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Further layoffs at Larox in Finland
NEWS/IN BRIEF
Further layoffs at Larox MicroMedia Filtration secures US$3mn in in Finland financing arox Corp is to implement a fresh
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round of lay-offs and personnel reductions in Finland in order to adjust the organization and cost structure to weakened market demand. The company has recently concluded statutory employer-employee negotiations that began in early October. As a result of the negotiations, a local collective agreement has been put in place in order to implement the lay-offs and personnel reductions. Temporary lay-offs, with an average duration of three weeks, will affect approximately 75 people. Lay-offs will be scheduled during the first half of 2010. Larox will also cut approximately 15 full-time equivalents (FTE), with most of the reductions implemented through voluntary retirements. These negotiations in Finland are part of a wider adjustment program that concerns the whole Larox Group. “International recession has had a strong impact on Larox’s business. Outlook for the future is still uncertain and there are not significant signs of recovery. As we have announced earlier, our adjustment measures aim at E6.5 million cost savings. We estimate that E4.5 million of this will be achieved in 2010, and the total savings target will be reached in 2011,” said Topi Karppanen, CEO and president of Larox. For further information, visit www.larox.com
Sartorius opens new plant in India fter a E5 million investment, Sartorius has inaugurated its new plant complex in Bangalore, India. Sartorius has combined its five decentralized individual locations in Bangalore into a single new plant creating new capacity for the company’s fast-growing Indian business. “I am especially delighted that despite the impact of the financial and economic crisis, we can propel the further development of our business in India forward with our new plant,” said Sartorius CEO Dr Joachim Kreuzburg. The new plant is located near Bangalore’s international airport.
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For further information, visit www.sartorius.com
December 2009
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icroMedia Filtration Inc (MMF) has completed a US$3 million Series A round of equity financing with SAIL Venture Partners. Established in 2003, Lake Forest, California-based MMF develops and markets advanced wastewater treatment systems in a wide range of system sizes for municipalities, real estate developers and the military. “MMF is a technology leader in an industry hungry for new solutions,” said David Jones, managing partner of SAIL Venture Partners. “We are delighted to partner with the MMF team in fully implementing this technology which we believe will have a momentous impact on the market.” Jones will join the MMF board of directors along with Hank Habicht who is also a managing partner of SAIL Venture Partners. Ken Stedman, founder and president of MMF said: “We are very pleased that SAIL has committed its funds and expertise to our company. SAIL is a national leader in Cleantech investing and we value their involvement. This investment allows the company to significantly expand its growth objectives through the expansion of its professional management team and marketing plans.” MMF’s patented MicroMedia Filtration Process is a fully integrated treatment system which is modular in design. The design allows for the implementation of solids removal only, solids removal with energy generation or modular filtration vessels for secondary and tertiary treatment which meets reclaimed water standards. To date, MMF has installed its waste water treatment system in California, Texas and New England.
For further information, visit www.mmfwater.com and www.sailvc.com
Parker Hannifin targets renewable energy sector
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arker Hannifin has set up a dedicated European team of technical and applications experts to enable the company to develop customized solutions for wind and wave energy.
In Brief UÊ G Bopp & Co AG, the Swiss manufacturer of precision woven wire mesh, has relocated its New York headquarters and warehouse to an 8400 sq ft custom-built facility in Wappingers Falls. To meet improved lead times, Bopp USA will now have a tenfold increase over existing stock capacity for product range specifications serving the industrial and screen printing markets. In early 2010 Bopp USA will introduce slit and custom-sized widths and cut pieces. www.bopp.com UÊ H2O Innovation Inc has amended its stock option plan and granted stock options to certain members of its board of directors. The changes include increasing the number of common shares available in the stock option plan from 3.4 million to 5.5 million shares and raising the maximum term of stock options from 5 to 10 years. In addition, 205 000 stock options have been granted to the company’s five independent directors. Each stock option entitles its holder the right to acquire one common share of the company at a price of C$0.75 before 27 November 2019. www.h2oinnovation.com UÊ Nalco has opened a new research and development facility in Campinas, Brazil, to serve Latin America. Strategically located near leading Brazilian universities, the US$2 million facility will serve water, process and energy customers throughout the region. “The intellectual capabilities of these facilities provide tremendous opportunities to strengthen our open innovation strategy of collaborating with customers, national laboratories and universities to develop cuttingedge solutions for water, energy and air,” said Mani Ramesh, Nalco chief technology officer. “Brazil is one of the 10 largest economies in the world, making it a key growth market for Nalco and a cornerstone of our BRIC+ (Brazil, Russia, India, China and the Middle East) strategy,” said Erik Fyrwald, Nalco chairman and CEO. “Despite a poor global economy, we are investing in critical areas that will drive our future success as the world’s economy turns up.” www.nalco.com
