Purchase Clean Agents and get Recharges with Rebecca!

Rebecca Magers has joined the A-Gas Americas Fire Protection team! She is here to help you with all of your Clean Agent needs. Bulk, Recharges, whatever you need, she is ready to assist you!

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Tyco Acquires Westfire..

Tyco Acquires Westfire, Will Fold It Into SimplexGrinnell

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November 14, 2013 | Comments (0) | Post a comment

Tyco announced today it has acquired Westfire Inc., a provider of fire protection services with operations in the United States, Chile and Peru. Westfire, which specializes in hazard analysis as well as system design, installation, testing, inspection and maintenance, will become part of Tyco SimplexGrinnell.

The acquisition will strengthen SimplexGrinnell’s ability to meet the special hazards fire protection needs of customers in the mining, telecommunications, energy and data storage industries, according to a press release.

"Westfire is a powerful addition to Tyco's capabilities. It expands our service footprint and recurring revenue base along with adding a highly-skilled and experienced team of engineers and technicians. In addition, we are adding vertical market expertise in special hazard detection and suppression applications," says Brian McDonald, Tyco's COO for Installations & Services.

Westfire’s U.S. operations are concentrated in the Western United States, with offices located in Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Seattle. SimplexGrinnell has more than 100 company-owned and operated offices in the U.S., including offices serving the territories covered by Westfire. The company is expected to generate approximately $80 million in annualized revenues in fiscal year 2014, according to Tyco.

“Westfire’s engineering, installation and service expertise, combined with Tyco SimplexGrinnell’s comprehensive special hazards capabilities, creates an exceptional combination of solutions to help customers throughout North America,” says Bob Chauvin, president of SimplexGrinnell. “In addition, this acquisition expands Tyco’s service capabilities for the mining industry in Chile and provides an entry into the Peruvian market, both of which are important growth markets for Tyco.”

The transaction closed on Nov. 8. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

 

To view the original article click here: http://www.securitysales.com/channel/fire-life-safety/news/2013/11/14/tyco-acquires-westfire-will-fold-it-into-simplexgrinnell.aspx

FSSA NEWS

DOT vs NFPA REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING OF SYSTEM CYLINDERS Do DOT Regulations or NFPA Standards require fire system cylinders containing gaseous fire extinguishing agents to be periodically removed from service, emptied and hydrostatically tested? Please click here to download the White Paper* from the Fire Suppression Systems Association (FSSA) to help you answer that question. *This document provides general guidelines and is not intended to provide all information necessary to determine test requirements for all cylinders. Always refer to the most current equipment manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations, DOT regulations, NFPA Standards, along with other codes and regulations that may apply.*

FSSA HAS NAMED NEW VICE CHAIR OF MANUFACTURERS DIVISION The recently vacated Vice Chair of the Manufacturers Division  has been filled.  A vote was conducted by the principle Manufacturers and the results are in. The FSSA would like to congratulate and welcome Kevin Murray of Siemens Industry to the Board of Directors.

FSSA 2014 ANNUAL FORUM REGISTRATION IS OPEN The FSSA 32nd Annual Forum registration is now open.  Mark your calendar for February 22 - 25, 2014 in San Diego, CA. Click here to make your reservation now.  Sponsorship opportunities are still available. The forum agenda is currently being crafted by the Program Committee and may be viewed here.  Stay tuned for more updates!

PASSING OF CHARLES WILLMS Charles Fredrick Willms, 84, passed away September 14, 2013. Born in Hudson County, NJ, on June 28, 1929, he was the son of the late Sadie and Fredrick Willms. An award winning rifleman, Charles served in the US National Guard, and was honorably discharged with the rank of Master Sergeant. Charles attended NJ Institute of Technology where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. A registered professional engineer, he was a member of the Tau Beta Phi National Engineering Honor Society, Phi Tau Sigma, ASME, CGA, IAC, US TAG, and served as technical director of the FSSA, and chairman of the NFPA. Charles worked as Director of Engineering for Fire Protections Systems for Walter Kidde, in NC, and was then self-employed as a Product Liability Consultant for fire protection products. He enjoyed playing the drums and spending time with his family. Charles was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 58 years, Maryann E. Willms. He is survived by his loving daughter, Beverly, of Raleigh, NC; son, Roger, and his wife, Melinda, of Charlotte; grandchildren, Dean and Madolyn, of Charlotte; brother, Fred Willms, of NJ; and several nieces and nephews.

