SCHEDULE 14A

(Rule 14a-101)

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant  x                             Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ¨

Check the appropriate box:

NORDSON CORPORATION

Notice of 20122014

Annual Meeting

and Proxy Statement

Nordson Corporation

28601 Clemens Road

Westlake, Ohio 44145

January 23, 201217, 2014

Dear Shareholder:

It is my pleasure, on behalf of your Board of Directors, to invite you to attend our Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which will be held this year at the Atlanta Marriott Alpharetta, 5750 Windward Parkway, Alpharetta, Georgia 30005,Nordson Corporation’s Headquarters, 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145 at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 8:30 a.m.25, 2014.

The accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement describe the items of business that will be discussed and voted upon during the meeting. It is important that you vote your shares of common stock whether or not you plan to attend the meeting. You have a choice of voting through the Internet, by telephone or by returning the enclosed proxy/voting instruction card by mail. You may also vote in person at the meeting. Please refer to the instructions in the enclosed materials. If you attend the meeting and wish to vote in person, the ballot you submit at the meeting will supersede your proxy.

We look forward to providing you a reportyour attending the Annual Meeting and, on Fiscal Year 2011 and the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2012 which ends January 31, 2012. On behalf of management and our Board of Directors, I want to thank you for your continued support and confidence in 2012.2014.

Sincerely,

JOSEPH P. KEITHLEY

Chairman of the Board of Directors

NORDSON CORPORATION

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

OF SHAREHOLDERS

To Be Held Tuesday, February 28, 201225, 2014

A Proxy Statement, Proxy/Voting Instruction Card, and Annual Report to Shareholders, which includes our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2013, accompany this Notice and are also available at:www.nordson.com/investors. The Board of Directors has determined that our shareholders of record at the close of business on December 27, 2013 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

ROBERT E. VEILLETTE

Vice President, General Counsel

and Secretary

Westlake, Ohio

January 17, 2014

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PROXY STATEMENT SUMMARY

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this Proxy Statement and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K. For more complete information about these topics, please review the complete Proxy Statement and Annual Report on Form 10-K. This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider, and you should read the entire Proxy Statement carefully before voting.

GENERAL INFORMATION

VOTING MATTERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

GOVERNANCE HIGHLIGHTS

The following table summarizes our Board structure and key elements of our corporate governance framework:

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BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS

Fiscal year 2013 was a year of solid financial results for the Company in the face of a lackluster global economic recovery. Our ability to execute on all facets of the 2013 operating plan is reflected in the following benchmarks achieved:

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COMPENSATION

Fiscal year 2013 compensation of our named executive officers is described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis in this Proxy Statement. The table below highlights compensation paid to our named executive officers. It does not include all of the information provided in the Summary Compensation Table presented later in this Proxy Statement. Additional information about our compensation philosophy and program, including compensation determinations for each of our named executive officers, can be found in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis in this Proxy Statement.

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NORDSON CORPORATION

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

FEBRUARY 25, 2014

The accompanying proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors (“Board”) of Nordson Corporation for use at the 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Nordson Corporation(“Annual Meeting”). The Annual Meeting will be held this year at the Atlanta Marriott Alpharetta, 5750 Windward Parkway, Alpharetta, Georgia 30005,Nordson Corporation’s Headquarters, 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145 at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2012, at 8:30 a.m.25, 2014 for the following purposes:

and

A Proxy Statement, Proxy/Voting Instruction Card, and Annual Report to Shareholders, which includes our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended October 31, 2011, accompany this Notice. The Board of Directors has determined that our shareholders of record at the close of business on January 3, 2012 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

ROBERT E. VEILLETTE

Vice President, General Counsel

and Secretary

Westlake, Ohio

January 23, 2012

NORDSON CORPORATION

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

FEBRUARY 28, 2012

The accompanying proxy is solicited on behalf of the Board of Directors (“Board”) of Nordson Corporation for use at the 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (“Annual Meeting”). The Annual Meeting will be held at the Atlanta Marriott Alpharetta, 5750 Windward Parkway, Alpharetta, Georgia 30005, Tuesday, February 28, 2012, at 8:30 a.m. for the following purposes:

This Proxy Statement and the accompanying proxy/voting instruction card were first mailed to shareholders on or about January 23, 2012.17, 2014. Our 20112013 Annual Report to Shareholders is enclosed with this Proxy Statement.

This Proxy Statement contains important information regarding our Annual Meeting, the proposals on which you are being asked to vote, information you may find useful in determining how to vote, and information about voting procedures. As used herein, “we,” “us,” “our,” “Nordson” or the “Company” refers to Nordson Corporation.

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND THESE PROXY MATERIALS

Why am I receiving this Proxy Statement?You have been sent this Proxy Statement and proxy/voting instruction card(s) because you were a shareholder, or held Nordson common stock through a broker, bank or other third party, at the close of business on January 3, 2012,December 27, 2013, the record date for shareholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. As of December 27, 2013, there were outstanding, excluding treasury shares which cannot be voted, 64,300,002 common shares entitled to one vote per share upon all matters presented to the shareholders.

What is a proxy?    A proxy is your legal appointment of another person to vote the shares that you own in accordance with your instructions. The person you appoint to vote your shares is also called a proxy.

On the proxy/voting instruction card, you will find the names of the persons designated by the Company to act as proxies to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting. The proxies are required to vote your shares in the manner you instruct.

