• The Italian sensor-maker Infra has joined the Datasensor Group. Vicenza-based Infra produces photoelectric, inductive, and capacitive sensors, among others, and is expected to have sales worth around €2.5m this year, following a 20% increase in the first six months. Datasensor has a turnover of about €25m.

• The motor-maker Franklin Electric has reached a settlement with the Pentair Pump Group and Sta-Rite Industries in the US after they filed litigation against Franklin, challenging its plans to distribute 4-inch submersible motors directly to US and Canadian distributors and to change the prices of these motors. Franklin has agreed to continue supplying these products to the litigants under their previous arrangements, as amended by the parties.

• ABB expects to hire 5,000 new employees in China and to double its orders and revenues to $4bn by 2008. China is currently ABB`s third-largest market and will generate about $2bn of ABB`s $18bn global sales this year. By 2008, ABB expects China to overtake Germany to become its second-largest market.

• Parker Hannifin is investing in the US zero-emission vehicle producer, the Vectrix Corporation, to help it start production of the world`s first full-size, high-performance, long-range, low-emission electric scooter. Vectrix recently unveiled a hybrid scooter that combines a fuel cell system with battery power. It is expected to go on sale in two to three years.

• Danfoss has won the contract to supply 5,500 drives for baggage-handling in the new Terminal 3 at Singapore`s Changi airport. The terminal will handle 20 million passengers a year when it is finished in 2007. The FCD200 decentralised drives will power more than 10km of conveyors. The order comes from FKI Logistex.

• Omron has formed a strategic partnership with the digital manufacturing supplier, Delmia, under which it will distribute Delmia Automation as its new collaborative programming desktop for control engineers. It will also integrate Delmia Automation into its new generation of control and network systems. Delmia is owned by Dassault Systemes.