Greg Wood, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Nordson ASYMTEK

However, we remain somewhat concerned about key global economic fundamentals such as the rate of recovery of the US employment market and the aggressive extension of capital in China. We anticipate that certain economies, particularly Japan and Europe, will rebound at a slower rate than other areas of the world.

Nordson ASYMTEK will continue to meet our customers' expectations of providing high quality products and our award winning service by adding resources in manufacturing operations as well as enhancing our global offices in growing geographies, like China. We currently have several open hiring requisitions and anticipate adding more as we move deeper into 2010.

Through the downturn, we continued our commitment to developing industry-leading technology, and plan several new product releases in 2010 that will focus on the realities of emerging end-products and economic conditions in critical consumer markets.

For example, dispensers with higher throughput, greater accuracy, and the lowest possible cost of ownership that are delivered quickly without the benefit of advanced customer forecast. We will also continue our investment in technology aimed at less cyclical markets such as life sciences and alternative energy.