www.ushalonbank.com   1.800.433.1751                                   April 2019 - Vol 3, Issue 23
                            

News
HAAPS Looks for Alternative to Halon 1301 for Aircrafts
Sprinkler System Failure Floods Power Company; Runoff Kills Fish
Burns & McDonnell Awarded $20 Million US Navy Contract for Fire Protection
Siemens Signs 5 Million (Euro) Fire Protection System Deal in Serbia
AFPG's Roddy Bieber Lands New Jag
Sprinkler Mishap Shuts History Center
NFPA Battery Standard Could Impact Data Center UPS Designs
String of Massive Blazes at Sea Worry Shipping Industry
Panicked Passengers Escape Burning Plane
UTC Develops Hybrid-Electric Plane
Most Popular Stories from March 2019
Mergers and Acquisitions
New Products
Opinion
FSSA Corner
Video of the Month
threeM3M to Cut 2000 Jobs; Reduces '19 Profit Outlook
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Down Jones Industrial Average stock market index listed company 3M is shown in Irvine, California April 13, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo
4/25/19

By Ankit Ajmera, Rachit Vats
Reuters

Shares of 3M Co fell 11 percent after the U.S. manufacturing conglomerate cut its 2019 earnings forecast and said it would lay off 2,000 workers, citing worsening performance in high-growth markets such as China.

The stock's worst day in more than three decades dragged down the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and added to the gloom across the manufacturing sector following bleak results from Caterpillar Inc and United Parcel Service Inc.

Click here to read the full article.
 
utcUTC Reports First Quarter Results
4/23/19

By United Technologies Corp.
Cision PR Newswire

FARMINGTON, Conn. -- United Technologies Corp. reported first quarter 2019 results and increased its full year adjusted EPS outlook for 2019.

"United Technologies is off to a strong start in 2019," said UTC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gregory Hayes. "Sales were up 20 percent with all four businesses contributing to the robust 8 percent organic growth in the quarter. Earnings and cash flow exceeded our expectations for the quarter reinforcing our confidence in the full year financial outlook, including our improved adjusted EPS range of $7.80 to $8.00."

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honeywellHoneywell Delivers Strong First Quarter
4/18/19

By Honeywell

MORRIS PLAINS, N.J. -- Honeywell announced financial results for the first quarter of 2019 and raised its full-year sales and earnings per share guidance.

"Honeywell delivered a very strong start to 2019 with first-quarter results that exceeded the high end of our sales and earnings guidance. Organic sales grew 8% led by our long-cycle businesses in commercial aerospace, defense, and warehouse and process automation, and strong demand for commercial fire and security products. Our robust sales growth, supported by winning positions in attractive end markets and the continuous improvements we are making across our supply chain, drove earnings per share of $1.92, seven cents above the high end of our first-quarter guidance and up 13%1 excluding the impact of the spin-offs." said Darius Adamczyk, chairman and chief executive officer of Honeywell.

Finish reading this article here.
 
boeingBoeing Takes Billion Dollar Hit
Boeing's first 737 MAX makes its way through the assembly plant in Renton, Wash., in 2015. (Boeing Photo)
4/24/19

By Alan Boyle
GeekWire

Boeing's first-quarter financial stats took a serious hit in the wake of two fatal crashes involving its bestselling plane, the 737 MAX. The company estimated the additional costs associated with grounding the 737 MAX fleet at $1 billion, but more uncertainty lies ahead. Boeing executives held off on providing updated financial guidance until the impact of the 737 MAX issue becomes clearer.

Word from the top: "Across the company, we are focused on safety, returning the 737 MAX to service, and earning and re-earning the trust and confidence of customers, regulators and the flying public," Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in the company's quarterly recap.

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HAAPS Looks for Alternative to Halon 1301 for Aircrafts
3/22/19

By HAAPS
Cision PR Newswire

CLEVELAND -- The Halon Alternatives for Aircraft Propulsion Systems (HAAPS) consortium recently released a non-government Request-for-Information (RFI) seeking potential suppliers to assist in developing an appropriate, environmentally acceptable replacement for Halon 1301, which is the primary agent currently used to extinguish fires in aviation engines and auxiliary power units (APUs).

The HAAPS consortium was formed by Airbus SAS, The Boeing Company, Bombardier Inc., Embraer S.A., Textron Inc. and the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) as an international collaboration among aircraft manufacturers, fire extinguishing system suppliers, engine/auxiliary power unit/nacelle companies, and other key stakeholders to identify and qualify a common environmentally acceptable non-halon fire extinguishing solution(s) for use in engines and APUs. Halon based fire extinguishing agents have been in use for decades, but new production has been banned by international agreement per the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol - finalized in 1987).

