In other news below, see:
-- Utility Automation leaders to gather at Autovation 2005
-- McCrometer expands municipal market capabilities in Alabama, Georgia
-- City of Edgewater signs performance contract with Johnson Controls
-- Zenon to install its technology for Olympic Village in China
-- EBI Consulting adds its 200th employee
-- Strategic Diagnostics reports increase in food safety product orders
-- Enviro-Equipment Inc. continues nationwide expansion with Chicago office
-- Kleinfelder's Sounart receives PE registration
-- Steel Water Tank Seminar focuses on AWWA standards changes
-- STI/SPFA honors safety excellence award and achievement award winners
New Grundfos OEM sales manager for U.S. industry segment
OLATHE, KS, June 22, 2005 -- Grundfos Pumps Corporation has announced that 14-year pump industry veteran Kerry Baskins has taken the position of U.S. OEM Sales Manager - Industry Segment.
Baskins has worked in several senior management positions, most recently as vice president of industrial sales with JCI Industries. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.
He will be based out of the Grundfos U.S. sales headquarters in Olathe, Kan., while further developing relationships with key OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and their executive management. He will oversee the company's U.S. Industry segment's sales efforts in regard to OEMs.
Grundfos (www.grundfos.com), based in Denmark, is a worldwide supplier of pumps and pumping systems and a significant supplier to OEMs.
Utility Automation leaders to gather at Autovation 2005
NORTHBROOK, IL, June 20, 2005 -- Automatic Meter Reading Association (AMRA), the international voice of the automatic meter reading industry, announces the year's most insightful event about utility technology, Autovation 2005: The AMRA International Symposium, which will be held Sept. 18-21 at the Long Beach Convention Center in California.
Autovation 2005 is four days of education and exhibits on the leading practices and technologies for the connected utility.
Autovation highlights include:
* Educational Sessions - Learn about the latest AMR deployments and benefits in advanced and fundamentals sessions
* Featured Speakers - During plenary sessions and macro-level presentations, innovators offer fresh, inspiring perspectives on automation strategy and process to improve business, operations, communications and customer satisfaction. Featured speakers include:
-- Joseph Desmond, Chairman of the California Energy Commission
-- Terry Jones, Founder of Travelocity
-- Christopher Garner, Director of the Long Beach Energy and Oil Properties
-- Joseph Thomas, General Manager-Client Fulfillment for United Illuminating Co.
-- Lisa Schwartz, Senior Analyst for the Oregon Public Utility Commission
-- Jack Hoffbuhr, Executive Director of the American Water Works Association
-- Mike Messenger, Chief of Energy Services Assessment for the California Energy Commission
* Utility-to-Utility Roundtables - Facilitated forums, limited to utility attendees, address issues specific to water, electric and gas utility delegates.
* NEW - Exhibitor Showcase - Dedicated 25-minute presentations by AMR companies for utility delegates to ask the tough questions specific to their needs
* Pre-Autovation Courses - Industry experts present intensive four-hour courses on how to identify, install, operate and derive value from the right AMR system
* Exhibit Hall - The best source of information about AMR products and services - all the leading AMR vendors in one location
Descriptions of these sessions, as well as speaker biographies, can be found at www.amra-intl.org/autovation.
AMRA, the international voice of the AMR industry, provides information critical to the understanding and application of the wide range of AMR technologies. Through industry analyses, symposia and relevant publications, AMRA serves the business interests of utilities and utility technology suppliers.
McCrometer expands municipal market capabilities in Alabama, Georgia
HEMET, CA, June 21, 2005 -- McCrometer, a flow measurement specialist, has expanded its municipal market representation for the states of Alabama and Georgia by appointing the Avanti Company, of Avon Park, Fla., as its exclusive representative. Avanti is now the McCrometer® and Water Specialties Propeller MeterTM brand representative for all of its municipal flow meter customers across Alabama and Georgia.
