• SKF is selling its Dutch component-making business to the US-based bearing component manufacturer NN Inc for an undisclosed sum. The Veenendaal plant employs 360 people producing rollers for tapered roller bearings, and cages for spherical and tapered bearings. Its annual production is worth around €45m. The sale is in line with SKF`s strategy of divesting "non-core component manufacturing".

• Rockwell Automation has bought "certain intellectual property" associated with the software-based CNC technology developed by the German company Power Automation, for $5m. Rockwell says that the deal will help it to expand its presence in the global market for automotive power trains.

• Increasing demand from the automotive sector for fractional horsepower DC motors will help to boost sales of these machines in North America from $3.73bn in 2001 to $4.18bn by 2008, according to a new forecast from Frost & Sullivan. Although permanent magnet brushed DC motors will continue to dominate the market, brushless DC motors will gradually gain market share.

• Mitsubishi Electric has reached an out-of-court agreement with Kone after the Finnish lift-maker accused the Japanese manufacturer of infringing its patents covering machine-room-less elevators. Mitsubishi subsequently sought a legal ruling on the matter and the two parties have now settled the dispute "amicably".

• Rockwell Automation and IBM have formed a strategic alliance to provide services and technologies to the global automotive industry. The partners will offer a combination of products designed to allow a seamless flow of operation throughout manufacturers` enterprises.