What is the record date for voting at the Annual Meeting?    The record date for the 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders is January 3, 2012.

Who can attend the Annual Meeting?    All shareholders of record as of the close of business on January 3, 2012December 27, 2013 may attend the meeting.

What proposals may I vote on at the Annual Meeting and how does the Board recommend I vote?    The following matters will be voted on at the Annual Meeting:

Will any other matters be voted on?    We are not aware of any other matters on which you will be asked to vote at the Annual Meeting. If other matters are properly brought before the Annual Meeting, the proxy holders will use their discretion to vote on these matters as they may arise. Furthermore, if a nominee cannot or will not serve as director, then the proxy holders will vote for a replacement nominated by the Board. We do not expect any nominee to be unwilling to serve.

Who may vote?    ShareholdersWhat is the difference between holding shares as a shareholder of record, a beneficial owner or a Nordson-sponsored retirement plan participant?

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The Plans provide you with voting rights based on the number of shares that were constructively invested in your Plan account as of the close of business on January 3, 2012the record date. You may vote these shares in much the same way as shareholders of record vote their shares, but you have an earlier deadline.

You may vote the amount of shares credited to your account as of the record date for the Annual Meeting by telephone, via the internet, or by mailing your signed proxy/voting instruction card in the postage-paid envelope provided. Your vote must be received by the Plan trustee by11:59 p.m. Eastern Time February 20, 2014. You may vote these shares by following the instructions provided on the proxy/voting instruction card included with those materials.

By submitting voting instructions, you will direct the Plan trustee:

The trustee will submit one proxy to vote all shares in each of the Plans. The trustee will vote the shares of participants submitting voting instructions in accordance with their instructions and will vote the remaining shares in each of the Plans in the same proportion as the final votes of all participants who actually voted. Please note that, if you do not submit voting instructions for the shares in your account by the voting deadline, those shares will be included with the other undirected shares and voted by the trustee as described above. Because the trustee submits one proxy to vote all shares in the Plan, you may not vote Plan shares in person at the annual meeting.

How do I vote and what are the voting deadlines?

Shareholders of record and Plan participants.    If you are a shareholder of record or a Plan participant, you may vote by proxy in any of the following three ways:

1.By telephone.    If you reside in the United States or Canada, you may call1-800-690-6903, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Have your proxy/voting instruction card in hand when you call and follow the voice prompts to cast your vote.

2.Via the Internet.    You may access the website atwww.proxyvote.com to cast your vote 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With your proxy/voting instruction card in hand, follow the instructions provided to cast your vote.

3.By mail.    You may mark, sign and date your proxy/voting instruction card and return it in the enclosed prepaid and addressed envelope. You do not need to mail the proxy/voting instruction card if you have voted by telephone or over the Internet.

The Internet and telephone voting procedures are designed to authenticate votes cast and allow shareholders to appoint a proxy and to confirm that their actions have been properly recorded. Specific voting instructions are set forth on the accompanying proxy/voting instruction card.

If you are a shareholder of record, your deadline to cast your vote by proxy is11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on February 24, 2014. You may also vote in person at the Annual Meeting.

If you are a Plan participant, your deadline to cast your vote by proxy is11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on February 20, 2014.

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Beneficial Owners.    If you are a beneficial owner, you should have received voting instructions from the broker, trustee or other nominee holding your shares. You should follow the instructions in the notice or voting instructions provided by your broker, trustee or nominee in order to instruct your broker, trustee or other nominee on how to vote your shares. The availability of telephone and Internet voting will depend on the voting process of the broker, trustee or nominee. Shares held beneficially may be voted in person at the Annual Meeting only if you obtain a legal proxy from the broker or nominee giving you the right to vote the shares.

All owners.    If you receive more than one proxy/voting instruction card, it is important that you vote all shares represented by the multiple cards. Each card represents different shares.

May I change my vote?    Yes. You may change your vote or revoke your proxy any time before the voting deadline.

Shareholders of record.    If you are a shareholder of record, you may revoke your vote at any time before the final vote at the Annual Meeting by:

Plan participants.    If you are a Plan participant, you may revoke previously given voting instructions on or before February 20, 2014 by filing either a written notice of revocation or a properly completed and signed voting instruction card bearing a later date with New York Life Investment Management, the trustee.

Beneficial owners.    If you are a beneficial owner of your shares, you must contact the broker or other nominee holding your shares and follow their instructions for changing your vote.

All owners.    You will not revoke a proxy merely by attending the Annual Meeting. To revoke a proxy, you must take one of the actions described above.

What will happen if I do not vote my shares?

Shareholders of record.    If you are the shareholder of record and you do not vote by proxy card, by telephone, via the Internet or in person at the Annual Meeting, your shares will not be voted at the Annual Meeting.

Beneficial owners.    If you are the beneficial owner of your shares, your broker, trustee or nominee may vote your shares only on those proposals on which it has discretion to vote. AtUnder the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), your broker, trustee or nominee does not have discretion to vote your shares on non-routine matters such as Proposals 1 and 3. Therefore, if you do not provide voting instructions to your broker, trustee or other nominee, your broker or other nominee may only vote your shares on Proposal 2 and any other routine matters properly presented for a vote at the Annual Meeting.