"We are excited about this extension of our Avanti relationship and have high expectations for the depth of flow meter service and support that their long-standing experience and excellent industry reputation bring to McCrometer's Georgia/Alabama customers," said Gregg McCall, McCrometer's VP of Marketing.
McCrometer's territory realignment will increase flow meter resources and services available in Alabama and Georgia. Avanti is an Authorized McCrometer Service Center with an inventory of parts and qualified staff of technicians able to service meters in a timely manner.
The Avanti Company is family-owned and operated and has been in the flow measurement business since 1977. Avanti, the Florida representative for McCrometer, has selected Mr. Curt Hasty as territory manager. Mr. Hasty, with over 30 years experience in the industry, said "The Avanti measurement team and I are now fully equipped to assist with all applications, quotations, service issues, and ordering needs. And we're very excited about our capabilities and level of support we can offer with this realignment announcement."
McCrometer's (www.mccrometer.com) advanced liquid, steam and gas flow measurement solutions solve complex challenges in Municipal/Industrial Water & Wastewater, Oil & Gas, Process Control & Plant, Electric Power Generation, Institutional Facilities and Agriculture. The company's products and systems are found in thousands of installations worldwide. Its products and systems meet many of the world's most demanding industrial, safety and quality standards.
The Avanti Company (www.avanticompany.com) has been servicing the Florida measurement and control market since 1977. We provide engineered products for a varied range of conditions. Our equipment is of the highest quality and if unforeseen difficulties arise, we back our sales with in-house service capability which will usually result in on-the-spot correction. It is our policy to help everyone we can, and when we cannot, to help you find the answer.
City of Edgewater signs performance contract with Johnson Controls
MILWAUKEE, June 21, 2005 -- The city of Edgewater, Fla., recently signed a 15-year performance contract with Johnson Controls Inc. The over $6 million contract will help the city generate nearly $9.5 million in savings over the 15-year contract term.
A performance contract enables facility and infrastructure improvements that are funded by the guaranteed energy and operational savings they create.
The contract involves the installation of 3,000 new water meters with Radio Read Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) technology that will allow the city to start billing its reclaimed water meter customers based on water usage instead of a flat fee. In addition, the city is replacing its 9,000-plus water meters with new units and a Radio Read AMR for more accurate meters and meter-reading capabilities.
Johnson Controls Inc. (www.johnsoncontrols.com), is a global market leader in automotive systems and facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is a major supplier of integrated seating and interior systems, and batteries. For non-residential facilities, Johnson Controls provides control systems and services including comfort, energy and security management. Johnson Controls, founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis. Its sales for 2004 totaled $26.6 billion.
Zenon to install its technology for Olympic Village in China
OAKVILLE, ON, Canada, June 21, 2005 (PRNewswire-FirstCall) -- Zenon Environmental Inc. has received a purchase order to provide its ZeeWeed membrane for tertiary treatment in China's Olympic Village. The order is valued at about $5 million.
China is undertaking a massive program to improve its infrastructure as the country prepares to host the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Among the country's many initiatives is the treatment of municipal sewage, with emphasis on reuse in an effort to relieve the growing water shortage in Beijing.
Zenon's membranes will be treating secondary effluent from the Qinghe Wastewater Treatment Plant not far from the Olympic Village. The treated effluent will be reused to improve and enhance the visual appeal of the village; such as providing water for lagoons and ponds, in addition to being used for landscape irrigation.
Work on the project is already under way with an expected construction time of 12-14 months. Organizers are planning to have an operational facility by the middle of 2006.
It's estimated that by 2008, nearly 90% of urban sewage will be collected and treated, with about 50% of that being recycled and reused for various non-potable purposes.
After the Olympic Games are over, the government plans to continue operating the plant and selling the water for either irrigation or as toilet flush water.
Zenon Environmental (www.zenonenv.com) is a world leader in providing advanced membrane products and services for water purification, wastewater treatment and water reuse to municipalities and industries worldwide. In 2004, Corporate Knights, a business publication addressing corporate responsibility, ranked Zenon as Canada's top Corporate Citizen, for the second time. Canada's Top 100 Employers ranked it in their top 100 list for the last five years.
