Nordson Corporation
Encyclopedia
Nordson Corporation is an American multinational corporation that designs and manufactures dispensing equipment for consumer and industrial adhesives, sealants and coatings. The company also manufactures equipment used in the testing and inspection of electronic components as well as technology-based systems for curing and surface treatment processes. The company is headquartered in Westlake, Ohio
, and has direct operations and sales-support offices in approximately 30 countries.
inspection, and engages with electronic and related high-tech industries that use the following systems:
, by brothers Eric and Evan Nord. However, the company’s roots trace back to the U.S. Automatic Company, which was started in 1909.
Initially, the U.S. Automatic Company specialized in high-volume, low-cost screw machine parts for the then emerging automotive industry. In 1935, under the direction of Walter G. Nord, the company shifted its production emphasis to lower-volume, high-precision parts that were critical in supporting the United States' defense effort during World War II.
In the years following the war, Mr. Nord, along with his sons Eric and Evan, searched for a proprietary product to serve as a basis for future growth. This product was found in 1954 with the acquisition of patents covering the "hot airless" method of spraying paint and other coating materials. With the patents in hand, Nordson was started as a division of U.S. Automatic Corporation to produce and market airless spray equipment.
In the mid 1960s, Nordson worked on heated coatings technology, which led to the development of equipment to apply thermoplastic adhesives, commonly called hot melts, for case sealing, carton manufacturing and product assembly operations. In 1966, the entire U.S. Automatic operation was merged into the subsidiary, Nordson Corporation. Later, the company added air-atomized spray painting systems, and incorporated efficient electrostatics in airless, air-atomized and rotary-atomized painting processes.
Beginning in the late 1960s, Nordson developed a way to apply powder coatings with compact and efficient cartridge-type recovery/recycle systems. Recent advances include specialized equipment for applying environmentally friendly liquid coatings such as waterborne and super-critical fluid coatings.
In the late 1980s, Nordson began to acquire companies to give it a stronger position in new technology, product quality and customer service. The first was the 1989 purchase of Industriell Coating Aktiebolag, which specialized in Tribo-charged powder spray technology.
In the nonwovens market, in 1998, Nordson acquired J&M Laboratories Inc, a manufacturer of melt-blowing systems used to produce synthetic nonwoven fabrics and adhesive dispensing equipment for the assembly of diapers, medical disposables and feminine hygiene products. The acquisition merged J&M's meltblown and spun-bond technologies with Nordson's existing nonwovens capabilities.
In the late 1990s, Nordson focused its acquisition efforts on companies with histories of above-average financial performance that would expand its presence in emerging high-technology markets. From 1996 to 2000, the company made strategic acquisitions in this segment, adding ultraviolet (UV) curing capabilities from Spectral Technology Group in 1996 and Horizon Lamps Inc. in 1999; gas plasma technologies from Advanced Plasma Systems in 1996 and March Instruments Inc. in 1999 – merged and renamed to March Plasma Systems (2002); and precision dispensing equipment for the electronics, medical and fiber optics industries with the acquisitions of Asymtek in 1996 and EFD Inc. in 2000.
The acquisition in 2004 of W. Puffe Technologies, a manufacturer of hot melt adhesive dispensing systems, expanded Nordson’s technology base in adhesive systems, while also providing increased access to European markets. The company restructured its adhesives segment to focus on the core businesses when it divested the Fiber Systems Group in 2006.
Throughout the 2007 fiscal year, Nordson made a number of new acquisitions, beginning with the purchase of Dage Holdings in December 2006. This acquisition entered Nordson into a new line of business – test and measurement. Shortly after the purchase of Dage, Nordson strengthened its position in test and measurement with the acquisition of YESTech Industries (April 2007). Also in April, Nordson announced the acquisition of PICODOSTEC, which specialized in piezoelectric actuation technology.
, facility was named one of the ten best manufacturing plants in North America as a winner in Industry Week magazine’s 2009 Best Manufacturing Plants competition. In 2008 the award was received by the Swainsboro, Georgia
plant. Nordson EFD won the 2010 SMT Vision Award for its UltimusTM V High-precision Dispenser. The SMT Vision Awards honor products and technologies that have shaped the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturing industry. Nordson ASYMTEK received an Intel Corporation
’s Preferred Quality Supplier (PQS) award in 2009. In 2011, Nordson DAGE received a prestigious awards at Nepcon in Shanghai for its XD7600 Diamond FP X-ray inspection system.
Westlake, Ohio
Westlake is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 32,729 at the 2010 census. It is an affluent suburb of Cleveland, Ohio and is located 12 miles from Cleveland's downtown.-Geography:Westlake is located at...
, and has direct operations and sales-support offices in approximately 30 countries.
Adhesive Dispensing Systems
This group delivers precision dispensing technology including hot melt equipment and hot melt applicators to diverse industries including:- Nonwovens: Produces equipment for applying adhesives, lotions, liquids and fibers to disposable products. Specific applications include adult incontinence products, baby diapers and child-training pants, feminine hygiene products and surgical drapes, gowns, shoe covers and face masks.
