WaterBriefs: Metals & Arsenic Removal Technology unveils advisory committee

June 10, 2005
In other news: Calif. environmental banking company purchases monitoring system; Layne Christensen announces new board chairman; IET posts EcaFlo equipment sale in petroleum industry; Sterling Construction reports new storm sewer contracts for $24 mln; DeVivo named VP of Ashland Specialty Chemical's water technologies unit

In other news below (June 10, 2005):
Calif. environmental banking company purchases monitoring system
Layne Christensen announces new board chairman
IET posts EcaFlo equipment sale in petroleum industry
Sterling Construction reports new storm sewer contracts for $24 mln
DeVivo named VP of Ashland Specialty Chemical's water technologies unit

Metals & Arsenic Removal Technology announces advisory committee
RALEIGH, NC, June 10, 2005 -- Metals & Arsenic Removal Technology Inc. (MARTI), a portfolio company of HydroFlo Inc., today announced the formation of an advisory committee whose role is to offer product advice and suggestions to MARTI executives.

It includes some of the most prestigious names in the water, conservation, environmental education, and international affairs sectors. This newly formed group of advisors will consist of Dr. Leonard Bull, tenured professor and associate director of the Animal Science Department of NC State University; Ms. Gean M. Seay, environmentalist with the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League; Dr. Benjamin Burks, Director General of the World Alliance of Mayors; Dr. Mark Samuel Armitage, a family medical physician; and Dr. Marvin Moss, tenured professor of physics and physical oceanography at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.

The advisory committee consists of 5 members that will each participate in regular open-forums with the purpose of facilitating and fostering ideas to expand the approach taken by company representatives. The committee will serve as a think tank to ensure MARTI maintains a focus on potential consumer and retailer concerns as MARTI expands worldwide through various aspects of the water filtration market.

Each member brings a unique experience and background to the board:

-- Dr. Leonard Bull has spent over 30 years as a professor in top universities throughout the country. His resume cites 8 doctorships and memberships in numerous professional organizations and societies such as the American Society of Animal Science and the National Institute for Animal Agriculture. He is the founder and Associate Director of the Northeast Dairy Foods Research Center. He is a member of 5 honor societies and has received multiple awards for his years of service including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Postdoctoral Fellow Award and the Distinguished Nutritionist Award from the Distillers Feed Research Council.

-- Ms. Gean M. Seay is the co-founder of Swamp Watch Action Team (SWAT). She is an active member of 6 conservation organizations including The Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, The Dogwood Alliance, and the Brunswick Citizens for a Safe Environment. She has written numerous articles and commentaries for various U.S. publications. She is an environmental speaker and provides lectures and presentations to schools, civic groups, and environmental organizations as well as radio and television appearances across the nation.

-- Dr. Benjamin Burks has over 30 years of extensive leadership in foreign affairs, economic development, energy, treasury, defense and trade of national and international programs. His vast experience includes work with several presidential administrations including the current administration. He holds degrees from California State University, Long Beach, and Harvard University. Dr. Burks is well known throughout the world as a leader in humanitarian relief efforts and for his philanthropic efforts in developing third-world countries.

-- Dr. Mark Samuel Armitage has been educated both in the United States, and abroad. Dr. Armitage completed his residency at the Shenandoah Memorial Hospital in VA. His specialties are in Internal and Family medicine which includes the total health care of individuals and their families. He owns and operates Pelican Family Medical Center in Wilmington, NC where he has been in practice for over 9 years. He has also served as a medical television spokesperson for an NBC affiliate news station.

-- Dr. Marvin Moss is a tenured professor of Physics and Physical Oceanography at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He has held such prestigious national positions as Director of the Nuclear Arms Division of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency of the U.S. State Department, Associate Director of Energy Research for the U.S. Department of Energy, and Director and Technical Director for the Office of Naval Research. He has been awarded with the Presidential Rank Meritorious Governmental Executive Award and the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the highest honor the U.S. Navy can bestow upon a civilian. He is an expert on global environmental issues and is the author of several professional papers, reports and successful grants.

"I am honored to have such an illustrious panel of experts assisting MARTI in all aspects of the water filtration industry," stated George Moore, Chief Operations Officer of MARTI. "The first meeting promises to be full of ideas and synergy from the group, and I am proud to head a company that continually strives to develop high-quality consumer relations to enhance our product line."

HydroFlo (www.hydroflo.us) is based in Raleigh, N.C. Its core focus is to seek out synergistic acquisitions that will provide capital appreciation and income from its portfolio companies. Its mission is to locate, develop, and fund innovative technologies and businesses and utilize these acquisitions to make pure water available to the world by means of disinfection, purification, and removal of contaminants. It is our belief that water can overcome hunger, disease, poverty, and improve the overall quality of life on earth.

Calif. environmental banking company purchases monitoring system
Loafer Creek LLC, a land, environmental, technology, and mitigation banking company headquartered in northern California, has purchased over $180,000 of water quality data collection equipment from Ohio's YSI Inc...