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What if I do not specify how my shares are to be voted?    If you are a shareholder of record and you submit a proxy, but you do not provide voting instructions, your shares will be voted as indicated in the following table:

What constitutes a quorum, and why is a quorum required?    Our Regulations require a quorum of shareholders to hold our Annual Meeting. A quorum exists when at least a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote at the close of business on the record date there were 65,187,881are represented at the Annual Meeting either in person or by proxy. Your shares will be counted towards the quorum if you submit a proxy or vote at the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes (described below) will also count towards the quorum requirement. If a quorum is not achieved, a majority of the shares present at the Annual Meeting may adjourn the meeting to a later date.

What is a broker non-vote?    Brokers or other nominees who hold Nordson common shares for a beneficial owner have the discretion to vote on routine proposals when they have not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner. Your broker is not permitted to vote on your behalf on the election of directors and other non-routine matters unless you provide specific instructions to vote your shares. For your vote to be counted, you need to communicate your voting instructions to your broker, trustee or nominee.

A broker non-vote occurs when a broker or other nominee does not receive voting instructions from the beneficial owner and does not have the discretion to direct the voting of the shares. Broker non-votes will be counted for purposes of calculating whether a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, but will not be counted for purposes of determining the number of votes with respect to a particular proposal. Thus, a broker non-vote will not impact our ability to obtain a quorum and will not otherwise affect the outcome of the vote on a proposal that requires a plurality of votes cast (Proposal 1) or the approval of Proposal 2 since brokers have discretion to vote uninstructed shares on that proposal. Broker non-votes will affect the outcome of the vote on Proposal 3. It is important that you provide voting instructions for all shares you own beneficially.

What is the vote required for each proposal?

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If cumulative voting is invoked, the proxy holders will vote all proxy cards received by them in such manner in accordance with cumulative voting as will assure the election of as many of our common stock outstandingnominees as possible.

Who will tabulate the votes?    Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (“Broadridge”) has been engaged as our independent agent to receive and entitledtabulate shareholder votes. Broadridge will separately tabulate FOR, AGAINST and WITHHOLD votes, abstentions, and broker non-votes. The Inspector of Election will certify the election results and perform any other acts required by Ohio Corporation Law.

What happens if the Annual Meeting is adjourned or postponed?    Your proxy will still be effective and will be voted at the rescheduled Annual Meeting. You will still be able to vote. Eachchange or revoke your proxy until it is voted.

Who is paying for the costs of this proxy solicitation?    We will bear the expense of soliciting proxies. Proxies may also be solicited by Nordson personnel who will not receive additional compensation for such solicitation. Copies of proxy materials and the Annual Report to Shareholders will be supplied to brokers and other nominees for the purpose of soliciting proxies from beneficial owners.

How will I know the results of the Annual Meeting?    The final voting results will be tallied by our Inspector of Election and published in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC that we expect to file within four business days of the Annual Meeting.

Delivery of voting materials to shareholders sharing an address.    To reduce the expense of delivering duplicate materials to shareholders sharing the same address, we have adopted a procedure approved by the SEC called “householding.” Under this procedure, certain shareholders of record who have the same address and last name will receive only one copy of the Annual Report to Shareholders and proxy materials until such time as one or more of these shareholders notifies us that they wish to receive individual copies. Shareholders of record in the same household continue to receive separate proxy/voting instruction cards.

We will mail materials that you request at no cost. You may contact us with your request by writing to or calling Corporate Communications, Nordson Corporation, 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio, 44145 or 440-414-5606. You may also access the Proxy Statement and Annual Report at: www.nordson.com/investors.

How do I submit director nominations or shareholder proposals for the 2015 Annual Meeting?

Shareholder Proposals Submitted Under Rule 14a-8

Assuming that our 2015 Annual Meeting is held within thirty days of the anniversary of the 2014 Annual Meeting, any shareholder who wishes to submit a proposal for consideration at the 2015 Annual Meeting and for inclusion in next year’s proxy statement under Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “Exchange Act”) should send the proposal c/o Secretary, Nordson Corporation, 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145 for receipt on or before September 13, 2014.

Proposals and Director Nominations Submitted Pursuant to our Regulations

Additionally, under our Regulations, a shareholder may submit a proposal for consideration at the 2015 Annual Meeting, but not for inclusion in next year’s proxy statement, if the shareholder provides written notice no earlier than 90 days and no later than 60 days prior to the 2015 Annual Meeting. Assuming that the 2015 Annual Meeting will be held on February 24, 2015, that means notice of such proposals must be received no earlier than November 26, 2014 and no later than December 26, 2014. Our Regulations are available at: www.nordson.com/governance.

A shareholder may nominate a candidate for election as a director at the 2015 Annual Meeting provided the shareholder (i) is a shareholder of record at the time the shareholder gives notice of the

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nomination, (ii) is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of directors, and (iii) has given timely written notice of the nomination to the Secretary. Similar to the timeliness requirements under our Regulations described above, the notice of the nomination must be received no earlier than 90 days and no later than 60 days prior to the meeting. Assuming the 2015 Annual Meeting is held on February 24, 2015, the deadlines would be no earlier than November 26, 2014 and no later than December 26, 2014. The Governance and Nominating Committee will assess the qualifications of the candidate according to criteria set out in Nordson Corporation’s Governance Guidelines, which are available at: www.nordson.com/governance. For a candidate to be considered for election as a director or for business to be properly requested by a shareholder to be brought before an annual meeting of shareholders, the shareholder must comply with all of the requirements of our Regulations, not just the timeliness requirements described above. Any proposal for inclusion in the proxy materials, notice of proposal, or suggestion for nominee(s) for election to our Board of Directors should be sent to c/o Secretary, Nordson Corporation, 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145.

