarter. Overall, the index has registered four consecutive quarter-to-quarter increases and is now 24.8 percent above its year-ago level — representing the largest year-over-year percentage gain since late 1992. Even with this improvement, however, inflation- and seasonally-adjusted shipments remain more than 18 percent below their cyclical peak from two years earlier.
Home Depot to sell Cree LED downlight for under $50
Home Depot Inc., Atlanta, will be selling an LED downlight that's the equivalent of a 65W incandescent in stores this fall, with pricing expected to be $49.99.
California's Independent Electric Supply to distribute Eco Depot's LED Line
Independent Electric Supply Inc., San Carlos, Calif., has signed a distribution agreement with Eco Depot Inc., Los Angeles, to market that company's line of LEDs in California, Arizona and Hawaii. According to a posting on www.marketwatch.com, the distribution agreement specifies minimum purchases over a two-year period for $10 million and is renewable based on the distributor's achievement of certain milestones.