Wilo EMU breaks ground on new North American facility

Pictured in collage above: Rendering of new Wilo EMU facility (center) now under construction at Thomasville, GA's Plantation Industrial Park; (bottom) Groundbreaking, from left, Thomas Halstrick, Dr. Thomas Schweisforth, Dr. Horst D. Elsner, and Terry Rouse (all officials with WILO EMU), Thomasville Mayor David Lewis, city council member Camille Payne, city council member Roy Campbell and Thomasville-Thomas County Chamber of Commerce President Don Sims break ground for the new WILO EMU facility; and Wilo EMU mixers (above left) and pumps (above right).

THOMASVILLE, GA, July 20, 2006 -- Groundbreaking ceremonies for a new Wilo EMU North American facility were held recently in Thomasville, GA. This facility, along with other offices and service centers across North America, will increase the availability of highly-durable and increasingly popular pumps and mixers.

The new facility is notable for its "water-oriented" design -- from its entrance, featuring a "wall of water," to the specialized test pit that stands two stories tall.

Lobby and entrance areas will be equipped with plasma screens and visual elements that will help to make any visit to the facility an experience to be remembered. The building will include offices, training facilities, manufacturing bays, warehouse space and shipping areas -- all linked through wireless computer interfaces.

The new facility is sited on 10 acres, which provides room for future expansion.

According to Shawn Roberts of Team Construction, "The new WILO EMU facility is unique in many ways, however I think the six-meter deep test pit -- housed within the facility -- is the most interesting feature. Also, there is a smaller demonstration tank featuring a viewing-window, which is incorporated into the wall of the central training room and allows comfortable observation of pumping and mixing presentations."

Terry Rouse, President and CEO of Wilo EMU USA LLC., explained, "The construction of this new facility clearly demonstrates the large-scale commitment that the Wilo Group is making to the North American marketplace and, most importantly, it will help support the rapidly growing demand for Wilo EMU pumps and mixers in this part of the world."

In addition to attendance by area dignitaries and city officials, Dr. Horst Elsner, CEO of Wilo AG, headquartered in Dortmund, Germany, was present to participate in the turning of the first spades of dirt on the site.

The Wilo EMU facility is scheduled for completion in Spring 2007.

An important capability of the new facility will be the sophisticated level of testing that will be achievable with the test pit. The test pit will be 20 feet deep (6 meters) and will be staged in three compartments -- two wet areas and one dry area -- to provide for testing of various types of pumps and mixers. The pit can be accessed via a spiral staircase. A bridge crane, which can be operated directly over the test pit, provides five tons of hoisting capabilities. Specialized coatings and water treatment (to remove chlorides) will add to the long-term capabilities of the test pit.

In addition, a smaller test tank is incorporated into the wall of an associated training room and allows direct observation of hydrodynamic behaviors, as well as the capability for various pump and mixer demonstrations.

Wilo EMU USA LLC (www.wilo-emu-usa.com), based in Thomasville, provides heavy-duty municipal and industrial pumps specifically designed for water and sewage applications, including pumps for sewage, tertiary waste, and potable water. The company is part of the Wilo Group, which is one of the world's leading pump manufacturers.

Also see:
-- "Wilo acquires British pump manufacturer: Wilo AG set to buy Circulating Pumps Ltd. (CPL), based in Kings Lynn, UK"
-- "2006 Pump Industry Awards finalists announced"

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