Manufacturers Orange County

Manufacturers in Orange County had one of their best post-recession quarters in the July-September period with increased productivity and a decline in layoffs, according to a report issued Monday. The good news, from Chapman University's quarterly purchasing manager survey, comes at a time when a number of negative economic signals have sounded. Unemployment for September rose slightly to 6% from 5.

The manufacturing industry in Orange County, led by high-tech companies and fed by faster employment growth, picked up more steam in the second quarter while the overall manufacturing sector nationwide lagged, according to a Chapman University survey released Tuesday. Even the prices manufacturers pay for raw materials, from silicon to nails, subsided during the second three months, growing at a slower rate and easing for now worries about inflation and an economic slowdown.

SPD Technologies Inc., a maker of electrical products with a large manufacturing facility in Anaheim, said it will be bought by a former unit of Lockheed Martin Corp. for $230 million. L-3 Communications Holdings Inc., a New York-based supplier of military communications systems, is buying SPD in order to expand both its product line and access to the Navy. The former Lockheed unit was spun off last year. Privately held SPD acquired Power Paragon Inc. in Anaheim last year for an undisclosed

SPD Technologies Inc., a maker of electrical products with a large manufacturing facility in Anaheim, said it will be bought by a former unit of Lockheed Martin Corp. for $230 million. L-3 Communications Holdings Inc., a New York-based supplier of military communications systems, is buying SPD in order to expand both its product line and access to the Navy. The former Lockheed unit was spun off last year. Privately held SPD acquired Power Paragon Inc. in Anaheim last year for an undisclosed

In competitive swimming, as in any sport, the achievements of certain athletes give their names an almost mythic quality. An example is Steve Furniss, a former world and U.S. record holder and Olympic medal winner. The Orange County native, widely remembered for his accomplishments in the water, is now making a splash as president and owner of Tyr Sports Inc., the fastest-growing manufacturer in the competitive swimwear industry.

The manufacturing industry in Orange County, led by high-tech companies and fed by faster employment growth, picked up more steam in the second quarter while the overall manufacturing sector nationwide lagged, according to a Chapman University survey released Tuesday. Even the prices manufacturers pay for raw materials, from silicon to nails, subsided during the second three months, growing at a slower rate and easing for now worries about inflation and an economic slowdown.

The maker of the Vans brand of sneakers and casual shoes reported a larger-than-expected quarterly loss of $2.4 million Friday and said that its president has resigned. The news sent Vans Inc.'s stock down $2.25 a share to close at $6.875 in NASDAQ trading. The price hit a peak last year of $25.75. Industry analysts tried to calm the market with projections of long-term health for the 27-year-old Orange-based company, which over the years has seen its fortunes soar and sink. Richard P.

Manufacturers in Orange County reported slight production increases during the second quarter, leading economists at Chapman University to boost an economic confidence indicator to its highest level in two years. The private university's quarterly Purchasing Managers Index rose to a level of 51.5 from 47.6 in the first quarter.

Recognizing Orange County as a hotbed of medical and biotech research and development, the nonprofit California Manufacturing Technology Center has formed a group to work exclusively with local medical manufacturers. "Orange County has an estimated 2,000 medical-related manufacturers," says David Braunstein, the Hawthorne center's chief executive. "We've formed the medical technology group to provide this vibrant industry with the affordable and objective services it needs to survive and grow."

The California Manufacturing Technology Center, which provides assistance to small- and medium-sized manufacturers in Orange County and elsewhere in Southern California, has received $25.8 million in federal funds over the next six years to expand its services.

Manufacturers in Orange County had one of their best post-recession quarters in the July-September period with increased productivity and a decline in layoffs, according to a report issued Monday. The good news, from Chapman University's quarterly purchasing manager survey, comes at a time when a number of negative economic signals have sounded. Unemployment for September rose slightly to 6% from 5.

The maker of the Vans brand of sneakers and casual shoes reported a larger-than-expected quarterly loss of $2.4 million Friday and said that its president has resigned. The news sent Vans Inc.'s stock down $2.25 a share to close at $6.875 in NASDAQ trading. The price hit a peak last year of $25.75. Industry analysts tried to calm the market with projections of long-term health for the 27-year-old Orange-based company, which over the years has seen its fortunes soar and sink. Richard P.

In competitive swimming, as in any sport, the achievements of certain athletes give their names an almost mythic quality. An example is Steve Furniss, a former world and U.S. record holder and Olympic medal winner. The Orange County native, widely remembered for his accomplishments in the water, is now making a splash as president and owner of Tyr Sports Inc., the fastest-growing manufacturer in the competitive swimwear industry.

As sportswear manufacturers gear up for a summer of surf and sand, the riots in Los Angeles last week may have seemed a world away. But at least half a dozen companies in Orange County are donating T-shirts, pants and accessories to people who lost their homes or jobs in the turmoil. Rob Mitchell, president of Mossimo Inc.

Bolstered by a surge of new orders that should keep factories humming into the summer, manufacturers in Orange County were fatter and happier than their national counterparts during the first quarter, Chapman University economist Raymond Sfeir says. Sfeir conducts a quarterly survey of conditions in the county's manufacturing sector and compiles an index that measures growth and serves as a pretty reliable indicator of where things are heading. For the first quarter, the index rose to 64.