If the notices delivered pursuant to the Regulations are not timely received, then we will not be required to present such proposals or nominations, as applicable, at the 2015 Annual Meeting. If the Board chooses to present any information submitted after the deadlines set forth in the Regulations (other than pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act) at the 2015 Annual Meeting, then the persons named in proxies solicited by the Board for the 2015 Annual Meeting may exercise discretionary voting power with respect to such information.

This Proxy Statement and the enclosed proxy/voting instruction card are being mailed to shareholders of record on or about January 17, 2014. Nordson’s executive offices are located at 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145, telephone number (440)  892-1580.

PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS WHOSE TERMS EXPIRE IN 2017

The Governance and Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying and evaluating nominees for director and for recommending to the Board a slate of nominees for election at the Annual Meeting. The Governance and Nominating Committee has recommended to the Board, and the Board has approved, the persons named as nominees for terms expiring in 2017 and, unless otherwise marked, a proxy will be voted for such nominees. Messrs. Keithley and Merriman and Ms. Puma currently serve as directors. All nominees have agreed to stand for election for a three-year term.

In considering each director nominee and the composition of the Board of Directors as a whole, the Governance and Nominating Committee utilizes a diverse group of experiences, qualifications, attributes and skills, including diversity in gender, ethnicity and race, which the Governance and Nominating Committee believes enables a director nominee to make significant contributions to the Board, Nordson and our shareholders. Depending upon the skill sets being sought for a particular vacancy or addition to the Board, the following experiences have been included in our search criteria:

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It is intended that proxies that are submitted but do not withhold the authority to vote for any or all of the nominees will be voted for the election as directors of all of the nominees named below. At this time, the Board knows of no reason why any nominee might not be a candidate at the 2014 Annual Meeting. However, in the event any one vote per share.or more of such nominees becomes unavailable for election, proxies will be voted in accordance with the best judgment of the proxy holder.

The name and age of each of the three nominees for election as directors for terms expiring in 2017, as well as present directors whose terms will continue after the meeting, appear below together with his or her principal occupation for at least the past five years, the year each became a director of the Company and certain other information.

Nominees For Terms Expiring in 2017

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Present Directors Whose Terms Expire in 2015

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Present Directors Whose Terms Expire in 2016

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Former director, William L. Robinson, retired from our Board in 2013 pursuant to the Company’s Governance Guidelines which provide that a director is expected to retire from service as a director at the end of the Board meeting that precedes his or her 72^nd birthday.

No shareholder or group that beneficially owns 1% or more of our outstanding common shares has recommended a candidate for election as a director at the 2014 Annual Meeting.

Cumulative Voting

Voting for directors will be cumulative if any shareholder provides notice in writing to the President, a Vice President or the Secretary of Nordson of a desire to have cumulative voting. The notice must be received at least 48 hours before the time set for the Annual Meeting, and an announcement of the notice must be made at the beginning of the meeting by the Chairman or the Secretary, or by or on behalf of the shareholder giving the notice. If cumulative voting is in effect, each shareholder will be entitled to cast, in the election of directors, a number of votes equal to the product of the number of directors to be elected multiplied by the number of shares that the shareholder is voting. Shareholders may cast all of these votes for one nominee or distribute them among several nominees, as they see fit. If cumulative voting is in effect, shares represented by each properly submitted proxy will also be voted on a cumulative basis, with the votes distributed among the nominees in accordance with the judgment of the persons named on the proxy/voting instruction card.

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What is the difference between holding shares as a shareholder of record and as a beneficial owner?

How do I vote and what are the voting deadlines?

Shareholders of Record.    If you are a shareholder of record, there are several ways for you to vote your shares:

Beneficial Owners.    If you are a beneficial owner of your shares, you should have received voting instructions from the broker, trustee or other nominee holding your shares. You should follow the instructions in the notice or voting instructions provided by your broker, trustee or nominee in order to instruct your broker, trustee or other nominee on how to vote your shares. The availability of telephone and Internet voting will depend on the voting process of the broker, trustee or nominee. Shares held beneficially may be voted in person at the Annual Meeting only if you obtain a legal proxy from the broker or nominee giving you the right to vote the shares.

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All Owners.    If you receive more than one proxy card and/or voting instruction card, it is important that you vote all shares represented by the multiple cards. Each card represents different shares.

May I change my vote?    Yes. You may change your vote or revoke your proxy any time before the Annual Meeting.

Shareholders of Record.    If you are a shareholder of record, you may revoke your vote at any time before the final vote at the Annual Meeting by:

Beneficial Owners.    If you are a beneficial owner of your shares, you must contact the broker or other nominee holding your shares and follow their instructions for changing your vote. For 401(k) plan and ESOP shares, you may revoke previously given voting instructions on or before February 23, 2012 by filing either a written notice of revocation or a properly completed and signed voting instruction card bearing a laterTo date, with New York Life Investment Management, the trustee.

What will happen if I do not vote my shares?

