UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   HARDIS, STEPHEN R

   28601 CLEMENS ROAD
   WESTLAKE, OH  44145
   U.S.A.
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   NORDSON CORPORATION - NDSN

3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)

4. Statement for Month/Year
   MARCH 31, 2001
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)

6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   (X) Director ( ) 10% Owner ( ) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
   (specify below)

7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
   (X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
   ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person


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 Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                 |
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1. Title of Security       |2.    |3.    |4.Securities Acquired (A)         |5.Amount of        |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect       |
                           | Transaction |  or Disposed of (D)              |  Securities       |ect   |  Beneficial Ownership     |
                           |      |      |                                  |  Beneficially     |(D)or |                           |
                           |      |    | |                  | A/|           |  Owned at         |Indir |                           |
                           | Date |Code|V|    Amount        | D |    Price  |  End of Month     |ect(I)|                           |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
                                                                            
COMMON STOCK               |      |    | |                  |   |           |24,000             |D     |                           |
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COMMON STOCK               |      |    | |                  |   |           |8,000 (1)          |I     |BY SPOUSE                  |
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COMMON STOCK               |      |    | |                  |   |           |200 (1)            |I     |BY CHILDREN                |
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(1)  Reporting person discl|      |    | |                  |   |           |                   |      |                           |
aims beneficial ownership o|      |    | |                  |   |           |                   |      |                           |
f these securities.        |      |    | |                  |   |           |                   |      |                           |
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                   |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Con-  |3.   |4.    |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount  |8.Price|9.Number    |10.|11.Nature of|
  Security            |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and|  of Underlying     |of Deri|of Deriva   |Dir|Indirect    |
                      |or Exer |     |      | rities Acqui  |Expiration |  Securities        |vative |tive        |ect|Beneficial  |
                      |cise    |     |      | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/|                    |Secu   |Securities  |(D)|Ownership   |
                      |Price of|     |      | posed of(D)   |Day/Year)  |                    |rity   |Benefi      |or |            |
                      |Deriva- |     |      |               |Date |Expir|                    |       |ficially    |Ind|            |
                      |tive    |     |      |           | A/|Exer-|ation|   Title and Number |       |Owned at    |ire|            |
                      |Secu-   |     |    | |           | D |cisa-|Date |   of Shares        |       |End of      |ct |            |
                      |rity    |Date |Code|V|  Amount   |   |ble  |     |                    |       |Month       |(I)|            |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
                                                                            
Stock Units           |        |3/31/|J   | |659        |A  |     |     |COMMON STOCK|659    |*      |31,141      |D  |            |
                      |        |01   |    | |           |   |     |     |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Director Stock Option |$28.50  |3/8/0|A   | |1          |A  |**   |3/8/2|COMMON STOCK|3,958  |       |3,958       |D  |            |
(Right to Buy)        |        |1    |    | |           |   |     |011  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |        |     |    | |           |   |     |     |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Explanation of Responses:
*  STOCK UNITS ACCRUED THROUGH NORDSON'S DIRECTOR'S DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN
AS OF 3/31/01 AND HAVE ACCRUED ON A
    PERIODIC BASIS.  RECEIPT OF STOCK IS NOT PERMISSIBLE UNTIL THE DIRECTOR
CEASES TO BE A DIRECTOR OR ATTAINS AGE 70, WHICHEVER
    OCCURS
FIRST.
**  GRANT TO REPORTING PERSON OF OPTION TO PURCHASE 3,958 SHARES OF COMMON
STOCK UNDER NORDSON'S LONG-TERM
    PERFORMANCE PLAN, EXERCISABLE AT 100% BEGINNING
9/8/01.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
ROBERT E. VEILLETTE, ATTORNEY-IN-FACT
DATE
APRIL 10, 2001