Toray Industries, Inc. and China BlueStar’s joint venture, Toray BlueStar Membrane Co., Ltd., held a groundbreaking ceremony in August for construction of its production facilities in Beijing. The new company will introduce high-speed polyamide composite membrane manufacturing equipment and automatic winders for elements based on Toray’s state-of-the-art technology.
Tomlinson Industries has successfully upgraded its Quality Management System to the latest ISO 9001:2008 standard. Underwriters Laboratories D.Q.S. Inc.® (UL) issued the new Certificate of Registration.
Hanish LLC announced its recent acquisition of the Aquacore Ultrafiltration Division of Aquest, Inc. Recognizing the emergence of membrane technologies and the important role ultrafiltration will play in worldwide water treatment markets, the company has created the Aquacore Ultrafiltration Division of Hanish LLC.
North America
Falcon rewarded for local success
The US Commerce Association (USCA) has selected Falcon Stainless, Inc. for the 2009 Best of Sun Valley Award in the Plumbing Fixtures & Supplies category. The USCA Best of Local Business Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the organization identifies companies they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. The local companies enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose winners in each category. The 2009 program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.
Manufacturing on the upswing
Optimism about the economy is beginning to permeate among the ranks of recession-wracked manufacturers, according to a new poll conducted by the co-sponsors of the upcoming FABTECH® International & AWS Welding Show, including METALFORM, in Chicago, IL. More than half of the manufacturing executives polled indicated they have seen or experienced signs that signal the start of an economic recovery. The survey of 1,046 past or prospective registrants of the FABTECH event was conducted in late July. Positive signals were an increase in new sales inquiries (27 percent), an increase in orders (23 percent), reduced layoffs (18 percent) and the need to replenish inventory levels (14 percent). Additionally, 27 percent agree with economists’ forecasts that the economy will return to moderate growth in the third and fourth quarters of 2009.
Watts® product designs accessible
Watts announces its product line is available through the Autodesk® Seek web service, which will allow design professionals to search for and access the company’s data-rich, high-quality building product information and design files directly from AutoCAD and the Revit desktop design applications. Files include 3D models, 2D drawings, visual images and part and product specification data. The service includes access to existing content from Autodesk applications and building product manufacturers in a single, unified search experience. Visit http://seek.autodesk.com and search for Watts products.
Agion honored
Frost & Sullivan has named Agion Technologies the recipient of the 2009 Customer Value Leadership Award in recognition of the strategies adopted by the company to provide innovative and customized antimicrobial additive solutions to its customers by understanding customer needs and identifying potential application areas for antimicrobial protection. The award is presented each year to the company that provides customers with products giving the highest ratio of value to cost.
WAHC features announced
The sixth annual World Aquatic Health™ Conference (WAHC™), October 28-30 in Atlanta, GA, will feature six educational tracks, 50 seminars and 45 speakers over a two-day period. Topics include health benefits, profitability, new industrial technology, green technology, drowning prevention and much more. For registration information, visit www.nspf.org or call (719) 540-9119. In addition to the WAHC, the CDC’s National Environmental Public Health Conference (NEPHC), October 26-28, is being held in the same location.
Water for People fellowship created
Water For People named Stephanie Ogden as the inaugural recipient of its Fellow in Innovation and Sustainability program. The organization will apply what she learns to integrated water resource management (IWRM) in Africa. The first fellowship year launches an organization-wide effort on Water For People’s behalf to incorporate IWRM into its programs, focusing on Africa, particularly Malawi. The fellowship will rotate through the organization’s other program regions: India, South and Central America.
seepex services expanded
To better serve users of seepex pumps in the US and Canada, the company has organized a comprehensive service function at its facility in Enon, Ohio. A variety of programs and options are available, including service audits; fixed-fee pump maintenance and repair program service contracts for defined periods; remanufacturing; failure analysis and more. Headed by David Miller, a graduate mechanical engineer from the University of Cincinnati, the group includes a field service technician and three customer service representatives.
Michigan bottled water tax unconstitutional
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm’s proposed tax on bottled water attempts to circumvent the 35-year old Michigan prohibition on taxing the sale of food products. In 1974, voters approved an amendment to the state constitution that exempts food products from any sales or use tax. Bottled water is classified by the FDA and the state of Michigan as a packaged food product. Therefore, Governor Granholm’s proposed tax would be unconstitutional. “Although there are many taxable items and services involved in the Governor’s budget proposal, taxing food products such as bottled water is Joe Doss, President of the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA.)
Latin America
MIOX gains distributor MIOX Corporation announced U.S.A. Ambiental of Bogotá, Colombia as the exclusive distributor of its on-site generation products for industrial and municipal applications in Colombia. U.S.A. Ambiental will distribute MIOX’s full range of hypochlorite and mixed-oxidant generating systems, including the new Vault™ self-cleaning system and the new high-efficiency oX-Cell™ electrolytic cell.
Europe
Global water forum created
The Global Water Roundtable, launched during World Water Week will provide a powerful new tool to improve the way water is managed by establishing rigorous, realistic water stewardship standards. Its goal is to address the global threat of water stress, the increasing pollution of rivers and a decline in fresh water wildlife species. The Roundtable’s primary objective is to bring together stakeholders from government, science and industry to evaluate and establish a clear set of standards and a certification system for efficient water use. When finished, these new standards will seek to recognize and reward water users who take steps to minimize the impacts of their water use on people and the environment. The Roundtable is being organized through the Alliance for Water Stewardship and its organizing members, which include World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Pacific Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Water Witness International, The Water Stewardship Initiative, the Water Environment Federation and the European Water Partnership.