EBI Consulting adds its 200th employee
BURLINGTON, MA June 20, 2005 -- EBI Consulting, a national engineering and environmental health and safety consulting firm based in Burlington, Massachusetts, today announced that it had hired its 200th employee. EBI has come a long way from its humble beginnings in 1989.
EBI Consulting was founded by Frank Previte with the objective of creating value for its clients with innovative business approaches to engineering and environmental health and safety services for property owners, manufacturers, commercial real estate investors, and commercial banking communities. Since its founding, EBI has greatly expanded its service offerings. Today, EBI provides consulting services to the commercial real estate, telecommunications, life sciences, and industrial fields.
"Our growth in technical capabilities, locations, and numbers of people has enabled us to help our clients and employees and we are grateful to both for the opportunities to work together. EBI Consulting's talented staff continues to create outstanding value for our clients' businesses, and it is because our clients appreciate this that our expansion has and will continue to occur," said EBI Consulting founder Frank Previte.
At the end of 2003, EBI Consulting employed 106 employees. This number grew to 173 employees by the end of 2004, and the addition of its 200th employee marks another highlight of the company's thriving track record. EBI continues to seek experienced, talented individuals to join the firm and help ensure EBI's continued success.
"I am proud of EBI Consulting's success," said Previte, "and I look forward to future growth as EBI continues to create value for our clients."
EBI Consulting (www.ebiconsulting.com) was founded in 1989 with the purpose of creating value for our clients through innovative applications of engineering assessments, environmental health and safety (EH&S) management, and due diligence techniques. EBI provides our clients with technical expertise that assists them in meeting compliance deadlines and in managing crucial projects on time and within operating budget. Each of EBI's Principals brings extensive experience in facility engineering and EH&S management, environmental assessment and cleanup, and related consulting services. EBI is known for the quality of our product, the professionalism and business expertise of our consultants, and the personalized nature of our services. EBI Consulting has offices in Atlanta GA, Baltimore MD, Burlington MA, Chicago IL, Dallas TX, Denver CO, Exeter NH, Houston TX, Los Angeles CA, New York NY, Phoenix AZ, Portland OR, San Francisco CA, Seattle WA, and York PA.
Strategic Diagnostics reports increase in food safety product orders
NEWARK, DE, June 20, 2005 (PRNewswire-FirstCall) -- Strategic Diagnostics Inc., a provider of biotechnology-based detection solutions for a broad range of food, water, agricultural, industrial and environmental applications, announced that new customers for the Company's food pathogen test products continue to drive demand while the number of product evaluations, a leading indicator of method adoption, continue to grow.
In addition, the company's new international distributor for food pathogen testing has begun to place orders for new customers and those orders have been shipped. In aggregate, domestic and international revenue related to recent orders from new customers is estimated to be in excess of $500,000 annually.
"These results reflect growing customer acceptance of our products and sales strategy related to the Company's food safety product line," commented Matthew Knight, President and CEO of SDI. "We are pleased with our continuing progress and our ability to further accelerate the growth of our food pathogen product line."
Incremental revenue growth is provided in part by a top-40 U.S. producer of finished consumer meat products. Upon completion of a comprehensive evaluation of the Company's Listeria test, this customer has adopted it as their standard method and initiated routine orders with SDI.
SDI customers and prospects have now run thousands of validation tests on hundreds of different foods and environmental samples. These studies continue to demonstrate the combined efficacy of the Company's proprietary enrichment media and unique lateral flow test devices in producing required sensitivity and specificity to the target. These same evaluations also continue to demonstrate how SDI methods can dramatically improve customer testing efficiency and lower cost. The Company continues to work closely with customers to tailor application of the technology to their matrix requirements. Worldwide demand for rapid food pathogen diagnostics and the associated enrichment media is estimated to be $250 million annually.
