Spirax Sarco has named Roger Barnes as vice president of marketing and technology.

Jomar International opened a new 46,500-sq.-ft. headquarters and distribution center in Warren, Mich.

Manufacturing economic activity grew in January for the 20th consecutive month, while the overall economy grew for the 39th month in a row, according to the Institute for Supply Management's monthly survey.

Orion Fittings has hired Mike Potts as product development engineer.

Northwest Pipe Co. reported that it received a letter of intent to supply approximately $9 million of welded steel pipe to PCl Construction of Tempe, Ariz., for a City of Albuquerque water treatment plant.

Based on preliminary Census Bureau data for December, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) reported that the United States imported a total of 35.7 million net tons of steel in 2004, including 28.3 net tons of finished steel

The rising cost of steel and other construction materials has been voted the top construction story of 2004 in an annual survey conducted by the Construction Writers Association (CWA).

A. Louis Supply of Ashtabula, Ohio, a single-location independent distributor of industrial PVF and other diversified product, is 100 years old this year.

SPX Corp. has sold its municipal water and wastewater valve business to St. Cloud, Minn.-based Granite Equity Partners and its affiliates for $29.75 million.

At least two companies associated with the PVF industry have seen fit to open their coffers with $100,000+ donations to help relief efforts after the Indian Ocean tsunamis devastated coastlines in 12 nations.