- Packaging: Produces automated adhesive dispensing systems used in the food and beverage and packaged goods industries. Specific applications include food packages and wrappers and drink containers.
- PaperPaperPaper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
and PaperboardPaperboardPaperboard is a thick paper based material. While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, paperboard is generally thicker than paper. According to ISO standards, paperboard is a paper with a basis weight above 224 g/m2, but there are exceptions. Paperboard can be single...
Converting: Produces hot melt and cold glue adhesive dispensing systems for the paper and paperboard converting industries. Specific applications include bag and sack manufacturing, bookbindingBookbindingBookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
, envelope manufacturing and folding carton manufacturing.
- Product Assembly: Produces adhesive and sealant dispensing systems for bonding or sealing plastic, metal and wood products. Specific applications include appliances, automotive components, building and constructionConstructionIn the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
materials, electronicsElectronicsElectronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
, furnitureFurnitureFurniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
and solar energy.
- Web Coating Systems: Produces laminating and coating systems used to manufacture continuous-roll goods in the nonwovens, textileTextileA textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
, paper and flexible-packaging industries. Specific applications include carpet, labels, tapes and textiles.
Advanced Technology Systems
This group develops products that are used in production processes, such as surface preparation, dispensing of material, curing of dispensed material, bond testing and X-rayX-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
inspection, and engages with electronic and related high-tech industries that use the following systems:
- Dispensing Systems — Nordson EFD and Nordson ASYMTEK develop manual and automated fluid dispensers and systems for applying materials in customer processes typically requiring high precision and material conservation. These systems include piezoelectric and motionless two-component mixing dispensing systems. Specific applications include aerospace, electronics (cell phones, liquid crystal displays, micro hard drives, microprocessors, printed circuit boards, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, CDsCDS-Computing and electronics:* Cadence Design Systems, American Electronic Design Automation software company* Chromatography data system, software to control chromatography instruments* Cockpit display system* Compact Discs...
and DVDs), general industrial, life sciences (dental and medical devices, including pacemakers and stents), light emitting diodes (LEDLEdLEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
) and solar energy.
- Surface Preparation — The Nordson MARCH manufactures automated gas plasmaPlasma (physics)In physics and chemistry, plasma is a state of matter similar to gas in which a certain portion of the particles are ionized. Heating a gas may ionize its molecules or atoms , thus turning it into a plasma, which contains charged particles: positive ions and negative electrons or ions...
cleaning systems used to clean and condition surfaces for the semiconductorSemiconductorA semiconductor is a material with electrical conductivity due to electron flow intermediate in magnitude between that of a conductor and an insulator. This means a conductivity roughly in the range of 103 to 10−8 siemens per centimeter...
, medical and printed circuit board industries. Specific applications include contact lenses, electronics, medical deviceMedical deviceA medical device is a product which is used for medical purposes in patients, in diagnosis, therapy or surgery . Whereas medicinal products achieve their principal action by pharmacological, metabolic or immunological means. Medical devices act by other means like physical, mechanical, thermal,...
and instruments, printed circuit boards and semiconductors.
- Bond Testing and Inspection Systems — Nordson DAGE manufactures bond testing equipment and high resolution x-ray inspection systems. The Nordson YESTECH division also manufactures x-ray inspection equipment along with automated optical inspectionAutomated optical inspectionAutomated optical inspection is an automated visual inspection of a wide range of products, such as printed circuit boards , LCDs, transistors, automotive parts, lids and labels on product packages or agricultural products...
equipment (AOI). These products are used mainly in the semiconductor and printed circuit board industries with additional applications in the LED and solar energy markets.
- Curing and Drying Systems — Ultraviolet UV curing equipment is used primarily in curing and drying operations for adhesives, coatings, semiconductor materials and paints. Specific applications include electronics, plastic containers, packaging, semiconductor equipment, general product assembly and wood and medium-density fiberboard (MDF).
Industrial Coating Systems
This group provides both standard and highly-customized equipment used primarily for applying coatings, paint, finishes, sealants and other materials. This group primarily serves the consumer durables market with the following systems:- Powder Coating Systems — Produces automated and manual dispensing systems used to apply powder paints and coatings to a variety of metal, plastic and wood products. Specific applications include agriculture and construction equipment, appliances, automotive components, home and office furniture, lawn and garden equipment and wood and metal shelving.
- Container Coating and Curing Systems — Automated and manual dispensing and curing systems used to coat and cure containers. Specific applications include aluminum can coating for beverages and food.
- Automotive Systems — Automated and manual dispensing systems used to apply materials in the automotive, heavy truck and recreational vehicle manufacturing industries. Specific applications include powertrainPowertrainIn a motor vehicle, the term powertrain or powerplant refers to the group of components that generate power and deliver it to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the engine, transmission, drive shafts, differentials, and the final drive...
components, body assembly and final trim applications.
- Liquid Finishing Systems — Automated and manual dispensing systems used to apply liquid paints and coatings to consumer and industrial products. Specific applications include automotive components, construction, metal shelving and drums.