SDI (www.sdix.com) develops and markets biotechnology based detection solutions for a broad range of agricultural, industrial, environmental and water management applications. By leveraging its expertise in immunology, proteomics, bio-luminescence, and other bio-reactive technologies with innovative application and production capabilities, the Company is able to provide sophisticated diagnostic testing and immunoreagent systems to a diverse customer base serving multiple vertical markets. Through its Strategic BioSolutionsTM brand, SDI serves the research, human diagnostic and pharmaceutical sectors with a wide range of services including complete outsourcing for the production of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies used in commercialized products offered by leading diagnostic and pharmaceutical companies.
Enviro-Equipment continues nationwide expansion with Chicago office
CHARLOTTE, NC, June 20, 2005 (PRNewswire) -- Enviro-Equipment Inc., a leading supplier of environmental monitoring equipment and supplies to environmental professionals, announced today the opening of its third location, Enviro- Equipment Midwest, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois.
The new branch was established to accommodate the company's growing sales volume in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri. The new location also provides rentals and customer support across the region as well as environmental remediation services to the Chicago area. The expansion follows the recent opening of Enviro-Equipment's environmental remediation operation, a 10,000-square-foot facility in Charlotte, N.C.
Enviro-Equipment also announced that industry veteran Scott Bennett has joined the company as branch manager of the new Chicago office. Bennett is an environmental scientist and brings more than 15 years' experience in environmental consulting, remediation, and environmental equipment rental and instrument sales.
"We are pleased to add someone of Scott's caliber to the Enviro-Equipment team," said Denise Chew, president of Enviro-Equipment. "Scott has a proven track record of superior customer service and he has the technical knowledge required to meet the needs of our clients. His commitment to the environmental industry over the years has won many satisfied clients, and we look forward to working with Scott and those clients as we bring the latest in cutting-edge solutions and unparalleled customer support to the region."
The presence of the Chicago offices enables regional customers to pick up their equipment and field sampling supplies soon after placing an order, and when time-critical rentals are required, local courier delivery to the customer's office or job site can also be arranged. Enviro-Equipment can also ship equipment overnight in most cases to most locations in the continental United States.
To reach the new Enviro-Equipment office, please note the following contact information:
Enviro-Equipment Midwest, Inc.
650 W. Grand Avenue, Suite 111
Elmhurst, IL 60126
Toll-Free: 888-274-8128
Phone: 630-832-8128
Fax: 630-832-2128
Enviro-Equipment Inc. (www.enviro-equipment.com), based in Pineville, N.C., near Charlotte, is a woman-owned small business that rents and sells equipment for air, water and soil monitoring. The Charlotte, NC office also offers large-scale remediation equipment, field services, equipment repair and training. Since the Enviro-Equipment was founded in 1993, it has experienced rapid growth and delivered superior customer service, proudly hiring experienced environmental professionals. Enviro-Equipment's customers across the U.S. include colleges and universities, government agencies, industry, and environmental consultants in the groundwater hydrology and industrial hygiene fields.
Kleinfelder's Sounart receives PE registration
GOLDEN, CO, Jan. 17, 2005 -- Kleinfelder Inc. would like to congratulate Scott Sounart for passing the professional engineers exam.
Sounart has been with Kleinfelder for just over four months and has taken on the responsibility of running the Denver area office laboratory along with his responsibilities of project manager. He has fourteen years experience in asphalt and pavement testing, design, and research asphalt laboratory practice and inspections. Primary areas of expertise include pavement management, forensics, materials consultations, Superpave design and testing, asphalt and concrete mix and pavement designs, and SHRP and conventional asphalt binder testing and research.
Kleinfelder Inc. is a leading consulting firm offering environmental and geotechnical engineering, as well as services in construction materials testing and observation in natural and built environments for municipalities, government agencies, multinational companies and industrial concerns across the nation. Employing more than 1,500 in the western and mid-western U.S., Kleinfelder is one of the nation's largest employee-owned firms providing engineering, technical and management solutions. Visit www.kleinfelder.com.