ELK GROVE, CA, June 9, 2005 -- Loafer Creek LLC, a land, environmental, technology, and mitigation banking company headquartered in northern California, has purchased over $180,000 of water quality data collection equipment from YSI Incorporated. This state-of-the-art monitoring system will help YSI's customer monitor natural resources on more than 40,000 acres of environmentally rich watershed property in northern California. Loafer Creek LLC will also be looking forward to working with local farmers, water districts, and irrigation districts in building this state-of-the-art water model.

When the YSI system is installed in the ensuing weeks, land managers for Loafer Creek's conservation bank and related watershed properties will be able to monitor water quality using a real-time network of sensors and satellites. This data helps the company better monitor and understand the ways in which it can mitigate impact on the region's watersheds, wetlands, and endangered species. Loafer Creek also plans to work closely with certain local, state, and federal agencies and public interest groups in the location of the equipment and subsequent data analysis.

Dan Kohrdt, a member of Loafer Creek, states, "I am excited about working with YSI to set up cutting edge technology for water quality monitoring. The natural health and sustainability of ecosystems in Butte and Tehama counties will greatly benefit."

Loafer Creek is certified for conservation banking for projects in northern California. Through its Dove Ridge Conservation Bank, Loafer Creek maintains acres of natural habitat which are assigned credits of ecological value. These credits may be purchased to offset developmental impacts on the natural resources.

Please contact Cindy Hodges at [email protected] to join Loafer Creek's public/private water modeling partnership. Check out www.loafercreek.com to learn more about Loafer Creek's vision in protecting the environment for future generations.

The YSI system designed for Loafer Creek includes these products: EcoNet web-enabled remote monitoring systems, 6600EDS extended deployment sondes, 9600 Nitrate Monitors, and SonTek/YSI Argonaut-SW instruments for shallow water measurements.

YSI, an employee-owned company headquartered in Yellow Springs, Ohio, is a leading provider of technology solutions and services for data collection and analysis. The company's largest business unit, YSI Environmental, provides instrumentation and systems to global water quality, water quantity, and aquaculture markets.

Layne Christensen announces new board chairman
MISSION WOODS, KN, June 10, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) --Layne Christensen Company announced that Robert J. Dineen has resigned as chairman of Layne Christensen Company's Board of Directors effective today. Dineen has served as the Chairman of the Board since August 1992. Dineen will remain a director of Layne following his resignation as Chairman. Andrew B. Schmitt, president and CEO of Layne, commented, "Bob Dineen has been a major contributor to the growth and development of Layne, and he leaves his position as Chairman with the Company well positioned to excel in the future."

Layne's Board has elected David A.B. Brown, a current director of Layne, to replace Dineen as chairman. In addition to his service with Layne, Brown serves as president of The Windsor Group, a consulting firm that focuses on energy-related issues facing oilfield services and engineering companies. He is also a director of EMCOR Group Inc., Mission Resources Corp., NS Group Inc. and serves as chairman of the board for Pride International Inc.

Andrew B. Schmitt stated, "We are very pleased and fortunate to have someone of David's caliber serve on the board of directors, and we are looking forward to working with David as he assumes his new leadership role as chairman."

Layne Christensen Co. provides sophisticated services and related products for the water, mineral, construction and energy markets.

IET posts EcaFlo equipment sale in petroleum industry
LITTLE RIVER, SC, June 9, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Integrated Environmental Technologies Ltd. of Little River, S.C., announced the introduction and initial sale of its EcaFlo Model 240 to Antero Resources Corp., a petroleum production company. The Model 240 is one of IET's expanding lines of EcaFlo units, including the Model 40, Model 080, Model 240, Model 480 and Model 960.

The sale of this anolyte-producing unit is indicative of a growing market for treating "frac" water with equipment that effectively controls bacteria in an environmentally-friendly manner.

IEVM president and CEO William "Bill" Prince, commented, "The petroleum industry has been seeking a technology that improves its opportunities to be sensitive to the environment while still offering an economically viable alternative to caustic chemicals. IEVM's EcaFlo equipment allows users to manage microorganisms with reliable anolyte solutions, ensuring that operations are not negatively impacted by bacteria, yet providing complete confidence that the environment is not being damaged by the use of regulated and expensive chemicals."

IET (www.ietusa.net) is licensed in the United States to use the proprietary technology electrochemical activation (ECA), which is the process of passing ordinary water or a diluted saline solution through a specially designed electrolytic cell to modify functional properties of water without adding reagents. EcaFlo solutions have the demonstrated ability to: Destroy microorganisms such as botrytis fungus, salmonella, e-coli, listeria and anthrax spores; Neutralize chemical agents such as Soman and VX and Clean and Degrease. IET currently designs, markets, sells and assembles equipment, based on the ECA technology, under the EcaFlo name brand. This equipment produces reliable, environmentally friendly solutions to effectively control bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms without harming the environment.

Sterling Construction reports new storm sewer contracts for $24 mln
HOUSTON, June 10, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sterling Construction Co. Inc., was low bidder on two Texas Department of Transportation contracts with a combined value of about $24 million.

The larger of the two awards, valued at over $21.2 million, encompasses the building of storm sewers and concrete paving for Highway FM 518 in League City, Galveston County. Work on the project is expected to commence in September 2005 and should continue for two years.

The second award is in San Antonio, Bexar County, where Sterling crews will build water, sanitary and storm sewers and then repave McCullough Avenue. This one-year project is also expected to begin in September of this year.

Commenting, Joseph Harper, Sterling's President said, "Although our first quarter construction revenues were up 54%, we have been able to increase the size and duration of our contract backlog from the start of the year. With backlog at a new record level, our business visibility extends into 2007, which should have a direct and favorable impact on our overall operating efficiency as we execute these projects."

Sterling (www.sterlingconstructionco.com), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Sterling Houston Holdings Inc., is primarily a heavy civil construction company that specializes in municipal and state highway contracts for paving, bridge, water and sewer and light rail projects. Sterling also operates Steel City Products Inc., a wholesale distributor based in Pittsburgh, Pa.

DeVivo named VP of Ashland Specialty Chemical's water technologies unit
COVINGTON, KY, June 10, 2005 (PRNewswire-FirstCall) -- Paul DeVivo has been named vice president for Ashland Specialty Chemical's Water Technologies International businesses, effective August 1. The announcement was made by Len R. Gelosa, senior vice president, Water Technologies, Ashland Specialty Chemical, Ashland Inc., to whom DeVivo will report. DeVivo remains general manager of Drew Marine.

In his new role, DeVivo will be responsible for leveraging growth opportunities across the Water Technologies businesses (Drew Industrial and Drew Marine) in Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. DeVivo most recently served as vice president, Ashland Specialty Chemical, and general manager, Drew Marine.

"Water Technologies' international markets are targeted for accelerated growth," said Gelosa. "Paul's 35 years of global business management experience will help to spearhead that growth. Paul is also an acknowledged Ashland thought leader in recognizing the value and power of common, standardized business processes. Opportunities for greater operational synergies between Drew Industrial and Drew Marine will be enhanced under his leadership."

Reporting to DeVivo will be his current Drew Marine management team, along with Mario Swinnen, vice president, European Region, Drew Industrial; and Larry Hale, vice president, Asia-Pacific, Drew Industrial.

DeVivo will continue to serve as leader of the China Management Services (CMS) center in Shanghai, with plans to expand the center to support all of Asia. In this role, DeVivo will report to Gary A. Cappeline, president and chief operating officer of the Chemical Sector of Ashland Inc. "Paul has also played a pivotal role in building the foundation for integration of our Chemical Sector operations in Asia. The CMS center provides finance, information technology, human resources, communications, legal and environmental, health and safety support to all Chemical Sector divisions in Asia," added Cappeline.

DeVivo's career at Ashland began in 1995 as regional vice president for Drew Marine, North and South America. In 1996, he was named vice president of operations for Drew Marine. In 1998, DeVivo was named general manager of Drew Marine and vice president of Ashland Specialty Chemical.

A native of Rockaway, N.J., DeVivo served as an engineering officer in the U.S. Merchant Marine. He earned a bachelor's degree in marine engineering from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Miami-Florida. He also is a graduate of Indiana University's executive development program.

Ashland Specialty Chemical (www.ashspec.com), a division of Ashland Inc., is a leading, worldwide supplier of specialty chemicals serving industries including adhesives, automotive, composites, metal casting, merchant marine, paint, paper, plastics, watercraft and water treatment.

Ashland Inc. (www.ashland.com) is a Fortune 500 transportation construction, chemicals and petroleum company providing products, services and customer solutions throughout the world.

***

In related news, see: "WaterBriefs: Calif. to receive $10.8 mln in 'watershed protection' funds" -- ALSO in this report: Bottled water must comply with new arsenic rule by January; GE helps N.C. industrial wastewater processor reduce chemical usage; Stevens Water appoints Secrest as president; Pentair names Ma president for Pentair Water Asia-Pacific; Minn. DNR retains HDR to conduct Thunderhawk EIS; Onsite wastewater application using portable IR analyzer detailed; Met-Pro's Fybroc Division wins equipment order in excess of $400,000; U.S. patent allowed for Aqua Dyne water purification technology; Water coolers still lead charge for bottled water in UK; Arizona enacts underground utility marking legislation; Chemilizer achieves WQA certification; PCI Geomatics sponsors 'Center of Excellence' at Boston University; MWH acquires Integrated Project Solutions...

###

Sponsored Recommendations

ArmorBlock 5000: Boost Automation Efficiency

April 25, 2024
Discover the transformative benefits of leveraging a scalable On-Machine I/O to improve flexibility, enhance reliability and streamline operations.

Rising Cyber Threats and the Impact on Risk and Resiliency Operations

April 25, 2024
The world of manufacturing is changing, and Generative AI is one of the many change agents. The 2024 State of Smart Manufacturing Report takes a deep dive into how Generative ...

State of Smart Manufacturing Report Series

April 25, 2024
The world of manufacturing is changing, and Generative AI is one of the many change agents. The 2024 State of Smart Manufacturing Report takes a deep dive into how Generative ...

SmartSights WIN-911 Alarm Notification Software Enables Faster Response

March 15, 2024
Alarm notification software enables faster response for customers, keeping production on track