History
Nordson Corporation was started in 1954 in Amherst, OhioAmherst, Ohio
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 11,797 people, 4,459 households, and 3,388 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,646.1 people per square mile . There were 4,603 housing units at an average density of 642.3 per square mile...
, by brothers Eric and Evan Nord. However, the company’s roots trace back to the U.S. Automatic Company, which was started in 1909.
Initially, the U.S. Automatic Company specialized in high-volume, low-cost screw machine parts for the then emerging automotive industry. In 1935, under the direction of Walter G. Nord, the company shifted its production emphasis to lower-volume, high-precision parts that were critical in supporting the United States' defense effort during World War II.
In the years following the war, Mr. Nord, along with his sons Eric and Evan, searched for a proprietary product to serve as a basis for future growth. This product was found in 1954 with the acquisition of patents covering the "hot airless" method of spraying paint and other coating materials. With the patents in hand, Nordson was started as a division of U.S. Automatic Corporation to produce and market airless spray equipment.
In the mid 1960s, Nordson worked on heated coatings technology, which led to the development of equipment to apply thermoplastic adhesives, commonly called hot melts, for case sealing, carton manufacturing and product assembly operations. In 1966, the entire U.S. Automatic operation was merged into the subsidiary, Nordson Corporation. Later, the company added air-atomized spray painting systems, and incorporated efficient electrostatics in airless, air-atomized and rotary-atomized painting processes.
Beginning in the late 1960s, Nordson developed a way to apply powder coatings with compact and efficient cartridge-type recovery/recycle systems. Recent advances include specialized equipment for applying environmentally friendly liquid coatings such as waterborne and super-critical fluid coatings.
In the late 1980s, Nordson began to acquire companies to give it a stronger position in new technology, product quality and customer service. The first was the 1989 purchase of Industriell Coating Aktiebolag, which specialized in Tribo-charged powder spray technology.
Acquisitions
Nordson expanded its hot melt adhesive dispensing business with the acquisitions of Meltex in 1989 and Slautterback Corporation in 1992, incorporating recent technological advancements in heating, dispensing and electronic controls. By acquiring VeriTec Technologies in 1999, a manufacturer of cold-adhesive dispensing equipment, Nordson was able to sell products for a larger range of applications for product assembly, packaging and converting applications worldwide.In the nonwovens market, in 1998, Nordson acquired J&M Laboratories Inc, a manufacturer of melt-blowing systems used to produce synthetic nonwoven fabrics and adhesive dispensing equipment for the assembly of diapers, medical disposables and feminine hygiene products. The acquisition merged J&M's meltblown and spun-bond technologies with Nordson's existing nonwovens capabilities.
In the late 1990s, Nordson focused its acquisition efforts on companies with histories of above-average financial performance that would expand its presence in emerging high-technology markets. From 1996 to 2000, the company made strategic acquisitions in this segment, adding ultraviolet (UV) curing capabilities from Spectral Technology Group in 1996 and Horizon Lamps Inc. in 1999; gas plasma technologies from Advanced Plasma Systems in 1996 and March Instruments Inc. in 1999 – merged and renamed to March Plasma Systems (2002); and precision dispensing equipment for the electronics, medical and fiber optics industries with the acquisitions of Asymtek in 1996 and EFD Inc. in 2000.
The acquisition in 2004 of W. Puffe Technologies, a manufacturer of hot melt adhesive dispensing systems, expanded Nordson’s technology base in adhesive systems, while also providing increased access to European markets. The company restructured its adhesives segment to focus on the core businesses when it divested the Fiber Systems Group in 2006.
Throughout the 2007 fiscal year, Nordson made a number of new acquisitions, beginning with the purchase of Dage Holdings in December 2006. This acquisition entered Nordson into a new line of business – test and measurement. Shortly after the purchase of Dage, Nordson strengthened its position in test and measurement with the acquisition of YESTech Industries (April 2007). Also in April, Nordson announced the acquisition of PICODOSTEC, which specialized in piezoelectric actuation technology.
Awards
In 2009 the Dawsonville, GeorgiaDawsonville, Georgia
Dawsonville is a city in Dawson County, Georgia, United States. The population was 619 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Dawson County...
, facility was named one of the ten best manufacturing plants in North America as a winner in Industry Week magazine’s 2009 Best Manufacturing Plants competition. In 2008 the award was received by the Swainsboro, Georgia
Swainsboro, Georgia
Swainsboro is a city located in Emanuel County, Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 6,943. The city is the county seat of Emanuel County.-Geography:...
plant. Nordson EFD won the 2010 SMT Vision Award for its UltimusTM V High-precision Dispenser. The SMT Vision Awards honor products and technologies that have shaped the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturing industry. Nordson ASYMTEK received an Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation
Intel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor chip maker corporation headquartered in Santa Clara, California, United States and the world's largest semiconductor chip maker, based on revenue. It is the inventor of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most...
’s Preferred Quality Supplier (PQS) award in 2009. In 2011, Nordson DAGE received a prestigious awards at Nepcon in Shanghai for its XD7600 Diamond FP X-ray inspection system.