Steel Water Tank Seminar focuses on AWWA standards changes
LAKE ZURICH, IL, June 15, 2005 -- "After nine years, the AWWA D-100 Standard for Welded Steel Tanks for Water Storage has been substantially updated, and is expected to be approved in late Summer 2005," said Stephen Meier P.E., S.E., Vice President of Tank Industry Consultants, an industry authority on structural and seismic design and a principal contributor to the new standard. "Of particular interest to Water Tank and Utility owners and operators, and design engineers, are the substantive changes to structural and seismic design requirements found within the new standard."
"AWWA is developing a new Standard for sacrificial anode systems in water storage tanks," said Jeff Rog, vice president of Corrpro Companies Inc.'s Waterworks Division. "The operation and maintenance of sacrificial anode systems are very different from impressed current systems, and it is important to understand how to appropriately select and operate each type of system".
"California and other states have already or will soon adopt stringent Clean Air regulations which will require the use of low VOC coatings," said Tex Enoch, Director of Architectural Engineering Sales & National Accounts for Carboline Company. "It is important to understand the properties and availability of these low VOC coating systems for maintenance touch-ups and new tank coatings".
"With all of these significant changes, STI/SPFA has completely updated its Water Storage Tank Seminar to focus on new requirements within each standard, has substantially increased the seismic design content, and has added information on the new coatings," said Kevin Gallagher P.E., chairman of the Field Erected Tank Section of STI/SPFA and vice president of sales for Caldwell Tanks Inc. The new seminar focuses on:
How to interpret & use standards
The 2005 Standard changes you need to know -- new requirements for structural and seismic design, options for cathodic protection systems, and new coatings
How to use Life Cycle Cost Analysis to choose the best tank
Considerations in sizing, selecting and locating tanks, tank operations & maintenance, and generating revenue through cellular antenna leasing
The daylong seminar provides Continuing Education Credit from IACET (.8 CEU), and has been described by past attendees as providing "too much information to absorb in a single day" and by pleas to "add another day with more seismic design technical information". STI/SPFA is presenting the new course on Sept. 13 in the San Jose/South Bay Area and on Sept. 15 in the Orange County area.
STI/SPFA is an association serving companies fabricating steel tanks, piping and pressure vessels for use in the petroleum, food, water and chemical processing industries. STI/SPFA provides training and certification programs, quality assurance inspections, and develops industry standards, specifications and safety booklets, and serves as a liaison to regulatory and code authorities. Web: www.steeltank.com and www.spfa.org.
STI/SPFA honors safety excellence award and achievement award winners
LAKE ZURICH, IL, June 3, 2005 -- The Steel Plate Fabricators Association, Division of STI/SPFA, has announced the recipients of its "Safety Award of Excellence" and "Safety Award of Achievement" Awards for 2004. The awards are presented annually by STI/SPFA, to recognize the highest achievements in safe performance for companies engaged in shop fabrication, inspection, maintenance and field construction activities.
The Safety Award of Excellence recognizes outstanding safety performance and is awarded to companies whose employees have achieved a safety record of 12 consecutive months with Zero OSHA Recordable Incidents. The Safety Award of Achievement is provided to companies whose employees have achieved a minimum of a 10% reduction in the rate of OSHA Total Recordable Incidents, as compared with their average rate for the previous three years. Both awards represent masterful achievements, as employees routinely work at heights, bend and weld inches thick steel, pressurize vessels to withstand hundreds of pounds of pressure and maintain everything from refineries to water reservoirs.
"Recognizing safe performance is an essential part of a comprehensive program to ensure the welfare of a company's most important assets -- its employees", said Wilson Frazier, Vice President of Safety for Caldwell Tanks in Louisville, Kentucky. "We designed the STI/SPFA Safety Award Recognition Program to enable companies to formally celebrate the achievements of their employees, whose safe performance ensure the productivity and success of their organizations", said Frazier, who is the outgoing Chairman of the STI/SPFA Safety & Health Committee. "The number of award recipients will increase in 2006, as more members become aware of this outstanding award," said new Chairman Gary Wildman, Safety & Construction Services Manager for CB&I in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. "Raising safety awareness is a key to improving safe performance", said Awards Committee Chairman Danny Vara, Safety Manager of Wyatt Field Service Company in Houston, Texas.
