WaterBriefs: Xanser Corp.'s Furmanite acquires Flowserve's General Services Group
In other news below:
-- Insituform Technologies CFO resigns
-- Conservation experts to convene in Pasadena for 2006 Intelligent Use of Water event
-- USW, U.S. pipe producers condemn Bush's decision to deny relief for surging China imports
-- Calif. DWR to open Sacramento weir
-- LADWP stands by work on Owens Lake dust control program
-- Sandvik to withdraw appeal of Pa. DEP order over soil, groundwater contamination
-- UK end-year stocktake shows a good year for biodiversity
-- Macao, other cities seeking new water sources as spring tide arrives
-- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to transfer sludge, water recycling business to unit
-- Japan's crown prince, princess may visit Mexico for World Water Forum
-- McWane Inc., company executives sentenced for environmental crimes
Xanser Corp.'s Furmanite acquires Flowserve's General Services Group
DALLAS, Jan. 3, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Xanser Corporation today announced the acquisition of Flowserve's General Services Group (GSG) by Xanser's industrial services group, Furmanite. Furmanite acquired the GSG assets, including certain working capital, for approximately $16 million in cash.
GSG is a single-source provider of maintenance, repair and distribution services for a broad array of valves, piping systems and other process-system components, with operating locations in North America and Europe. GSG has significant North American market share in third-party valve repair, as well as in third-party on-line services such as hot tapping and field machining. In 2004, GSG had net revenues in excess of $100 million.
"This acquisition aligns very well with our core competencies in Furmanite, and will allow us to expand our footprint and our service offerings in North America as well as in Europe," said John R. Barnes, chairman and chief executive officer of Xanser Corp. "We look forward to adding the skills and capabilities of several hundred GSG employees to our base of nearly 1,000 outstanding Furmanite employees. Over the next six months, we will be working to fully integrate this business, and we are confident it will have a positive impact on our results for many years to come."
Furmanite's business is the protection and management of its customers' critical assets, and the company's technological capabilities help assure that customers' critical assets are on line and performing for maximum profit. 2004 marked 75 years of Furmanite serving industry worldwide. Today, Furmanite is recognized as 'the' worldwide expert in the field of on-site and on-line plant and pipeline maintenance. Furmanite's single mission and business goal is to maximize asset uptime for customers. Specifically, everything Furmanite does directly relates to keeping an asset on line, productive and profitable, be it a pipeline, a plant or personnel. Furmanite ensures asset productivity and profitability for a variety of industries -- chemical and petrochemical, oil and gas, power generation, pulp and paper, pharmaceutical, and national defense. This commitment to excellence, coupled with Furmanite's broad array of services and proprietary technology, is a critical component to the operation and financial success of some of the world's largest process manufacturers and energy producers and suppliers including Shell, ExxonMobil, Sun Oil, Dominion, Exelon, Cinergy, Entergy and Reliant. Furmanite has more than 40 offices on five continents.
Xanser Corp. (www.xanser.com) provides technology-based and technical services worldwide. Employing about 1,000 people, it had 2004 revenues of $145.7 million and net income of $2.4 million. With headquarters in Richardson, Texas, near Dallas, Xanser's operations consist of an information technology services company, Xtria, and an international technical services firm, Furmanite. Xtria provides a portfolio of innovative technology solutions to the healthcare and government markets. Combining its deep market expertise with specialized technology, Xtria partners with its clients to set the standard for managing mission critical processes in information-intensive environments. Xtria has a legacy of enabling organizations to power their businesses, while mitigating the risks associated with change.
Furmanite (www.furmanite.com), one of the world's largest specialty technical services companies, delivers a broad portfolio of engineering solutions that keep facilities operating, minimizing downtime and maximizing profitability. Furmanite's diverse, global customer base includes offshore drilling operations, pipelines, refineries and power generation facilities, chemical and petrochemical plants, steel mills, automotive manufacturers, pulp and paper mills, food and beverage processing plants, semi-conductor manufacturers and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Furmanite operates more than 40 offices on five continents.
