Note 1 - Nature of Operations

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Notes To Financial Statements

Nature of Operations [Text Block]

(1)    NATURE OF OPERATIONS

We are an independent designer, manufacturer and marketer of mechanical, thermal and electrical products that are primarily used by semiconductor manufacturers in conjunction with automatic test equipment ("ATE") in the testing of integrated circuits ("ICs" or "semiconductors"). In addition, in recent years we have begun marketing our thermal products in industries outside the ATE industry, such as the automotive, aerospace and telecommunications industries.

The consolidated entity is comprised of inTEST Corporation (parent) and our wholly-owned subsidiaries. We have three reportable segments which are also our reporting units: Mechanical Products, Thermal Products and Electrical Products. We manufacture our products in the U.S. Marketing and support activities are conducted worldwide from our facilities in the U.S., Germany and Singapore. On January 16, 2012, Temptronic Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of inTEST Corporation, acquired substantially all of the assets and certain liabilities of Thermonics, Inc. ("Thermonics"), a division of Test Enterprises, Inc., pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement dated December 9, 2011. The acquisition of the Thermonics business will broaden the product line of inTEST's thermal products division. This acquisition is discussed further in Note 19.

The semiconductor industry in which we operate is characterized by rapid technological change, competitive pricing pressures and cyclical market patterns. This industry is subject to significant economic downturns at various times. Our financial results are affected by a wide variety of factors, including, but not limited to, general economic conditions worldwide and in the markets in which we operate, economic conditions specific to the semiconductor industry, our ability to safeguard patents and intellectual property in a rapidly evolving market, downward pricing pressures from customers, and our reliance on a relatively few number of customers for a significant portion of our sales. In addition, we are exposed to the risk of obsolescence of our inventory depending on the mix of future business and technological changes within the industry. As a result of these or other factors, we may experience significant period-to-period fluctuations in future operating results.