FSSA TRAINING PROGRAM The FSSA Training program is live!  If you reserved a spot at the forum invoices were emailed in May. For questions regarding the training program or to reserve your space, please contact Vince Mullhausen at FSSA HQ.   Information was received via email from the FSSA publication "Annunciator." To join the distribution list please visit http://fssa.net/

Updated Green Team!!

GAFSED Scholarship Program- ENTER NOW!

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATION ENTRIES FOR THE GAFSED / RANDY CARLISLE MEMORIAL EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM YOU'RE A WINNER!!! Well you could be, if you have a child entering college or already a college student! Those of you in attendance at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel & Conference Center, for the September continuing education classes sponsored by GAFSED, have heard the announcement that the GAFSED / Randy Carlisle Memorial Scholarship   program has been rolled out! The GAFSED Board of Directors wants to make sure all of our members know about this awesome opportunity of winning a chance to help pay for your college education, or your child's education beyond high school. The average cost of college books per year is $800.00 and up; so $1,000.00 can sure help to ease the financial burden placed on college students and their families. It's just our way of giving back to you the membership and to say "Thank you" for all you do for our association and this industry. The winner of this $1,000.00 scholarship will be awarded in March of 2014.       The cut-off date for submitting an application AND essay is December 31st, 2013. Applicants must be between the ages of 17 and 25 AND be an employee, a child of an employee, or owner, of an Active GAFSED member in good standing. The application and details are on the GAFSED website,Find the "Scholarship" link and simply click to get started! Visit our web link  RC MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM In closing, as I picture Randy with a huge smile on his face ... full of enthusiasm, I can still hear him say, "...never let an opportunity to learn something pass you by." So, with those encouraging words we hope you will take advantage of this opportunity and make the most of it! Thanks again, and Good Luck! Your GAFSED Education Scholarship Committee DAWN BODEN,  ADMIN@GAFSED.COM

Fire Extinguisher Accident

Freak accident with fire extinguisher

Posted: Aug 28, 2013 9:33 AM EDTUpdated: Aug 28, 2013 9:33 AM EDT

13abc.com Bill Hormann - email

 

Tom Orvis of Plainville, Conn., is fortunate he wasn't in the wrong place when a fire extinguisher flew nearly a quarter-mile through the air and into his house. Connecticut officials say a machine operator was cutting beams at a metal recycling company Tuesday and accidentally cut into the extinguisher, causing it to explode. Orvis says he was in the kitchen when he heard a loud noise, and now has a small hole in his roof. The company says it'll fix the damage.

Click the link for the original story from 13ABC.com : http://www.13abc.com/story/23276652/freak-accident-with-fire-extinguisher

Just a friendly PSA, remember that extinguishers can be dangerous if they are not handled properly!

We here at A-Gas RemTec hope you all have a safe and wonderful Labor Day Weekend!!! 

Thank you FFEDA

A big THANK YOU to Bill Johnson- President of FFEDA, for this very nice card. We are always so excited to help the state associations grow and  be able to continue to help our industry. Happy 50th Anniversary FFEDA, and THANK YOU for having such a wonderful organization for us to be able to support!!!

Thank you for giving your lives to protect others

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Fire Fighters and their families. 

You will forever be remembered as heroes.

A-GAS INTERNATIONAL EXPANDS ITS PRESENCE IN AMERICA

LEADING REFRIGERANTS SUPPLIER A-GAS INTERNATIONAL COMPLETES STRATEGIC ACQUISITION OF KEY INDEPENDENT US REFRIGERANTS SUPPLIER AND DISTRIBUTOR, COOLGAS

Bristol-based A-Gas International (or “the Group”), one of the world’s largest independent suppliers of refrigerants, associated environmental services, and speciality gases and chemicals, has completed the acquisition of Houston, Texas based Coolgas Inc. (“Coolgas”), a leading independent supplier and  distributor of refrigerants to the US market. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The transaction represents the fifth strategic acquisition completed by A-Gas so far in 2012, and forms part of the Group’s acquisitive growth strategy which is being executed both in the UK and internationally. The enlarged group will have a turnover of c. £130m and 237 employees.

Founded in 1994 by Jesse Combs, Coolgas has grown over the past 18 years to become one of the leading independent distributors of refrigerants in the US. Coolgas’ “refrigerants made simple” philosophy reflects the focus on customer service that has enabled it to grow first to a regional and then to a national player. Coolgas has recently commissioned a new refrigerant storage and packaging facility in Houston and has distribution centres in California, Utah, Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Maryland and Georgia ensuring that Coolgas is close to its customers wherever they are located.

