Air Products has installed its new cryogenic nitrogen-based thermal spray cooling system at Progressive Technologies, Inc.'s (PTI) Grand Rapids, MI, facility. The two companies are teaming up to allow individuals to see firsthand how the new system maintains desired part temperature using cryogenic nitrogen vapor (-320°F) during the thermal spray coating application process.

Reichhold is increasing prices for coating products sold in North America or exported, effective for products shipped on or after July 1, 2008 or as contracts allow.

The Blennerhassett Bridge in Parkersburg, WV, is the 2008 winner of the Gustav Lindenthal Medal. Doni Riddle, vice president, Industrial & Marine Coatings, Sherwin Williams Co., presented the award on Monday, June 2, 2008, during the annual International Bridge Conference® (IBC) in Pittsburgh.

With the theme, “The Power of E,” ELECTROCOAT 2008, held in Indianapolis, IN, in May, featured two and a half days of intensive technical presentations and discussions. David Wolf, Focus Factory manager, and Phil Hopper, e-coat technician, Hayes-Lemmerz International, received the “Best End-User Paper Award,” while Tony Cimorelli, Parker Process Advanced Filtration, and John Martin, PPG Industries, both won George E. F. Brewer awards for the development, application and marketing promotion of e-coat technology.

Columbia Chemical Corp. has expanded its direct sales efforts to Western Michigan and Northern Indiana with the addition of technical sales and service representative Willie Barry. Barry is based in Grand Rapids, MI, and reports to sales manager Tom Alderson.

Sun Chemical has named Myron Petruch president, Performance Pigments. Petruch, who will oversee all of Sun Chemical’s global Performance Pigments business, joins Sun Chemical from BASF, where he was responsible for the company’s pigment and additives business for coatings.

Rohm and Haas Co., a manufacturer of specialty chemical materials headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, recently honored the recipients of its inaugural Innovation Awards. The new Rohm and Haas Science and Engineering Innovation Awards and Technician Innovation Awards honor employees from technology, manufacturing and environment, health and safety. They celebrate those technicians, scientists and engineers who have best demonstrated outstanding work that helps Rohm and Haas achieve its core mission of innovation.

Aqua-Thane, a new patent-pending, two-component (2K) waterborne acrylic polyurethane technology from Excalibur Paint & Coatings, Ltd., offers high performance with a low environmental impact. Test results to date have concluded that this environmentally friendly, low-volatile-organic-compound (VOC) content (less than 50 grams/liter), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)-free system meets or exceeds the performance properties of high-performance solventborne systems.

The JUMBO Series high-flow filter systems from Mefiag Filter Systems, Met-Pro Corp., feature single chamber flow rates to 30,000 gal/hr. These high-efficiency horizontal disc filter systems use Mefiag’s 33” low-profile horizontal discs for maximum filtration capacity and fewer media changeouts.

The Computrac MAX® 5000XL from Arizona Instrument is a benchtop moisture and ash analyzer designed to provide users with more stable and accurate measurements.