mental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new reduced arsenic levels are creating a growing demand for the company’s ADSORBSIA GTO titanium-based arsenic removal media. More than 25 public water systems in the US are currently using ADSORBSIA media to reduce arsenic levels. Two new large installations in California and New Mexico are among additional systems scheduled for start-up in early 2007. “Demand for ADSORBSIA media is stronger than ever, and we anticipate it will continue to grow well into 2007 as US water treatment facilities finalise plans to come into compliance with EPA regulations,” said Alan Greenberg, marketing manager for Dow Water Solutions. “ADSORBSIA media is quickly becoming the solution of choice for municipalities that have thoroughly assessed the economic and logistical challenges of reducing arsenic to the new, lower EPA standards.” Based on Dow’s proprietary technology, ADSORBSIA arsenic removal media is a free-flowing granular adsorbent that holds the molecules of arsenic, allowing purified water to pass through. It maintains a strong hold on the removed arsenic, enabling efficient, safe and easy use and disposal.
PEERLESS TO NET US$4.4 MN FROM SALE OF DALLAS SITE Peerless Mfg Co is to sell its Dallas, Texas facility to Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) for US$4.4 million cash. The sale is planned to close on 1 May 2007. The Dallas, Texas facility consists of approximately 12 acres of land, manufacturing buildings, research laboratory and corporate offices. The company’s primary manufac-
Filtration Industry Analyst
turing facilities are located in Abilene, Texas and Denton, Texas. The company will relocate its administrative offices to leased space in Dallas. Peerless has been on notice that DART would acquire the Dallas facility under the laws of eminent domain. Peerless has been making preparations to relocate its administrative offices to leased office space in Dallas that is designed to better accommodate employees and provide a more functional layout. The research laboratory will be enhanced and relocated to leased industrial space in Dallas. The Denton manufacturing facility will be expanded to accommodate the displaced Dallas facility that manufactures about 5% of the group’s annual revenues.
CLARCOR SELECTS PENNSYLVANIA FOR NEW PLANT Clarcor Air Filtration Products (CLC Air) is to open a manufacturing and warehouse operation in Pittston, Pennsylvania, USA, creating 100 new jobs. Pennsylvania State is supporting CLC Air’s US$4 million expansion through a series of investments including grants, loans and tax credits that total more than US$1.6 million. The Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce supported the company in its efforts to obtain the investment package from the Department of Community and Economic Development that includes a US$1 135 562 loan through the Machinery and Equipment Loan Fund, a US$200 000 grant through the Opportunity Grant Program, US$45 000 in Customized Job Training funds, and US$300 000 in Job Creation Tax Credits. CLC Air will lease 249 600 sq ft of space in Pittston. The company intends
to make significant leasehold improvements and purchase new equipment. “The investment we are making with this facility, along with major investments in automation and state of the art production equipment and facilities, will make this plant the most technically-advanced air filtration manufacturer and distribution centre in the HVAC filter industry,” said Richard Larson, president of CLC Air. “The establishment of this new facility is for the sole purpose to better serve our Airguard and Purolator Air Filtration customers in the Northeast region of North America.” CLC Air manufactures and sells air filtration products and systems under the Purolator, ATI and Airguard brands. The company is a diversified marketer and manufacturer of mobile, industrial and environmental filtration products and consumer and industrial packaging products sold in domestic and international markets.
GE HEALTHCARE, PARKER DOMNICK HUNTER IN TIE-UP GE Healthcare and Parker Domnick Hunter have entered into an exclusive agreement for the supply and distribution of products for biopharmaceutical purification. Under the terms of the agreement, GE Healthcare will have exclusive global rights to market a new range of microfiltration cartridges and disposable filters manufactured by Parker Domnick Hunter. The new line of disposable filters for liquid filtration applications in biopharmaceutical manufacture will be marketed by GE Healthcare’s global sales and marketing organisation under the ULTA brand. Continued on page 16
IN BRIEF • Daikin Industries Ltd has completed the acquisition of OYL Industries Berhad, parent company of AAF Filtration (see Filtration Industry Analyst, June 2006) for ¥243.8 billion. Daikin purchased up to 99.3% of OYL shares under its Mandatory General Offer between 6 October 2006 and 10 November 2006 (see Filtration Industry Analyst, December 2006). Compulsory acquisition started on 24 November 2006 to acquire the remaining 0.7% of shares. • Sulzer Chemtech acquired KnitMesh’s separation business and the Enhanced Separation Technology (EST) company on 31 January 2007 (see Filtration Industry Analyst, January 2007). • Parker Hannifin Corp has reported a 1% increase in total orders for January compared with a year ago. Orders were down 4% in the Industrial North America segment, yet increased 8% in the Industrial International segment. • Ryco’s filter factory in New Zealand closed in December. Australian parent company GUD Holdings says that the benefits of this restructuring should be evident over the next 12 months. • A jury awarded Calgon Carbon Corp US$10 million in a case filed against Progress Capital Holdings Inc, Florida Progress Corp and Potomac Capital Investment Corp relating to the company’s 1996 acquisition of Advanced Separation Technologies Inc (AST). The jury award was based on Calgon Carbon’s claim that the defendants negligently represented the financial and operational condition of AST. Calgon Carbon is seeking to have interest of US$5.5 million added to the award.