"We are pleased to honor the achievements of our members, whose safe performance and outstanding products set the benchmark for our industry," said Wayne Geyer, Executive Vice President of STI/SPFA. "Safety, quality and productivity awards are an important part of recognizing the best companies in the water, chemical, petrochemical and specialty fabrication markets. STI/SPFA will continue to honor its members for these outstanding achievements".
Safety Awards of Excellence were presented to:
-- A & B Builders, Ltd. -- Shop
-- CB&I Howe-Baker, Dallas, Tyler & Shiloh Shops
-- CB&I Constructors -- Industrial Division -- LNG, Paint & Turnarounds
-- CB&I Constructors -- Industrial Division, Regions: Southwest, Southeast, Western & Northern
-- CB&I Constructors - Water Division, Southeast Region
-- CB&I Constructors - Water Division, CET Construction, Foundations & Paint
-- CB&I Constructors -- Warren, San Luis Obispo & Provo Shops
-- Morse Construction Group, Inc. -- Shop
-- Corrpro Companies, Medina Waterworks Division
-- Mass Tank
-- New Offshore, Inc.
-- Nooter Construction Company -- St. Louis Division
-- Redding Tank/Perkins Welding
-- Southern Tank & Manufacturing
-- Ward Tank & Heat Exchanger Corp.
-- Safety Awards of Achievement were presented to:
-- Brown-Minneapolis Tank Co.
-- Caldwell Tanks, Inc.
-- Caldwell Tanks Alliance, LLC.
-- CB&I Constructors, Clive Shop
-- CB&I Services Inc.
-- Horton CBI, Limited
-- CB&I Constructors, Water Division, Western, Central & Southwest Regions
-- CB&I Howe-Baker -- 850 Shop
-- Continental Pipe Manufacturing Company
-- Enerfab
-- Enerfab -- Calvert City, Cincinnati Power, St. Louis, Green Bay, Chicago, Atlanta, Kansas City & Pittsburgh Divisions
-- Enerfab -- Dominican Republic Office
-- PSI
-- Enerfab -- Brighton True Edge Heads
-- Fargo Tank & Steel (Rommesmo Companies)
-- Montpelier Steel Operations, IPSCO Steel Inc.
-- Morrison Bros. Co.
-- Nooter Construction Company -- Eastern Division
-- RMF Nooter
-- Stanwade Metal Products, Inc.
-- Taylor Forge Engineered Systems -- Paola
-- Wyatt V. II., Inc.
The Steel Tank Institute and the Steel Plate Fabrications Association are Divisions of STI/SPFA, an association serving companies fabricating steel tanks, piping and pressure vessels for use in the petroleum, food, water and chemical processing industries. STI/SPFA provides certification and training courses, performs quality assurance inspections, develops industry standards and specifications, produces safety manuals, and serves as a liaison to regulatory and code authorities. Web: www.steeltank.com and www.spfa.org.
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In earlier newsbriefs, see:
-- "WaterBriefs: Solving world water problems focus of Calif. student grants" -- Also in this report (June 18, 2005): Power plant closure gives rebirth to important Arizona waterway; Godwin's Paz wins Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year Award; Clean Water Trust Fund gains traction at House hearings; Agreement signed to foster desalination research in West; Richardson takes helm of AWWA; Pacific Ozone Technology to appear on World Business Review; AFS hosting two concurrent conferences in fall; Environmental Power Corp. unveils superior anaerobic digester technology; U.S. patent granted for BUGS carbon reactivation technology; Tampa Bay Water project honored by APWA Florida Chapter; Iowa hydraulics lab named National Historic Landmark...
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