Also see: "Flowserve completes sale of General Services Group"
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Among other recent headlines:
• Insituform Technologies Inc. announces resignation of its chief financial officer -- CHESTERFIELD, MO, Jan. 3, 2006 -- Insituform Technologies Inc. announced today that chief financial officer Christian G. Farman has resigned to pursue other professional opportunities. David A. Martin, the company's controller, will fill in as a search for a new CFO begins. Martin, a certified public accountant, has served as the company's controller for two years, following two and one-half years as controller of Insituform's European operations. He joined Insituform in 1993 from BDO Seidman LLP, where he was a senior accountant...
• Environmental experts to convene in Pasadena, as the 2006 Intelligent Use of Water Panel gets set to address the current state of outdoor water conservation -- PASADENA, CA, Jan. 3, 2005 -- A panel of water industry experts will provide insight into global water conservation strategies and initiatives as it relates to outdoor water conservation. The panel, put together by irrigation products specialist Rain Bird Corp., will meet from 9-11 a.m., Jan. 4, at the Pasadena Hilton. It includes Robert Glennon, a University of Arizona law professor and author of "Water Follies"; Eric Klotz, water conservation and education section chief for the Utah Division of Water Resources; Stuart Styles, Irrigation Training and Research Center director at Cal Polytech-San Luis Obispo; and Dave Minner, a horticulture professor at Iowa State University and board member of the Sports Turf Managers Association...
• USW, U.S. standard pipe producers condemn Bush's decision to deny Section 421 relief to pipe industry for surging China imports -- WASHINGTON, DC, Dec. 30 -- U.S. standard pipe producers condemned today's decision by President George Bush to deny relief to the domestic industry and its workers throughout the country. The decision follows the filing of this 421 petition by 7 U.S. pipe producers and the United Steelworkers (USW) on Aug. 2. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issued an affirmative decision that market disruption resulted from this surge in imports from China. On Nov. 29, industry and labor officials appeared before the Trade Policy Staff Committee to request relief for the industry in the form of a 90,000 quota. The final report was issued by the U.S. Trade Representative on Dec. 15. The companies and workers who joined in filing of this petition on August 2, 2005 are: Allied Tube & Conduit Corp., IPSCO Tubulars Inc., Maruichi American Corp., Maverick Tube Corp., Sharon Tube Co., Western Tube & Conduit Corp., Wheatland Tube Co. and USW...
• Calif. DWR to open Sacramento weir -- SACRAMENTO, Dec. 30, 2005 -- The Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced plans to open the Sacramento Weir about 2 p.m. on Dec. 31. Photos of the measure to reduce flooding dangers due to recent heavy rains are viewable at www.dwr.water.ca.gov. A DWR flood management official, Art Hinojosa, will be on hand at the West Sacramento viewing point during the weir opening to provide commentary and perspective. Another press event on the topic was scheduled for Jan. 3, 2006...
• LADWP stands by work on Owens Lake dust control program -- Board president says Great Basin Air Pollution Control District decision is premature -- LOS ANGELES, Dec. 29, 2005 -- The president of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners questioned a new decision by the regulatory agency overseeing the effort to mitigate dust coming off of the Owens Lake, saying it's premature for the agency to require expanding the project by 9.3 square miles. Board President Mary Nichols said the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District's decision to expand the project area before LADWP has completed the full program to mitigate dust on nearly 30 square miles of the Owens Lake bed is unwarranted. Moreover, LADWP believes the District is basing its decision on questionable data and modeling processes...
• Sandvik agrees to withdraw appeal of Pa. DEP order, moves forward with Ivy Park investigation -- WILKES-BARRE, PA, Dec. 29, 2005 -- Sandvik Inc. has agreed to withdraw its appeal of a Department of Environmental Protection order and continue investigations of contamination on the company's property in the Ivy Industrial Park in Clarks Summit Borough, Lackawanna County. DEP issued the order Nov. 15, documenting elevated levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) on Sandvik's property. The order required the company to submit a work plan for a comprehensive site characterization to help determine the source and scope of the contamination. The company submitted the work plan for its site and adjacent property even though it appealed the order to the Environmental Hearing Board. Under the consent order and agreement with DEP, Sandvik will withdraw the appeal within five days...
• End-year stocktake shows a good year for biodiversity -- LONDON, Dec. 29, 2005 -- 2005 has been a positive year for England's wildlife and habitats, according to the annual Biodiversity Stocktake released by the United Kingdom's Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (Defra) today. Biodiversity Minister Jim Knight said the stocktake, compiled by the England Biodiversity Group, showed encouraging process towards meeting the goals set in the England Biodiversity Strategy. The England Biodiversity Group is made up of major stakeholders from the public, voluntary and private sectors who oversee the implementation of the Strategy...
