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NSC Awards DuPont
With Green Cross for Safety
The National Safety Council awarded its 2006 Green Cross for Safety
Medal to Charles O. Holliday Jr., chairman and CEO of DuPont at a
special ceremony in March.
To mark receiving the safety award, DuPont donated protective
ballistic vests made of Kevlar to 10 police officers who patrol the
Washington, D.C. area without ballistic protection. Holliday
presented the
donation through In-VestUSA, a non-profit organization that focuses
on raising awareness and funds to equip police officers with
ballistic vests.
“DuPont is proud to receive the 2006 National Safety Council’s Green
Cross award,” said Holliday. “Safety is in the DNA of DuPont. Every
DuPont employee will feel he or she helped earn the Green
Cross award. That is as it should be, because at DuPont, safety is a
core value that touches every individual in every job.
“Safety at DuPont goes back to our founding in 1802 when E.I. du
Pont designed and built his first gunpowder mills with the safety of
his workers in mind. In the two centuries that followed, our company
helped to write the book on industrial safety, and we became one of
the safest companies in the world.”
Safety and protection businesses make up one of DuPont’s five
business growth platforms. Holliday said, “We offer our knowledge,
technology and innovations to customers around the world to help
make their businesses and homes safer and to protect people,
property, operations and the environment.
Safety is the very foundation and essence of all that we do at
DuPont, so we take great pride in this recognition - for our
employees, partners and customers.”
EPA, NSF, NIOSH Grant $5M
to Study Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology has the potential to transform environmental
clean-up, treat serious illnesses, and improve computer technology,
therefore, the EPA has awarded 14 grants totaling $5 million to
universities to investigate the potential health and environmental
effects of manufactured nanomaterials.
The EPA says it wants to see Americans benefit from this exciting
new technology while ensuring that human health and the environment
are protected. By performing research on potential adverse affects,
EPA says it is doing what is right for both human and environmental
health and technological
progress.
Nanomaterials are created by working at the molecular level, atom by
atom, and range in size from one to 100 nanometers.
A nanometer is 80,000 times smaller than a human hair. Because of
their small size and unique properties, more research is needed to
learn if nanoparticles in manufactured products can enter the human
body, and if so, how long they remain. Similarly, researchers will
study the fate and transport
of nanoparticles in the environment.
“This emerging field has the potential to transform environmental
protection. Researchers are now testing iron nanoparticles that
could clean up pollutants in large areas of groundwater cheaper and
more effectively than any existing techniques,” said George Gray,
assistant administrator for
EPA’s Office of Research and Development.
“At the same time, we must understand whether nanomaterials could
negatively impact health or the environment. This research will help
determine the viability of nanotechnology as a tool for protecting
our environment.”
Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), EPA has a program to
review and assess new chemicals prior to their entry into commerce.
The agency is also working with a wide range of stakeholders to
develop a stewardship program that will allow EPA to gain a better
understanding of the benefits and risks associated with
nanomaterials.
The nanotechnology grants were awarded through EPA’s Science to
Achieve Results (STAR) research grants program in partnership with
the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
To date, EPA has funded 65 grants for more than $22 million related
to the environmental applications and/or implications of
manufactured nanomaterials. In addition, EPA has awarded about $2.5
million
for nanotechnology research to small businesses through its Small
Business Innovation Research program.
Cooper Industries Acquires Wheelock Cooper Industries, Ltd. has
announced its acquisition of Wheelock, Inc., a designer and
manufacturer of fire safety and emergency incident communications
systems and devices.
Based in Long Branch, NJ, Wheelock is a privately held company with
2005 annual revenues of approximately $46 million. Financial terms
were not disclosed.
Wheelock manufactures a comprehensive fire notification product line
that includes electronic strobe horns, mini-horns, strobes, speakers
and speaker strobes, and power supplies. The company also
manufactures communication systems that combine background music,
messaging and emergency voice evacuation and telephone zone paging
for military bases, retail establishments, factory and warehouse
operations and campus environments.
Wheelock becomes part of Cooper Menvier, which is based in the
United Kingdom. With the acquisition, Cooper Menvier gains
complementary capabilities to enhance its core product offerings in
fire safety and security detectors, panels and signaling devices,
including strobes, sounders, call
points and bells. Additionally, Wheelock provides Cooper Menvier
with UL-approved
products. (“With its strong history of innovation, Wheelock provides
a strategic extension to
our European portfolio with products specifically designed and
manufactured for the U.S. market,” said Cooper Industries Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer Kirk S. Hachigian. “We can now offer an
even
broader range of products that meet UL, IEC and other major
electrical standards to customers and distributors in our
international distribution network, including the multi-standard
Asia and Middle East markets.
This acquisition augments our global reach with new Cooper products
that meet fire safety, electronic security and emergency lighting
requirements for every region of the world.” Cooper Menvier
manufactures fire detection systems, emergency lighting and security
equipment for industrial and commercial buildings in Europe, the
Middle East and the Asia Pacific Rim. Cooper Industries, Ltd. is a
global manufacturer of electrical products and tools, with 2005
revenues of $4.7 billion, approximately 30 percent of which are
international sales.
Brady Expands in
Australia With Acquisition
Brady Corp., a developer of identification solutions and specialty
materials, has acquired Accidental Health & Safety Pty. Ltd., and
its business unit Trafalgar First Aid Pty. Ltd., headquartered in
Glendenning, New South Wales, Australia.
Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but the companies had
sales of approximately $9 million in 2005, employ about 70 people,
market through a national network of distributors as well as a
direct
sales force, and serve customers in all states in Australia.
Accidental Health & Safety and Trafalgar are suppliers and
distributors of customized first-aid kits and supplies, and related
safety products and signage for commercial enterprises in the
Australian market.
“The acquisition of Accidental and Trafalgar will reinforce Brady’s
position as a provider of safety products and services in Australia
by increasing our access to industrial and commercial markets and
providing an expanded distribution network for our broader line of
safety and workplace identification products,” said Brady Australia
Managing Director Stephen Millar.
“Joining Brady gives us a great opportunity to further grow our
business, and we look forward to working together to provide
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