Good News on a Sunny Friday

Sunny Friday here. Spring may finally have come to Illinois. More important, although things are still decidedly cloudy on the economic front, a few glimpses of sun are popping through.

Consider this news from Extech Instruments. This release is dated for Monday, but I got a sneak preview.

Waltham, Mass.  April 27, 2009 – Extech Instruments (www.extech.com), a subsidiary of FLIR Systems, Inc., announced another year of sustained growth with record sales of $48 million in 2008. As a reflection of the economic downturn, Extech has witnessed a continued surge in demand for its wide range of affordable handheld test and measurement equipment.
 
Jerry Blakeley, general manager at Extech spoke about the success, “These are difficult times for many of our customers. Even with restricted budgets, many electrical and HVAC professionals still need to replace or upgrade tools. Many are taking a closer look at Extech’s product line when considering a multimeter, infrared camera, or other test equipment.” 
 
Extech continued to gain market share in handheld test and measurement and entry-level infrared cameras in 2008 with total sales and product shipments reaching all-time highs.

With back-to-back years of record growth in the handheld test and measurement market coupled with numerous industry awards for innovative new products, Extech offers equipment for the following trades: electrical, HVAC, mold/moisture remediation, plant maintenance, utilities, air/water-quality, sound/lighting compliance, home improvement/remodelers, municipal/state agency property maintenance, lighting installers, handymen, and more. 

Let's have a few more releases like this. We need all the good news we can get.