Shareholders of Record.    If you are the shareholder of record and you do not vote by proxy card, by telephone, via the Internet or in person at the Annual Meeting, your shares will not be voted at the Annual Meeting.

Beneficial Owners.    If you are the beneficial owner of your shares, your broker, trustee or nominee may vote your shares only on those proposals on which it has discretion to vote. Under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, your broker, trustee or nominee does not have discretion to vote your shares on non-routine matters such as Proposals 1 and 3. Therefore, if you do not provide voting instructions to your broker, trustee or other nominee, your broker or other nominee may only vote your shares on Proposal 2 and any other routine matters properly presented for a vote at the Annual Meeting.

What if I do not specify how my shares are to be voted?    If you are a shareholder of record and you submit a proxy, but you do not provide voting instructions, your shares will be voted as indicated in the following table:

What constitutes a quorum, and why is a quorum required?    Our Regulations require a quorum of shareholders to hold our Annual Meeting. A quorum exists when at least a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote at the close of business on the record date (January 3, 2012) are represented at the Annual Meeting either in person or by proxy. Your shares will be counted towards the quorum if you submit a proxy or vote at the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes (described below) will also count towards the quorum requirement. If a quorum is not achieved, a majority of the shares present at the Annual Meeting may adjourn the meeting to a later date.

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What is the effect of a broker non-vote?    Brokers or other nominees who hold Nordson common shares for a beneficial owner have the discretion to vote on routine proposals when theywe have not received voting instructionsa notice from the beneficial owner at least ten days prior to the Annual Meeting. Your broker is not permitted to vote on your behalf on the election of directors and other non-routine matters unless you provide specific instructions by completing and returning the proxy card or following the instructions provided to you by your broker, trustee or nominee to vote your shares via telephone or the Internet. For your vote to be counted, you need to communicate your voting instructions to your broker, trustee or nominee.

A broker non-vote occurs when a broker or other nominee does not receive voting instructions from the beneficial owner and does not have the discretion to direct the voting of the shares. Broker non-votes will be counted for purposes of calculating whether a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, but will not be counted for purposes of determining the number of votes present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote with respect to a particular proposal. Thus, a broker non-vote will not impact our ability to obtain a quorum and will not otherwise affect the outcome of the vote on a proposal that requires a plurality of votes cast (Proposal 1) or the approval of Proposal 2 since brokers have discretion to vote uninstructed shares on that proposal. Broker non-votes will affect the outcome of the vote on Proposal 3. It is important that you provide voting instructions for all shares you own beneficially.

What is the vote required for each proposal?

With respect to Proposal 1, you may vote FOR all nominees, WITHHOLD your vote as to all nominees, or vote FOR all nominees except those specific nominees from whom you WITHHOLD your vote. Nominees receiving the most FOR votes will be elected. A properly executed proxy marked WITHHOLD with respect to the election of one or more nominees will not be voted with respect to the nominee or nominees indicated. Proxies may not be voted for more than three nominees.

With respect to Proposals 2 and 3, you may vote FOR, AGAINST or ABSTAIN. If you ABSTAIN from voting on Proposals 2 or 3, the abstention will have the same effect as an AGAINST vote.

Who will count the votes?    Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. has been engaged as our independent agent to receive and tabulate shareholder votes. Broadridge will separately tabulate FOR, AGAINST and WITHHOLD votes, abstentions, and broker non-votes. The Inspectors of Election will certify the election results and perform any other acts required by Ohio Corporation Law.

What happens if the annual meeting is adjourned or postponed?    Your proxy will still be effective and will be voted at the rescheduled Annual Meeting. You will still be able to change or revoke your proxy until it is voted.

Who is paying for the costs of this proxy solicitation?    We will bear the expense of soliciting proxies. Proxies may also be solicited in person, by telephone or electronically by Nordson personnel who will not receive additional compensation for such solicitation. Copies of proxy materials and the Annual Report to Shareholders will be supplied to brokers and other nominees for the purpose of

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soliciting proxies from beneficial owners, and we will reimburse such brokers or other nominees for their reasonable expenses.

How will I know the results of the Annual Meeting?    The final voting results will be tallied by our Inspectors of Elections and published in a Current Report on Form 8-K that we expect to file within four business days of the Annual Meeting. If final voting results are not available to us in time to file a Form 8-K within four business days after the Annual Meeting, we intend to file a Form 8-K to disclose preliminary voting results and, within four business days after the final results are known, we will file an additional Form 8-K to disclose the final voting results.

Delivery of voting materials to shareholders sharing an address.    To reduce the expense of delivering duplicate materials to shareholders sharing the same address, we have adopted a procedure approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission called “householding.” Under this procedure, certain shareholders of record who have the same address and last name will receive only one copy of the Annual Report to Shareholders and proxy materials until such time as one or more of these shareholders notifies us that they wish to receive individual copies. Shareholders of record in the same household continue to receive separate proxy cards.

We will mail materials that you request at no cost. You may contact us with your request by writing to or calling Corporate Communications, Nordson Corporation, 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio, 44145 or 440-414-5606. You can also access the Proxy Statement and Annual Report online on our website at: www.nordson.com/investors.

How do I submit director nominations or shareholder proposals for the 2013 Annual Meeting?