• Macao, other cities seeking new water sources as spring tide arrives HONG KONG, Dec. 29, 2005 -- A dry season in addition to a spring tide have pushed sea water into the Pearl River Delta region, affecting drinking water in nearby cities at the southern tip of China's Guangdong Province for the past week, according to residents living in Macao. Reports in local newspapers said high salinity water has infiltrated the drinking water supply in Zhuhai and Macao, which are at the opening of the Pearl River. Most of Macao's daily consumption of 160 million liters of freshwater comes from Zhuhai, the mainland city north of Macao. Metro Broadcast radio in Hong Kong reported Zhuhai has imposed restrictions in water use and newspaper Wenweipo also said the city is seeking alternative water sources in as far as Guizhou Province, northwest of Guangdong...
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to transfer sludge, water recycling business to unit -- TOKYO, Dec. 27, 2005 -- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Tuesday it will transfer its sludge and sewage recycling device business to its subsidiary Mitsubishi Jyuko Kankyo Engineering on Jan. 1. Mitsubishi decided to transfer the business as its market is shrinking with a fall in public work projects, company officials said. By transferring the business to the subsidiary currently in charge of after-sales services, Mitsubishi Heavy expects faster decision-making to reinforce the business, they said. The subsidiary will also promote its compliance with regulations, they said. The Fair Trade Commission in August searched more than 10 major Japanese water-treatment plant makers, including Mitsubishi Heavy, on suspicion that they had repeatedly rigged bids for plant contracts from local governments...
• Japan's crown prince, princess may visit Mexico for World Water Forum -- TOKYO, Dec. 25, 2005 -- Crown Prince Naruhito may visit Mexico together with Crown Princess Masako next March to attend the 4th World Water Forum, sources close to the matter said Saturday. The government is sounding out the trip, which if materialized would mark the first overseas trip for the crown princess in four years.The royal couple last went abroad in 2002, in a visit to New Zealand and Australia. The water forum, slated for March 16-22 in Mexico City, is a triennial international conference to seek ways to solve problems the world faces in connection with water shortages and quality. The crown prince was honorary president of the 3rd World Water Forum held in 2003 in Japan. Speaking about his future official duties at a news conference in February this year, the crown prince said he would put priority on throwing his moral weight behind the international community's efforts to solve environmental issues...
• McWane Inc., company executives sentenced for environmental crimes -- WASHINGTON, DC, Dec. 23, 2005 -- Cast-iron pipe manufacturer McWane Inc. and company executives James Delk, Michael Devine, and Charles "Barry" Robison were sentenced Dec. 5 in federal court for environmental crimes connected with the operation of McWane Cast Iron Pipe Co. in Birmingham, Ala. Judge Robert Propst sentenced McWane to pay a fine of $5 million and serve a period of probation for five years. The company also is ordered to perform a community service project valued at $2.7 million. The judge ordered Delk to serve probation for three years, including six months of home detention and a fine of $90,000; Devine received two years of probation, including three months of home detention and a fine of $35,000; and Robinson received two years of probation and a fine of $2,500. Additionally, Robinson will serve 150 hours of community service work. After a six week trial McWane; Delk, a former vice president and general manager; and Devine, a former plant manager at and current employee of McWane in New Jersey, were found guilty in June of this year of conspiracy to violate the Clean Water Act (CWA) by discharging industrial process wastewater into Avondale Creek in Birmingham through storm drains, in violation of their permit...
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In earlier newsbriefs, see: " WaterBriefs: NACE International partners with DoD for corrosion educational program" -- Also in this report (Dec. 28, 2005): Arch Chemicals buys out Brazilian joint venture for swimming pool, potable water sanitizer; Aqua America unit secures $25 million in bonds to finance water improvements; U.S. Lime & Minerals acquires O-N Minerals (St. Clair) Co.; WK Dickson names new CFO; Aquair Inc. to partner with Belgium firm to market water treatment compounds, products; ARCADIS wins two large water quality management projects; Hydropower industry exploits new regulatory loophole, puts America's rivers at risk, groups says...
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