Acquisitions, expansions and partnerships
Wilo USA makes three acquisitions
Wilo USA acquired pump manufacturers Weil Pump Co. Inc. and Scot Pump Company, as well as the component manufacturer Karak Machine Corporation, under the terms of an asset deal. The three companies employ about 150 people and have headquarters and production facilities in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Sun Capital affiliate acquires Horizon
An affiliate of private equity firm Sun Capital Partners Inc. acquired Horizon Services Inc., a Wilmington, Delaware-based provider of residential plumbing, heating and air conditioning services for Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Horizon has expanded rapidly in recent years, entering new markets organically and through acquisitions, including the acquisition of Hartford, Connecticut-based HARP in May 2016. The company currently operates six locations between Connecticut and Maryland, and manages more than 500 employees.
Weil-McLain launches personalized training programs for HVAC professionals
Weil-McLain launched its 2017 School of Better Heating training program, an annual series of comprehensive, personalized training seminars for plumbing and heating professionals. The one- to three-day sessions feature classes ranging from basic heat loss and boiler sizing to troubleshooting a multiple boiler, three temperature system. Heating professionals choose which sessions to attend based on their level of experience.
The 2017 School of Better Heating training schedule kicks off in Philadelphia on March 28 and will continue through October at various locations in the Eastern and Central regions of the country.
EDF Energy and SIMMONS EDECO enter into framework agreement
SIMMONS EDECO entered into a framework agreement with EDF Energy to maintain its Gas Storage facilities in Cheshire, England. This agreement represents the first time SIMMONS EDECO has provided an ongoing maintenance support program to the French utility company.
SIMMONS EDECO is providing a range of routine and custom wellhead maintenance services to maximize facility operations. The project involves installing and removing wellheads and Christmas trees, workover support, and making certain that valves are properly maintained and refurbished. In addition, SIMMONS EDECO will carry out annulus testing, and Echometering and data analysis to assess liquid levels in the well.
ChemSpec becomes JHSi exclusive silane distributor in North America
ChemSpec Ltd., a member of the Safic-Alcan Group family of companies, in 2012 formed an exclusive distribution relationship in North American with Jingzhou Jianghan Fine Chemical Co. Ltd. (JHSi) to include its complete series of more than 100 silane coupling agent products. The relationship was formed In an effort to progressively provide innovative solutions for clients in growing silane markets. Anticipated growth in silane coupling agents, as a versatile compound solution in bonding inorganic and organic materials, is projected in the U.S. at several million pounds annually for a variety of manufacturing industry applications.
STEGO expands with new warehouse
STEGO Elektrotechnik GmbH and its shareholders Isidor Gloning, Werner Schmid and Elmar Mangold, will expand the company’s headquarters in Schwaebisch Hall in Germany with the addition of a warehouse and logistics facility. The expansion, where product development and production will continue, is based on a three-stage plan that includes the construction of the new warehouse and logistics facility; the incorporation of a high-tech, robot-guided automatic warehouse; and structural changes in the office and staff rooms.
Appointments
Danfoss hires new regional sales manager to support hydronic heating business
Scott Cohen was named regional business development manager for Danfoss’ nonresidential heating business in North America. In this role, Cohen will focus on the growth of the energy-saving Danfoss AB-QM pressure independent control valve in hydronic applications throughout the Northeast U.S.
Cohen brings more than three decades of operations and business development experience in multiple aspects of the HVAC industry, including installation; retrofit; building commission (Cx); Construction Site Support and Troubleshooting; MEP Equipment Evaluation and Pre-Purchase; as well as energy efficiency initiatives. He is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP), and LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP). Cohen holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
Randy Gonzalez. Image courtesy of BJM Pumps
BJM Pumps expands team
Randy Gonzalez joined BJM Pumps as its warehouse technician. In this role, Gonzalez is responsible for warehouse inventory management and coordinating with shipping and production departments on orders. He joins BJM with previous experience in auto mechanics and small engine repair work.
Cameron Rodriguez-Miller also joined BJM as production technician. Rodriguez-Miller attended John I. Leonard High School in Palm Beach, Florida, and Valley Regional High School in Deep River, Connecticut. He is also a graduate of Porter & Chester Technical School in Branford, Connecticut.
Joseph Ho. Image courtesy of BJM Pumps
Joseph Ho was promoted to service manager at BJM. Ho served as an integral member of the BJM team for more than a decade. In that time, his responsibilities have grown along with the company. Ho remains dedicated and diligently focused on serving distributors and end users needs by working closely to solve application challenges and drive corrective action when necessary.
Awards, milestones and achievements
FSA releases updated Expansion Joints — Piping Technical Handbook
The Fluid Sealing Association (FSA) released a complete update of its Expansion Joints – Piping Technical Handbook. Edition 8.0 is based on the latest experience in research, design and application of piping expansion joints by engineers associated with the Expansion Joint – Piping Division member companies in the association.
This publication is available for free download.
Hydraulic Institute launches PEI calculator for DOE regulated pumps
Engineers can use the Hydraulic Institute’s new Pump Energy Index (PEI) calculator to help them meet the 2020 compliance and labeling requirements outlined by the Department of Energy (DOE) pump energy conservation standard that was released in January 2016.
The DOE Test Procedure is based on the Hydraulic Institute’s (HI) standard for pump efficiency testing (HI 40.6). It is a multi-stepped process, and the data required to determine a pump’s PEI, can vary according to the product configuration. To help pump manufacturers understand the complex test procedure and calculate PEI in a consistent manner, HI developed two different PEI calculator tools with the help of member companies Engineered Software Inc. and Intelliquip LLC.
The online calculator is available at here. Members can also receive a copy of the excel calculator during the HI Annual Conference and Centennial Celebration March 8-13, 2017 in Orlando, Florida, or by contacting [email protected].