In recent years Coolgas has also become an EPA registered reclaimer of refrigerants and a project developer for the generation of carbon offsets on the California Climate Action Reserve exchange. These capabilities enable Coolgas to manage the lifecycle of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and substances with high Global Warming Potential (GWP) to safeguard the environment. 

The acquisition builds on A-Gas’ acquisition of Ohio based refrigerant reclaimer and halocarbon management specialist RemTec International in July 2012. Coolgas provides a strong strategic fit, bringing a strong brand and complementary footprint that will accelerate refrigerants sales growth. Further the reclaim and carbon credits businesses extend A-Gas’ existing operations in the US Environmental Services market which is already well established in the UK and Europe.

The acquisition of Coolgas follows on from the successful acquisitions not only of RemTec International in July 2012 but also of Australian based Technochem in March 2012 and SA Rural in May 2012, and UK based A-Zone Technologies in April 2012. 

Commenting on the acquisition:

John Rutley, Executive Chairman and founder of A-Gas International said:
Jesse Combs and his management team have built a great business in the US refrigerant sector and we are delighted to add it to our rapidly expanding presence in this important market. The fit with our recently acquired business, RemTec, is perfect and allows us to offer a full range of products and services to our customers in the world’s largest refrigerant market.

 

Jon Masters, Regional Managing Director of A-Gas International said:

The acquisition of Coolgas will significantly strengthen our position as the leading independent global supplier of refrigerants at a time when regulatory changes are providing increasing opportunities for reclamation and recycling of used refrigerants using our market leading technology developed in the UK. We look forward to supporting the Coolgas management team and workforce in continuing to provide outstanding service to its customers.

 

Jesse Combs, CEO of Coolgas said:

I feel honoured that A-Gas saw Coolgas as a strategic fit and entry point into the US refrigerants’ distribution business.  Our team of professionals have a customer service mind-set that I believe sets Coolgas apart from the rest of the industry.  I have the upmost confidence that the A-Gas team will support and grow upon our "refrigerants made simple" philosophy for many years to come.

 

About A-Gas International

A-Gas is an international group of companies with headquarters in Bristol, UK.  A-Gas is a market leader in the supply of refrigerants within its core territories in the U.K., South Africa, and Australia, and has state of the art storage, blending, packaging and reclamation facilities in Bristol, Cape Town, and Melbourne. The company also has marketing and distribution centres in Singapore, Thailand, China and Mexico. In the US, A-Gas has a Performance Chemicals business located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania; RemTec International, a refrigerant reclaimer and halocarbon management specialist located in Bowling Green, Ohio; and now Coolgas, headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit www.agas.com

 

About Coolgas

Coolgas Inc. was started in 1994 as a distributor of refrigerant gases. Through a continual focus on customer service embodied by its “refrigerants made simple” philosophy it has gained customers across the United States and grown to become one of the leading independent distributors of refrigerants. Coolgas supplies a full product range from essential use CFCs through to the most recent HFC blends. Coolgas also supplies in a wide variety of formats from the smallest auto aftermarket disposable cans through to bulk tankers for industrial customers. Coolgas is an EPA approved refrigerant reclaimer. The Coolgas, Inc. headquarters are located 40 miles north of Houston, Texas. For more information visit www.coolgas.com

Data Center World 2012

RemTec Opens QA Facility in China

RemTec International has opened a Quality Assurance Facility in Shanghai, China for refrigerants.

"Our new Quality Assurance Program is designed specifically for refrigerants and fire protection agents packaged in cylinders or bulk tanks," says Patti Ellingson, Rem Tec's director of wholesale distribution.

"This program was initially designed as a solution to the moisture and unsaturated issues coming out of China, but has turned into a solution for the industry, as we are seeing 'fake' refrigerants and other major issues coming out of China," Ellingson says. The lab will be based at the Shanghai Aohong Chemical Company.

"In order to provide the focus needed to make the RemTec/Aohong quality control program a success, we have asked Patti Ellingson to take the lead on the implementation and development of this program," says Ron Marcus, Rem Tec business development manager.

"We will continue to work toward structuring the sales transactions between Aohong and our high volume key customer groups. Patti will work to facilitate these transactions between the parties," Marcus says.

Ellingson reports the China lab is a mirror image of Rem Tec's U.S. lab facility, and are testing and operating under the same AHRI protocols as Rem Tec's AHRI-700 certified lab at its Bowling Green, OH facility.