Shareholder Proposals Submitted Under Rule 14a-8

Assuming that our 2013 Annual Meeting is held within thirty days of the anniversary of the 2012 Annual Meeting, any shareholder who wishes to submit a proposal for consideration at next year’s meeting and for inclusion in next year’s proxy statement under Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 should send the proposal c/o Secretary, Nordson Corporation, 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145 for receipt on or before September 25, 2012.

Proposals and Director Nominations Submitted Pursuant to our Regulations

Additionally, under our Regulations, a shareholder may submit a proposal for consideration at next year’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders, but not for inclusion in the Proxy Statement, if the shareholder provides written notice no earlier than 90 days and no later than 60 days prior to the 2013 Annual Meeting. Assuming that the 2013 Annual Meeting will be held on February 26, 2013, that means notice of such proposals must be received no earlier than November 28, 2012 and no later than December 28, 2012. The Company will publicly announce the date of the 2013 Annual Meeting in a timely manner. Our Regulations are available on our website at: www.nordson.com/governance.

A shareholder may nominate a candidate for election as a director at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Shareholders provided the shareholder (i) is a shareholder of record at the time the shareholder gives notice of the nomination, (ii) is entitled to vote at the meeting in the election of directors, and (iii) has given timely written notice of the nomination to the Secretary. Similar to the timeliness requirements under our Regulations described above, the notice of the nomination must be received no earlier than 90 days and no later than 60 days prior to the meeting. Assuming the 2013 Annual Meeting is held on February 26, 2013, the deadlines would be no earlier than November 28, 2012 and no later than December 28, 2012. The Governance and Nominating Committee will assess the qualifications of the candidate according to criteria set out in Nordson Corporation’s Governance Guidelines, which are available on our website at: www.nordson.com/governance. For a candidate to be considered for election as a director or for business to be properly requested by a shareholder to be brought before an annual meeting of shareholders, the shareholder must comply with all of the requirements of our

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Regulations, not just the timeliness requirements described above. All proposals for inclusion in the proxy materials, notices of proposals, suggestions for nominees for election to our Board should be sent to c/o Secretary, Nordson Corporation, 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145.

If the notices delivered pursuant to the Regulations are not timely received, then we will not be required to present such proposals or nominations, as applicable, at the 2013 Annual Meeting. If the Board chooses to present any information submitted after the deadlines set forth in the Regulations (other than pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) at the 2013 Annual Meeting, then the persons named in proxies solicited by the Board for the 2013 Annual Meeting may exercise discretionary voting power with respect to such information.

YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT, SO PLEASE VOTE.

Promptly return your proxy card or vote via telephone or the Internet,

which will help to reduce the cost of this solicitation.

This Proxy Statement and the enclosed proxy card are being mailed to shareholders of record on or about January 23, 2012. Nordson’s executive offices are located at 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145, telephone number (440) 892-1580.

PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS WHOSE TERMS EXPIRE IN 2015

Our Regulations require us to have at least nine directors with not less than three directors in each of three classes. Each of the directors serves for a term of three years and until a qualified successor is elected. The Board currently has nine directors.

The Governance and Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying and evaluating nominees for director and for recommending to the Board a slate of nominees for election at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Governance and Nominating Committee has recommended to the Board, and the Board has approved, the persons named as nominees for terms expiring in 2015 and, unless otherwise marked, a proxy will be voted for such nominees. Mr. Merriman currently serves as a director, last elected by the shareholders at the 2009 Annual Meeting. All nominees have agreed to stand for election to a three-year term.

It is intended that proxies that are submitted but do not withhold the authority to vote for any or all of the nominees will be voted for the election as directors of all of the persons named below. At this time, the Board knows of no reason why any nominee might not be a candidate at the 2012 Annual Meeting.

The name and age of each of the three nominees for election as directors for terms expiring in 2015, as well as present directors whose terms will continue after the meeting, appear below together with his or her principal occupation for at least the past five years, the year each became a director of the Company and certain other information.

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Nominees For Terms Expiring in 2015

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Present Directors Whose Terms Expire in 2013

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Present Directors Whose Terms Expire in 2014

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Former directors Benedict Rosen and William Madar retired from our Board in 2011. As previously disclosed, Dr. Ignat will retire effective with the expiration of his, term on February 28, 2012.

No shareholderher or group that beneficially owns 1% or more of our outstanding common shares has recommended a candidate for election as a director at the 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.its intention to request cumulative voting.

Required Vote

The election of directors requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a plurality of the shares of common stock voting at the meeting. Under the plurality voting standard, the nominees receiving the most “for” votes will be elected, regardless of whether any nominee received a majority of the votes. Only shares that are voted in favor of a particular nominee will be counted toward such nominee’s achieving a plurality. Shares present at the meeting that are not voted for a particular nominee or shares present by proxy where the shareholder properly withheld authority to vote for such nominee (including broker non-votes) will not be counted toward such nominee’s achieving a plurality, but will be counted for quorum purposes.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Corporate Governance Documents

The following corporate governance documents are available on our website at: www.nordson.com/governance.governance.

The Governance Guidelines contain general principles regarding the functions of Nordson’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) and Board Committees.committees. The 20112013 Annual Report to Shareholders which includes our Annual Report on Form 10-K and this Proxy Statement are available on our website at:www.nordson.com/investors. Upon request, copies of the Annual Report to Shareholders will be mailed to you (at no charge) by contacting Attn: Corporate Communications, Nordson Corporation, 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145.