Filtration Industry Analyst
5
Further layoffs at Larox MicroMedia Filtration secures US$3mn in in Finland financing arox Corp is to implement a fresh
L
round of lay-offs and personnel reductions in Finland in order to adjust the organization and cost structure to weakened market demand. The company has recently concluded statutory employer-employee negotiations that began in early October. As a result of the negotiations, a local collective agreement has been put in place in order to implement the lay-offs and personnel reductions. Temporary lay-offs, with an average duration of three weeks, will affect approximately 75 people. Lay-offs will be scheduled during the first half of 2010. Larox will also cut approximately 15 full-time equivalents (FTE), with most of the reductions implemented through voluntary retirements. These negotiations in Finland are part of a wider adjustment program that concerns the whole Larox Group. “International recession has had a strong impact on Larox’s business. Outlook for the future is still uncertain and there are not significant signs of recovery. As we have announced earlier, our adjustment measures aim at E6.5 million cost savings. We estimate that E4.5 million of this will be achieved in 2010, and the total savings target will be reached in 2011,” said Topi Karppanen, CEO and president of Larox. For further information, visit www.larox.com
Sartorius opens new plant in India fter a E5 million investment, Sartorius has inaugurated its new plant complex in Bangalore, India. Sartorius has combined its five decentralized individual locations in Bangalore into a single new plant creating new capacity for the company’s fast-growing Indian business. “I am especially delighted that despite the impact of the financial and economic crisis, we can propel the further development of our business in India forward with our new plant,” said Sartorius CEO Dr Joachim Kreuzburg. The new plant is located near Bangalore’s international airport.
A
For further information, visit www.sartorius.com
December 2009
M
icroMedia Filtration Inc (MMF) has completed a US$3 million Series A round of equity financing with SAIL Venture Partners. Established in 2003, Lake Forest, California-based MMF develops and markets advanced wastewater treatment systems in a wide range of system sizes for municipalities, real estate developers and the military. “MMF is a technology leader in an industry hungry for new solutions,” said David Jones, managing partner of SAIL Venture Partners. “We are delighted to partner with the MMF team in fully implementing this technology which we believe will have a momentous impact on the market.” Jones will join the MMF board of directors along with Hank Habicht who is also a managing partner of SAIL Venture Partners. Ken Stedman, founder and president of MMF said: “We are very pleased that SAIL has committed its funds and expertise to our company. SAIL is a national leader in Cleantech investing and we value their involvement. This investment allows the company to significantly expand its growth objectives through the expansion of its professional management team and marketing plans.” MMF’s patented MicroMedia Filtration Process is a fully integrated treatment system which is modular in design. The design allows for the implementation of solids removal only, solids removal with energy generation or modular filtration vessels for secondary and tertiary treatment which meets reclaimed water standards. To date, MMF has installed its waste water treatment system in California, Texas and New England.
For further information, visit www.mmfwater.com and www.sailvc.com
Parker Hannifin targets renewable energy sector
P
arker Hannifin has set up a dedicated European team of technical and applications experts to enable the company to develop customized solutions for wind and wave energy.
In Brief UÊ G Bopp & Co AG, the Swiss manufacturer of precision woven wire mesh, has relocated its New York headquarters and warehouse to an 8400 sq ft custom-built facility in Wappingers Falls. To meet improved lead times, Bopp USA will now have a tenfold increase over existing stock capacity for product range specifications serving the industrial and screen printing markets. In early 2010 Bopp USA will introduce slit and custom-sized widths and cut pieces. www.bopp.com UÊ H2O Innovation Inc has amended its stock option plan and granted stock options to certain members of its board of directors. The changes include increasing the number of common shares available in the stock option plan from 3.4 million to 5.5 million shares and raising the maximum term of stock options from 5 to 10 years. In addition, 205 000 stock options have been granted to the company’s five independent directors. Each stock option entitles its holder the right to acquire one common share of the company at a price of C$0.75 before 27 November 2019. www.h2oinnovation.com UÊ Nalco has opened a new research and development facility in Campinas, Brazil, to serve Latin America. Strategically located near leading Brazilian universities, the US$2 million facility will serve water, process and energy customers throughout the region. “The intellectual capabilities of these facilities provide tremendous opportunities to strengthen our open innovation strategy of collaborating with customers, national laboratories and universities to develop cuttingedge solutions for water, energy and air,” said Mani Ramesh, Nalco chief technology officer. “Brazil is one of the 10 largest economies in the world, making it a key growth market for Nalco and a cornerstone of our BRIC+ (Brazil, Russia, India, China and the Middle East) strategy,” said Erik Fyrwald, Nalco chairman and CEO. “Despite a poor global economy, we are investing in critical areas that will drive our future success as the world’s economy turns up.” www.nalco.com
Filtration Industry Analyst
5