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Osmonics acquire AquaMatic Inc.
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O s m o n i c s acquire AquaMatic Inc. O s m o n i c s h a s c o m p l e t e d the a c q u i s i t i o n of A q u a M a t i c , Inc., s u p p l i e r s to the w a t e r t r e a t m e n t e q u i p m e n t m a r k e t lor m o r e t h a n 60 years. T e r m s of the a c q u i s i t i o n were n o t disclosed. A q u a M a t i c s u p p l y specialty valves a n d c o n t r o l l e r s which, a c c o r d i n g to O s m o n i c s , will c o m p l e m e n t t h e i r existing A u t o t r o l p r o d u c t line. A q u a M a t i c g e n e r a t e d sales of n e a r l y U S $ 1 3 m i l l i o n tor the y e a r e n d e d D e c e m b e r 31, 1996, a n d will b e additive to O s m o n i c s e a r n i n g s . A q u a M a t i c will c o n t i n u e to o p e r a t e o u t of Rockford, a n d will be closely a l i g n e d with O s m o n i c s ' Milwaukee b u s i n e s s u n i t w h i c h m a n u f a c t u r e s the A u t o t r o l p r o d u c t line. Conlact: Kay A. Kettwig, Osmonics, 5951 Clearwater Drive, Minnetonka, MN 55343-8995, USA. Tel: +1-612-933-2277.
Separation t e c h n o l o g y fuels 5% Sartorius sales growth Despite t h e soft e c o n o m y i n G e r m a n y , t h e S a r t o r i u s G r o u p , s u p p l i e r s of m e m b r a n e s for t h e b i o t e c h n o l o g y a n d food a n d b e v e r a g e i n d u s t r i e s , r e p o r t e d a 5% sales growth rate a t the e n d of fiscal 1996. T h e i r sales r e v e n u e s r e a c h e d a level of 411 m i l l i o n DM (USS238.4 million), u p from 3 9 1 . 3 m i l l i o n DM (US$227 million) the p r e v i o u s fiscal year. This growth w a s p r i m a r i l y fueled b y the S e p a r a t i o n T e c h n o l o g y Division a n d b y S a r t o r i u s ' g e n e r a l export b u s i n e s s , w h e r e a s d o m e s t i c sales i n G e r m a n y r e m a i n e d c o n s t a n t . P a r t of the G r o u p ' s sales growth w a s g e n e r a t e d b y a c q u i s i t i o n s a n d b y the c h a n g e s i n the l o r e i g n - e x c h a n g e rates, p a r t i c u l a r l y d u r i n g the 2 n d h a l f of 1996. T h e S a r t o r i u s c o r p o r a t i o n will a n n o u n c e the detailed figures for fiscal 1996 a s u s u a l following the S u p e r v i s o r y B o a r d ' s m e e t i n g o n the f i n a n c i a l s t a t e m e n t s i n May 1997. Positive s t i m u l u s of t h e m a r k e t h a s b e e n registered s i n c e the 4 t h q u a r t e r of '96 a n d h a s c o n t i n u e d o n into the first few w e e k s of this year. O n this b a s i s , t h e b o a r d of m a n a g e m e n t expects the S a r t o r i u s G r o u p to achieve f u r t h e r growth of 4 - 5 % in 1997. S a r t o r i u s also r e p o r t t h a t Bobo F r a n z , a m e m b e r of the B o a r d of M a n a g e m e n t a n d r e s p o n s i b l e for the S e p a r a t i o n T e c h n o l o g y Division sales, left the G r o u p as of F e b r u a r y 28, 1997, by m u t u a l a g r e e m e n t . Professor K a r b a c h s c h , P r e s i d e n t of the S e p a r a t i o n T e c h n o l o g y Division, a s s u m e s Mr F r a n z ' s a r e a of
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responsibilities. For f u r t h e r information contact: Sartorius AG, Weender L a n d s t r a s s e 94-108, D-3 7075 Goettingen, Germany. Tel: +49-551-308-O;fax: +49 551 308 289.
BaUard ties up US$1.6M Nissan contract Following its p r o p o s e d U S 4 5 0 M r e s e a r c h deal with D a i m l e r - B e n z , B a l l a r d Power S y s t e m s is still actively involved w i t h m a n y o t h e r m a n u f a c t u r e r s i n the a u t o m o b i l e i n d u s t r y . To t h a t effect, B a l l a r d h a s a n n o u n c e d it h a s s e c u r e d a $2.2 m i l l i o n c o n t r a c t (US$1.6 million) from N i s s a n Motor Co. Ltd, of Yokusaka, J a p a n , to s u p p l y B a l l a r d F u e l Cells a n d r e l a t e d test e q u i p m e n t . T h e s e fuel cells will be u s e d b y N i s s a n i n their r e s e a r c h a n d d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m for the t e s t i n g of fuel cell powered electric vehicles. G e n e r a l m a n a g e r a t the N i s s a n Social a n d A d v a n c e d R e s e a r c h Laboratory, Shoji T a n g e , h a s d e s c r i b e d the d e v e l o p m e n t of a l t e r n a t i v e power s o u r c e s a s "a priority for Nissan". Certainly, t h e race for the p r o d u c t i o n of a c o m m e r c i a l l y viable fuel cell powered car s e e m s to b e h o t t i n g up, with m o t o r c o m p a n i e s s u c h a s D a i m l e r - B e n z , G e n e r a l Motors, H o n d a , Volkswagen a n d Volvo, all u s i n g the Ballard Fuel Cell i n t h e i r r e s e a r c h p r o g r a m m e s . For f u r t h e r information contact: Ballard Power S y s t e m s Inc, 9000 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0 9 0 0 ; f a x : +1 604 412 4700
Organic compounds d e c o m p o s e d by membrane R e s e a r c h e r s at the O s a k a N a t i o n a l R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e i n J a p a n are i n the p r o c e s s of developing a m e m b r a n e w h i c h is said to d e g r a d e p i g m e n t s a n d decolourize wastewater. T h e p r o c e s s u s e s a m e m b r a n e derived from a solid polymeric electrolyte, w h i c h c a n decompose certain polluting organic c o m p o u n d s w i t h o u t g e n e r a t i n g toxic c h l o r i n e - b a s e d b y p r o d u c t s . The m e m b r a n e is fixed to a f l u o r o - r e s i n s u b s t r a t e , a n d w h e n a n electric c u r r e n t is p a s s e d t h r o u g h the s y s t e m , p i g m e n t e d c o m p o u n d s d e c o m p o s e o n the e l e c t r o l y t e / m e m b r a n e to form m o s t l y water, c a r b o n dioxide a n d oxygen.
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O s m o n i c s acquire AquaMatic Inc. O s m o n i c s h a s c o m p l e t e d the a c q u i s i t i o n of A q u a M a t i c , Inc., s u p p l i e r s to the w a t e r t r e a t m e n t e q u i p m e n t m a r k e t lor m o r e t h a n 60 years. T e r m s of the a c q u i s i t i o n were n o t disclosed. A q u a M a t i c s u p p l y specialty valves a n d c o n t r o l l e r s which, a c c o r d i n g to O s m o n i c s , will c o m p l e m e n t t h e i r existing A u t o t r o l p r o d u c t line. A q u a M a t i c g e n e r a t e d sales of n e a r l y U S $ 1 3 m i l l i o n tor the y e a r e n d e d D e c e m b e r 31, 1996, a n d will b e additive to O s m o n i c s e a r n i n g s . A q u a M a t i c will c o n t i n u e to o p e r a t e o u t of Rockford, a n d will be closely a l i g n e d with O s m o n i c s ' Milwaukee b u s i n e s s u n i t w h i c h m a n u f a c t u r e s the A u t o t r o l p r o d u c t line. Conlact: Kay A. Kettwig, Osmonics, 5951 Clearwater Drive, Minnetonka, MN 55343-8995, USA. Tel: +1-612-933-2277.
Separation t e c h n o l o g y fuels 5% Sartorius sales growth Despite t h e soft e c o n o m y i n G e r m a n y , t h e S a r t o r i u s G r o u p , s u p p l i e r s of m e m b r a n e s for t h e b i o t e c h n o l o g y a n d food a n d b e v e r a g e i n d u s t r i e s , r e p o r t e d a 5% sales growth rate a t the e n d of fiscal 1996. T h e i r sales r e v e n u e s r e a c h e d a level of 411 m i l l i o n DM (USS238.4 million), u p from 3 9 1 . 3 m i l l i o n DM (US$227 million) the p r e v i o u s fiscal year. This growth w a s p r i m a r i l y fueled b y the S e p a r a t i o n T e c h n o l o g y Division a n d b y S a r t o r i u s ' g e n e r a l export b u s i n e s s , w h e r e a s d o m e s t i c sales i n G e r m a n y r e m a i n e d c o n s t a n t . P a r t of the G r o u p ' s sales growth w a s g e n e r a t e d b y a c q u i s i t i o n s a n d b y the c h a n g e s i n the l o r e i g n - e x c h a n g e rates, p a r t i c u l a r l y d u r i n g the 2 n d h a l f of 1996. T h e S a r t o r i u s c o r p o r a t i o n will a n n o u n c e the detailed figures for fiscal 1996 a s u s u a l following the S u p e r v i s o r y B o a r d ' s m e e t i n g o n the f i n a n c i a l s t a t e m e n t s i n May 1997. Positive s t i m u l u s of t h e m a r k e t h a s b e e n registered s i n c e the 4 t h q u a r t e r of '96 a n d h a s c o n t i n u e d o n into the first few w e e k s of this year. O n this b a s i s , t h e b o a r d of m a n a g e m e n t expects the S a r t o r i u s G r o u p to achieve f u r t h e r growth of 4 - 5 % in 1997. S a r t o r i u s also r e p o r t t h a t Bobo F r a n z , a m e m b e r of the B o a r d of M a n a g e m e n t a n d r e s p o n s i b l e for the S e p a r a t i o n T e c h n o l o g y Division sales, left the G r o u p as of F e b r u a r y 28, 1997, by m u t u a l a g r e e m e n t . Professor K a r b a c h s c h , P r e s i d e n t of the S e p a r a t i o n T e c h n o l o g y Division, a s s u m e s Mr F r a n z ' s a r e a of
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responsibilities. For f u r t h e r information contact: Sartorius AG, Weender L a n d s t r a s s e 94-108, D-3 7075 Goettingen, Germany. Tel: +49-551-308-O;fax: +49 551 308 289.
BaUard ties up US$1.6M Nissan contract Following its p r o p o s e d U S 4 5 0 M r e s e a r c h deal with D a i m l e r - B e n z , B a l l a r d Power S y s t e m s is still actively involved w i t h m a n y o t h e r m a n u f a c t u r e r s i n the a u t o m o b i l e i n d u s t r y . To t h a t effect, B a l l a r d h a s a n n o u n c e d it h a s s e c u r e d a $2.2 m i l l i o n c o n t r a c t (US$1.6 million) from N i s s a n Motor Co. Ltd, of Yokusaka, J a p a n , to s u p p l y B a l l a r d F u e l Cells a n d r e l a t e d test e q u i p m e n t . T h e s e fuel cells will be u s e d b y N i s s a n i n their r e s e a r c h a n d d e v e l o p m e n t p r o g r a m for the t e s t i n g of fuel cell powered electric vehicles. G e n e r a l m a n a g e r a t the N i s s a n Social a n d A d v a n c e d R e s e a r c h Laboratory, Shoji T a n g e , h a s d e s c r i b e d the d e v e l o p m e n t of a l t e r n a t i v e power s o u r c e s a s "a priority for Nissan". Certainly, t h e race for the p r o d u c t i o n of a c o m m e r c i a l l y viable fuel cell powered car s e e m s to b e h o t t i n g up, with m o t o r c o m p a n i e s s u c h a s D a i m l e r - B e n z , G e n e r a l Motors, H o n d a , Volkswagen a n d Volvo, all u s i n g the Ballard Fuel Cell i n t h e i r r e s e a r c h p r o g r a m m e s . For f u r t h e r information contact: Ballard Power S y s t e m s Inc, 9000 Glenlyon Parkway, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 0 9 0 0 ; f a x : +1 604 412 4700
Organic compounds d e c o m p o s e d by membrane R e s e a r c h e r s at the O s a k a N a t i o n a l R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e i n J a p a n are i n the p r o c e s s of developing a m e m b r a n e w h i c h is said to d e g r a d e p i g m e n t s a n d decolourize wastewater. T h e p r o c e s s u s e s a m e m b r a n e derived from a solid polymeric electrolyte, w h i c h c a n decompose certain polluting organic c o m p o u n d s w i t h o u t g e n e r a t i n g toxic c h l o r i n e - b a s e d b y p r o d u c t s . The m e m b r a n e is fixed to a f l u o r o - r e s i n s u b s t r a t e , a n d w h e n a n electric c u r r e n t is p a s s e d t h r o u g h the s y s t e m , p i g m e n t e d c o m p o u n d s d e c o m p o s e o n the e l e c t r o l y t e / m e m b r a n e to form m o s t l y water, c a r b o n dioxide a n d oxygen.
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