Director Independence

In accordance with the listing standards of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (NASDAQ)(“NASDAQ”), and our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board must consist of a majority of independent directors. The Board has determined that Messrs. Banks, Carson, George, Jaehnert, Keithley, Merriman, Richey, Robinson, and Ms. Puma each satisfy the definition of “independent director” under these listing standards. William L. Robinson, who retired from our Board on May 10, 2013, also satisfied such definition of “independent director” during his service as a director. Mr. Hilton is not an independent director as he serves as the company’sCompany’s President and Chief Executive Officer. In making this determination, the Board reviewed the information provided by the directors and Nordson with regard to each director’s business and personal activities as they may relate to Nordson and its management.

For a director to be considered independent under the NASDAQ listing standards, the Board must affirmatively determine that a director has no direct or indirect material relationship with Nordson. A director is independent if he/she has no material relationship with us or our affiliates either directly or indirectly as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with our Company and meets the standards for independence as defined by the rules of NASDAQ. Such relationships can include commercial, industrial, banking, consulting, legal, accounting, charitable and familial relationships, among others.

More specifically, a director is not considered independent if:

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In addition, on anAs part of our commitment to ensuring director independence, we have a monitoring and reporting program with respect to purchases of products supplied by a company which may employ a director to ensure the avoidance of any conflicts of interest resulting from our relationship. Mr. Banks, a director, serves as Executive Vice President and Operating Officer of Parker Hannifin Corporation. Mr. George, a director, serves as Senior Vice President and Manager, Analog Engineering Operations of Texas Instruments Incorporated. Mr. Jaehnert, a director, served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Brady Corporation until October 7, 2013. These three companies purchase components manufactured by a number of our business units in volumes that are insignificant when compared to the respective companies’ and Nordson’s annual basis, each memberrevenue for fiscal year 2013. The Board does not believe that these relationships impair the independence of Messrs. Banks, George or Jaehnert or that they have any material interest in any transaction between the Board is required to complete a questionnaire designed in part to provide information to assist the Board in determining whether the director is independent.Company and Parker Hannifin, Texas Instruments, and Brady Corporation, respectively.

Director Qualifications

Our directors play a critical role in guiding Nordson’s strategic direction and overseeing the management of the Company. The Board believes that diversity along multiple dimensions, including opinions, skills, perspectives, personal and professional experiences and other differentiating characteristics, is an important element of its director nomination recommendations.recommendations as variety of points of view contribute to a more effective decision-making process. To that end, the Board has adopted Director Recruitment and Performance Guidelines (the “Recruitment Guidelines”) to assist the Board and the Governance and Nominating Committee in identifying and recruiting directors to serve on the Board. The Board considers each nominee in the context of the Board as a whole, with the objective of assembling a Board that can best maintain the success of our business. The Board seeks to include an array of skills and experience in its overall composition rather than requiring every director to possess the same skills, perspective, and interests. The Recruitment Guidelines are implemented

Consideration of Director Candidates Recommended by seeking to identify candidates that bring diverse skill sets, backgrounds, and experiences, including ethnic and gender diversity, toShareholders

Under its charter, the Board when director candidates are needed.

An example of the process engaged in by the Board to identify qualified candidates for director was the search that culminated in the election of the most recently added directors — Messrs. Banks and Richey. The Board of Directors retained a search firm to assist the Board in identifying candidates that not only met the Recruitment Guidelines but also a set of specific criteria deemed appropriate given the skills and experiences of the directors that had recently retired or were about to retire from the Board. Included in the search criteria were skills and experiences such as leading a company or division of a sophisticated, business-to-business industrial enterprise similar in size to Nordson that has a material percentage of sales (at least 25 percent-plus) derived from non-US customers; having substantive global experience with a company composed of multiple business units in an innovative and research and product development-based environment; and prior exposure to corporate governance as the result of public company board service or the experience of working with the board of directors and governance process. The effectiveness of the process is evident by the contributions made to the Board by Messrs. Banks and Richey since their election in 2010. Also, it was through this same rigorous process that Messrs. George and Jaenhert, nominees for election during the 2012 Annual Meeting, were identified as candidates qualified to serve as members of our Board.

The Governance and Nominating Committee periodically reviewsis responsible for reviewing shareholder nominations for directors. The Committee does not have a formal policy with respect to the Board’s membershipconsideration of director candidates recommended by shareholders. However, its practice is to consider those candidates on the same basis and in light of our business model and strategic objectives,the same manner as it considers whether the directors possess the requisite skills, experience and perspectives to oversee the Company in achieving these objectives, and may seek additional directorsrecommendations from time to time as a result of its consideration. Qualified candidates are evaluated without regard to race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin or disability.other sources.

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Code of Ethics and Business Conduct

We have a Code of Ethics and Business Conduct (the “Code”) that addresses our commitmentapplies to honesty and integrity and the ethical behavior of ourall directors, officers and employees of Nordson Corporation and its subsidiaries wherever located. Our Code contains the general guidelines and principles for conducting Nordson’s business consistent with current and potential customers, fellow employees, competitors, government and self-regulatory agencies, investors, the public, the media and anyone else with whom we have or may have contact. Violations of any of thehighest standards of business ethics. Our Code embodies our five guiding values, which form the foundation of our Company: Integrity, Excellence, Passion for Our Customers, Energy, and Respect for People. We encourage our employees to report all suspected violations of Company policies and the law, including incidents of harassment or discrimination. We will take appropriate steps to investigate all such reports and will take appropriate action. Under no circumstances will employees be subject to any disciplinary

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or retaliatory action for reporting, in good faith, a possible violation of our Code will be met with appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including terminationor applicable law or for cooperating in any investigation of employment. Retaliation against any director, officer or employee who files a report concerning what he or she reasonably believes to be conduct that violates the Code is strictly prohibited.possible violation.