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NEWS/IN BRIEF
February 2007
Filtration Industry Analyst
NEWS/EXCHANGE RATES
Continued from page 16 The products increase the range of technologies available for the purification of vaccines, antibodies and other biomolecules. “This agreement allows us to expand the range of products for biopharmaceutical purification that we are able to offer our customers,” said Ann O’Hara, general manager of Bioprocess for GE Healthcare. “Building on our reputation as a supplier of cutting edge technologies, the ULTA line of normal flow cartridges will be a significant addition to our purification portfolio”. “We developed an outstanding line of cartridge filters with an eye to making significant in roads into the pharmaceutical market, expanding on our past successes in this area,” said Jeff Porter, managing director, Process Division, Europe at Parker Domnick Hunter. “We are very excited about the prospects of this agreement, which enables us to bring our advanced purification technologies to the biopharmaceutical production industry.” Parker Domnick Hunter will continue to market its own brand of air and gas filters to the biopharmaceutical industry. Under a separate joint technology development agreement the two companies will also collaborate in the development of new technologies for protein purification, drawing from each other’s strengths in separation and purification techniques, membrane production manufacturing and market insights.
DONALDSON EXPANDS INDIA FACILITY Donaldson Co Inc is expanding its manufacturing facility in India. The expansion is set to triple the size of the current manufacturing operations for Donaldson’s engine and indus-
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February 2007
trial filtration businesses in India. “Expanding our India facility supports our ongoing initiatives to bring local support to our customers around the world,” said Geert Henk Touw, senior vice president, Asia Pacific for Donaldson. “India is a fast growing market, and we are committed to bringing Donaldson’s filtration technologies to both local equipment manufacturers and our global customers in the region.” Donaldson first entered the India market in 1994 through a joint venture focused on the gas turbine market. In 1999, the Gurgaon location became a wholly owned subsidiary and the product offering extended to diesel engine related filtration solutions.
PARKER ADDS AIRTEK TO GLOBAL FILTRATION UNIT Parker Hannifin has acquired Airtek, a Lancaster, New York-based provider of drying and filtration equipment for compressed air. Airtek employs approximately 130 people and had revenues of US$18 million in 2006. Airtek will operate as part of Parker’s global filtration business with results reported within the company’s Industrial North America segment. John Oelslager, president of Parker’s Filtration Group, said: “Airtek significantly adds to our ability to provide customers with a complete compressed air treatment package from the compressor to the point of use. The acquisition also creates additional demand for filters, replacement elements and accessories in the aftermarket segment of our business. We welcome our colleagues from Airtek and look forward to their future performance as part of Parker.”
Airtek chief operating officer Mike Arno added: “Parker is the ideal partner to help take Airtek’s business to the next level. We believe Parker’s proven track record of successfully integrating acquisitions bodes well for both our employees and customers. We look forward to continued profitable growth.”
EXCHANGE RATES AGAINST THE US DOLLAR Date: 9.2.2007 COUNTRY Australia
RATE A$1.28
Austria
0.77
Belgium
0.77
Canada
C$1.19
China Denmark
RMB¥7.75 DKr5.74
Finland
0.77
France
0.77
Germany
0.77
India
Rs44.10
Italy
0.77
Japan
¥121.51
Malaysia
Rt3.49
Netherlands
0.77
Norway Philippines Singapore
NKr6.26 Peso48.37 S$1.53
South Africa
R7.16
South Korea
Won932.58
Spain
0.77
Sweden
SKr7.01
Switzerland
SFr1.25
Taiwan
T$33.05
Thailand
Bt34.15
UK USA
£0.51 US$1.00
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