The Rem Tec program offers strict Quality Controls throughout the entire process to ensure the product prior to shipping.

For additional information on the program, contact Patti Ellingson at patti.ellingson@remtec.net or call 419/575-9490

The Rem Tec Quality Assurance Process is described below

Prior to Filling & Packaging
Cylinder/Tanks:

·         Cylinders/tanks are inspected to ensure all are U.S. DOT approved, and meet RemTec’s moisture, particulate and vacuum requirements.

·         All used cylinders are inspected. Maintenance is performed according to customer and regulatory requirements, including valve refurbishment.

Labeling:
Labeling templates are compared to production packaging to ensure it is in compliance with the customer’s and regulatory requirements, including all U.S. Customs regulations.
Packaging is inspected for any damage. Damaged packaging is replaced.

Pre-Fill and Filling Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance Testing:

·         The first disposable refrigerant cylinder that is filled is sampled and immediately tested to assure that it meets AHRI-700 standards, including unsaturates. If there are deficiencies, corrective action is taken and laboratory tests are repeated until all standards are met.

·         Filled cylinders are randomly tested throughout the filling process (no less than one cylinder for every 100 cylinders filled).

·         Bulk shipments of refrigerants and fire protection agents are individually tested in accordance with applicable industry standards.

·         Once filling is completed, a Certification of Compliance is issued for each packaged shipment, or bulk tank.

After Filling:

·         Packaging is again inspected for any damage. Damaged packaging is replaced.

Container Packing:

·         Unless otherwise specified cylinders are shrink wrapped on pallets and packaged in 20’ containers in accordance with international maritime shipping requirements.
Inter Modal approved brace and blocking are used to secure the contents as required.

Shipping documents are inspected and include:

·         Bill of Lading

·         Certificate of Conformance

·         Export Permit

·         Proforma Invoice

·         Country of Origin Certificate

·         MSDS

Customer Service
• RemTec International Bowling Green, Ohio, USA and RemTec’s West Coast Sales Office in Camarillo, California.

Visit www.remtec.net for complete contact information.

What We Are Thankful For.....

RemTec International is thankful for our employees going above and beyond this year when it comes to those in need. We are proud to share this letter with you to show our gratitude to our family here at RemTec for being so generous even in this down economy. 

Clean Agent System Bottle Inventory for Under 100#

Replacing Halon in Fire Protection Systems: A Progress Report

By Robin Bennett, Hazardous Material Leader, Product Development. Environmental Performance Strategy

The aerospace industry has been working to find effective replacements for halon
in airplane fire-extinguishing and suppression systems since production of the chemical
was banned in 1994. industry has conducted extensive research on halon alternatives,
but fully replacing the chemical will require multiple regulatory approvals and the
cooperation of all stakeholders. Click Here to read more

Courtesy of www.boeing.com 

RemTec at the SFPE Conference (Society of Fire Protection Engineers)

See what RemTec's Tank Refurbishing Department Can Do!

RemTec can refurbish any cylinder in almost any condition! Check it out!

International golfers for Pan Gulf event

OVER 100 golfers from around the world will be taking part in the Pan Gulf Golf Day at Awali Golf Club on October 14.

The event, which is being held in cooperation with Pan Gulf Industrial Systems, will consist of two competitions.

The first, teeing off in the early morning, will be a strokeplay tournament comprising more than 100 entrants. It will also act as a KPAO (Kingsbury, Pinhey, Ayto, O'Sullivan) qualifier, the final of which will be held at Awali Golf Club in April next year.

The other is an invitational Stableford competition. Scheduled to tee off at around midway, around 20 invited golfers from the US, Australia, Bahrain and the rest of the GCC will be in the fray.

Both tournaments will be played over 18 holes along Awali Golf Club's sand course.

Amateurs

The players taking part are all amateurs. They will be vying for attractive cash prizes in each competition, with additional awards for the day's various side competitions also to be given out, such as a Harley Davidson motorbike for the first player to sink a hole-in-one.

"The main aim of our Pan Gulf Golf Day is for everyone to have a good time out on the golf course and to make some money for charity," event organiser Martin Allison told the GDN yesterday.

Part of the event's proceeds will be donated to the Think Pink charity.

Following the day's play, there will be live music featuring the Gruesome Twosome band and a dinner.

The Pan Gulf Golf Day's main sponsors are Remtec and Chemetron; while other sponsors are Notifier, Autronica, Stahl, Nalco, DNH Speakers and ATP.

CALSAFE 2011 in Beautiful Monterey Bay, CA