Communications with the Board of Directors

Shareholders may communicate with the Board, the Chairman of the Board, a Board committee, the non-employee directors as a group, or individual directors by sending written communications addressed to the Board of Directors, a Board committee or such individual director or directors, c/o Secretary, Nordson Corporation, 28601 Clemens Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145.

Each communication should specify the applicable addressee or addressees to be contacted as well as the general topic of the communication. Our Secretary will initially receive and processreview communications before forwarding them to members of the Board to whom the communication is directed, or if the communication is not directed to any specific member(s) of the Board, to the Chairperson of the Governance and Nominating Committee. We generally will not forward a shareholder communication that is primarily commercial in nature, relates to an improper or irrelevant topic, or requests general information about us. Concerns about accounting or auditing matters or possible violations of our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct should be reported pursuant to the procedures outlined in the Code.

Board Leadership Structure

Our Governance Guidelines require us to have either an independent Chairman of the Board or a presiding independent director if the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are held by the same person.is not an independent director. The Guidelines set forth the responsibilities of the Chairman of the Board and the Presiding Director when the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer positions are combined.is not an independent director. At present, the Chairman of the Board of Directors position is separate from the Chief Executive Officer position.

This structure provides independent oversight of management while permitting our Chief Executive Officer, Michael Hilton, to focus his time and energy on setting the strategic direction for the Company, overseeing daily operations, engaging with external constituents, developing and mentoring our future leaders, and promoting employee engagement at all levels of the organization. Meanwhile, ourOur independent Chairman, Joseph Keithley, leads the Board in the performance of its duties by establishing agendas and ensuring appropriate meeting content (in collaboration with Mr. Hilton), presiding during regularly held executive sessions with our independent directors, actively engaging with all independent directors and Mr. Hilton between Board meetings and providing overall guidance to Mr. Hilton as to the Board’s views and perspectives, particularly on the strategic direction of the Company.

Executive Sessions

Pursuant to our Governance Guidelines, non-managementindependent directors meet in regularly scheduled executive sessions without management. The Chairman (or, when our Chairman is not an executive officer,independent director, the Lead IndependentPresiding Director) chairs all regularly scheduled executive sessions of the Board, and also has authority to convene meetings of the non-managementindependent directors at any time with appropriate notice. Chairman Keithley presided at executive sessions of our independent directors at every regularly scheduled Board meeting in 2011.2013.

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Oversight of Risk Management

The Board as a whole exercises its oversight responsibilities with respect to material risks we face in a global market, including operational, financial, strategic, competitive, reputational, legal and regulatory risks. The Board has delegated responsibility for the oversight of specific risks to Board committees. With the oversight of our Board, our officers are responsible for the day-to-day management of the material risks we face. In its oversight role, our Board has the responsibility to satisfy itself that the risk management processes designed and implemented by management are adequate and functioning as designed. The involvement of the Board in setting our business strategy at least annually is a key part

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of its oversight of risk management, its assessment of management’s appetite for risk and its determination of what constitutes an appropriate level of risk for Nordson Corporation. The Board regularly receives updates from management and outside advisors regarding this oversight responsibility.

In addition, our Board committees each oversee certain aspects of risk management. For example, our Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing risk management of financial matters, financial reporting, the adequacy of our risk-related internal controls, and internal investigations. Our Compensation Committee oversees risks related to the executive officer compensation program such as that attendant to incentive-driven compensation plans. Our Governance and Nominating Committee oversees governance related risks, such as Board independence and director succession planning.

Senior management attends Board and Board committee meetings at the invitation of the Board or its committees and is available to address any questions or concerns raised by the Board on risk management and any other matters. Annually, the Board holds strategic planning sessions with senior management to discuss strategies, key challenges, and risks and opportunities for the Company.

Both the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee of the Board also rely on the advice and counsel of our independent auditors and compensation consultant, respectively, to raise awareness of any risk issues that may arise during their regular reviews of our financial statements, audit work and executive compensation policies and practices, as applicable. The Board is kept abreast of its Committees’ risk oversight and other activities via reports of the Committee Chairpersons to the full Board.

Attendance at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders

Directors are expected to attend the Annual Meeting of Shareholders and all Board meetings and meetings of committees on which a director serves. During the last fiscal year, each incumbent director attended at least seventy-five percent of the meetings of the Board and of the committees on which he or she served. All incumbent directors attended the 20112013 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.Meeting.

Review of Transactions with Related Persons

The Board has adopted a written policy regarding the review and approval of transactions, involving certain persons that are required to be disclosed in proxy statements, which are commonly referred to as “related person transactions.” Related partiespersons include our directors, nominees for election as a director, persons controlling over 5% of our common shares, executive officers, and the immediate family members of each of these individuals. Under the written policy, Nordson’s Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving any related person transactions and will consider factors it deems appropriate, including: