WaterBriefs: Franklin Electric to acquire Little Giant Pump Co. for $121 million

March 21, 2006
Also in this report: Largest oil spill ever reported on Alaska's North Slope; American Water announces Donald L. Correll as president, CEO; UltraStrip's Filtration Division signs agreement for dealership in Turkey, Cyprus; ObjectVideo partners with Avant Technologies; Water-Stocks.com interviews Hendrx CEO and water analysts Berlant, Maxwell; Public TV, Planet H2O to study world's most vital resource on Earth Day; AMTA announces Anaheim to host biennial conference in July...

In other news below:
-- Largest oil spill ever reported on Alaska's North Slope
-- American Water announces Donald L. Correll as president and CEO
-- UltraStrip's Filtration Division signs agreement for dealership in Turkey and Cyprus
-- ObjectVideo partners with Avant Technologies
-- Water-Stocks.com interviews Hendrx CEO and water analysts Berlant, Maxwell
-- Public TV, Planet H2O to study world's most vital resource on Earth Day
-- AMTA announces Anaheim to host biennial conference in July

Franklin Electric to acquire Little Giant Pump Co. and expand pump offering -- BLUFFTON, IN, March 20, 2006 -- Franklin Electric Co. Inc., the world's largest manufacturer of submersible electric motors and a global supplier of water pumping systems and fuel pumping systems, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Little Giant Pump Co. in a stock purchase transaction.

Little Giant, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tecumseh Products Co., is a leading worldwide provider of commercial and consumer water transfer solutions. The purchase price of $121 million excludes associated tax benefits and transaction costs and is subject to certain adjustments at closing. After taking tax benefits into account, the purchase price is approximately one times Little Giant's 2005 fiscal year sales...

Franklin Electric expects the transaction to be accretive to its earnings per share in the first year of ownership. It intends to fund the purchase with borrowings under its credit facility and cash on hand. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions, is expected to close shortly after such approval is obtained.

R. Scott Trumbull, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Franklin Electric, stated, "The acquisition of Little Giant Pump Company will solidify Franklin Electric's position as a global supplier of pumping equipment for residential and commercial markets. Little Giant's product lines -- sump, sewage, effluent, condensate and industrial submersible pumps -- will complement and broaden our overall pump offering and allow us to expand our customer base."

Franklin Electric (www.franklin-electric.com) is a global leader in the production and marketing of water and fuel pumping systems and is a technical leader in submersible motors, drives, controls, and monitoring devices.

Little Giant Pump Company (www.lgpc.com) employs approximately 350 people across two facilities, both located in Oklahoma City, OK. Little Giant pumps are used in a broad range of commercial and consumer applications including: plumbing/wastewater, heating, ventilating and cooling (HVAC), water gardening, swimming pool and aquarium maintenance, decorative fountains and industrial and OEM water transfer applications.

Tecumseh Products Company (www.tecumseh.com) is a full-line independent global manufacturer of hermetic compressors for residential and commercial refrigerators, freezers, water coolers, dehumidifiers, window air conditioning units and residential and commercial central system air conditioners and heat pumps; gasoline engines and power train for lawn mowers, lawn and garden tractors, garden tillers, string trimmers, snow throwers, industrial and agricultural applications and recreational vehicles; electric motors and components, including AC and DC motors, blowers, gear motors and linear actuators for a wide variety of industrial and consumer applications across a broad range of industries; and centrifugal pumps for industrial, commercial, marine and agricultural applications.

Among other recent headlines:

Alaska Governor talks with Transporation Secretary about oil spill response -- JUNEAU, AK, March 17, 2006 -- U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta contacted Gov. Frank H. Murkowski on Thursday expressing his concern over the crude oil spill on the North Slope, it was reported Friday. The 267,000-gallon spill is the largest ever for the 800-mile TransAlaska Pipeline System and documents were revealed regarding BP's prior knowledge of corrosion problems in the pipeline that could have prevented it. Additional reports from Associated Press, Seattle Times, Houston Chronicle and Reuters...

American Water announces Donald L. Correll as president and CEO -- VOORHEES, NJ, March 20, 2006 -- American Water, the largest and most geographically diversified provider of water services in North America, today announced the appointment of Donald L. Correll as president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective April 17th. George MacKenzie, who has served as the company's interim CEO since Jan. 1, will continue as a non-executive member of the company's board of directors. Correll comes to the position from Pennichuck Corp., where he held the same posts...
Also see:
-- "Pennichuck announces management changes as top executive tapped for American Water CEO post; Board member Hannah McCarthy named interim CEO and Donald Ware promoted to president of Pennichuck Water Works Inc."

UltraStrip's Filtration Division signs agreement for dealership in Turkey and Cyprus -- STUART, FL, March 20, 2006 -- UltraStrip Systems Inc., a homeland security technology company, announced that Eximar International Trading & Consulting (Eksimar Dis Ticaret Ve Danismanlik Ltd. Sirketi) has signed an exclusive five-year agreement to become a dealer for Ecosphere Technologies Inc., the company's filtration subsidiary, in Turkey and Cyprus. The agreement calls for the immediate purchase of one filtration system and requires minimum purchases for the dealer to maintain its exclusivity...

ObjectVideo partners with Avant Technologies -- RESTON, VA, March 20, 2006 -- ObjectVideo, the leader in intelligent video, announces a partnership agreement with Avant Technologies, a designer and manufacturer of networked video solutions for wide-area video surveillance in banking, ports, airports, cities, governments, and industrial clients in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the United States. ObjectVideo OnBoard® will be embedded in Avant's security solutions package. Avant's Video Sentinel™ is a network video management platform integrating state of the art video capture, transmission and storage, virtual matrix and map-based situational awareness capabilities and robust communications software into a powerful video surveillance system...

Water-Stocks.com Interviews: Water purification, filtration, infrastructure development and repair represent key areas with rising demand and potential for continued market growth in water industry -- POINT ROBERTS, WA, March 20, 2006 -- Water-Stocks.com (WS), an investor and industry news portal for the water sector, presents an interview series with water industry experts Neil Berlant, Water Group Managing Director and First Vice President at The Seidler Companies, Steven Maxwell, Managing Director of TechKNOWLEDGEy Strategic Group and Robert DeCosta, CEO of Hendrx Corp., to discuss the growing opportunities within the worldwide water industry. Over the years the water sector has built momentum as population growth, pollution concerns and the increasing needs of developing countries such as China and India, has escalated the need for the supply of clean and drinkable water. Click here for a direct link to the interviews...

Public TV observing Earth Day with 'PLANET H2O,' the story of world's most vital resource -- Water resource experts available to discuss key environmental issues raised in program -- NEW YORK, March 20, 2006 -- PLANET H2O, a two-part special focusing on fresh water systems around the world and their impact on land, air and living things, premieres on public television stations beginning in April to mark Earth Day (check local listings). The new magazine-style program from Thirteen/WNET New York and distributed nationally by American Public Television helps teens and pre-teens understand the interconnection between water and every life-form on Earth, using stories about young people and what they are doing about water conservation. The first episode is hosted by actress Sara Paxton (Aquamarine, Darcy's Wild Life). The second episode is hosted by actress America Ferrera (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Real Women Have Curves). The PLANET H2O Web site, live at www.thirteen.org/h2o, includes kids' activities, fun water facts, information on careers in water conservation, a downloadable teacher's guide, lesson plans, and video from the series...
Also see: -- "World Water Day: Canadian groups mobilize for the right to water at home and abroad"

AMTA announces Anaheim to host biennial conference in July -- STUART, FL, March 20, 2006 -- The American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA) is please to announce the 2006 Biennial Conference & Exposition in Anaheim, CA, scheduled for July 31-August 2. This conference is a must attend for water agencies, municipalities, regulatory agencies, manufacturers, engineering firms and other consulting firms interested in desalination and other membrane treatment applications including filtration and water reuse. A major theme will be to review the key issues and projects that are at the forefront of the development of seawater desalination in California, with tours of the Orange County Water District Ground Water Replenishment Project, Long Beach Water Department NF Seawater WTP, West Basin MWD Water Reclamation Project and Desal Pilot Plant. The conference will also highlight the successful implementation of desalination projects around the globe...

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In earlier newsbriefs, see: " WaterBriefs: GF Piping magmeter solves flow measurement issues for Fla. water park" -- Also in this report (March 17, 2006): Liqui-Cel system expanded at Singapore chip plant; McCrometer expands product line with Marsh-McBirney flow meters; Aquafine among recent Danaher acquisitions; WEF unveils wastewater security training; Aqua America buys two Ill. water systems; LA sanitation districts launch medication disposal program; WorldWater & Power reaches construction milestone for Calif. project; Baker Energy awarded maintenance technician contract from Cabinda Gulf Oil; Singapore's Asia Environment to build US$23M plant in China; Demand for large diameter pipe in China to exceed 60 million meters; Detroit Diesel, union, township support La. town with water treatment system; UltraStrip's Tactical Water Filtration Truck to benefit Waveland, Miss.; Cruiselines, Conservation International mapping project to protect marine areas; Jacobs receives contract for U.K. hydropower project; Project WET plays major role in the Fourth World Water Forum; Jones & Stokes wins two national environmental excellence awards; EnviroSafe executes field services agreement; Aqua Society Inc. receives order for a waste heat power generation unit...

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