Read the full story here.
 
fssaApplications Open for FSSA Educational Foundation Awards Scholarships
Annually, scholarships are given to talented and worthy young people within the fire suppression industry. Any student or college-bound individual affiliated with the fire protection industry is eligible to apply.
 
Scholarship candidates must have graduated from high school or its equivalent before July 1 of the year in which they will use the scholarship. Scholarships will only be awarded to students who will be participating in the fire protection programs at their universities. Students already enrolled in one of these colleges are also eligible to apply.

For more information about the FSSA Educational Foundation, please click here.
 
Sprinkler System Failure Floods Power Company; Runoff Kills Fish
A fish kill was reported on March 29, 2019 on the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River, near the Gorgas Steam Plant in Walker County, Ala. No cause has been determined for the incident so far. (Photo courtesy Black Warrior Riverkeeper)
4/4/19

By Dennis Pillion
AL.com

Alabama Power Company officials told environmental regulators that the company spilled about 700 gallons of a fire retardant compound near its Gorgas Steam Plant in Walker County a few days before about 100 dead fish were seen floating on the river nearby.

The company filed a report with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management dated March 26 stating that, on March 23, an estimated 650-700 gallons of a fire suppression chemical was released into Baker Creek mixed with approximately 22-23,000 gallons of water. The spill happened after the primary fire control system lost air pressure and a backup system failed to activate.

Baker Creek is a tributary of the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River.

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Burns & McDonnell Awarded $20 Million US Navy Contract for Fire Protection
3/20/19

PRNewswire

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Burns & McDonnell has been awarded an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific to provide a range of fire protection design and engineering services for an up to five-year period. Under the $20 million IDIQ contract, task orders will be issued defining specific projects in the NAVFAC Pacific area of responsibility (e.g., Hawaii, Diego Garcia, Australia, Guam, and Tinian).

Services provided under the contract will include fire protection system evaluation, building and fire code analysis, design, post-construction award services, and testing. Members of the Burns & McDonnell Fire Protection team will conduct activities on-site at bases and provide specific recommendations on improvements to life safety and fire protection systems based on rigorous analysis, testing and review.

Read the full article here.
 
Siemens Signs 5 Million (Euro) Fire Protection System Deal in Serbia
Author: TE-KO Kostolac. License: All rights reserved.
3/21/19

By Radomir Ralev
SeeNews

BELGRADE (Serbia) -- Siemens has signed a 5 million euro ($5.7 million) agreement for the installation of a fire protection system at Serbia's Kostolac B coal-fired power plant, the managing director of state-run power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) said.

The contract was signed with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC), the contractor of a project for the construction of a third unit at Kostolac B, Milorad Grcic said in a video file posted on the website of Tanjug news agency.

Read the full article here.

AFPG's Roddy Bieber Lands New Jag
John Sullivan, left, ADI's senior vice president of strategic accounts, was on hand to award Roddy Bieber his new car.
3/29/19

By SSI Staff
Security Sales & Integration

For 16 years, ADI has been showing appreciation to its customers by presenting one lucky dealer each year with a new car.

MELVILLE, N.Y. -- Roddy Bieber, an executive at American Fire Protection Group, is riding around in style these days in a new Jaguar F-PACE after winning ADI Global Distribution's 2018 Customer Appreciation Car Giveaway Sweepstakes.

Read the full article here.
 
Sprinkler Mishap Shuts History Center
Servpro Restoration Services workers and volunteers work in the aftermath of a burst pipe at the Glen Ellyn History Center. (John Starks/Staff Photographer)
3/29/19

By Katlyn Smith
Daily Herald

The Glen Ellyn History Center will remain closed indefinitely for repairs of flood damage from a burst pipe that left muddy pools of standing water throughout the building at the village's northern gateway.

Power has been restored to the center, one week after a 4-inch pipe from a fire suppression system burst at the southwest corner of the building and flooded the basement and first floor.

To continue reading, click here.
 
NFPA Battery Standard Could Impact Data Center UPS Designs
A battery room inside a data center campus in Richmond, Va. These batteries provide temporary emergency power for UPS systems. (Photo: Rich Miller)
4/1/19

By Rich Miller
Data Center Frontier

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- A new standard being developed by the National Fire Protection Association could have a big impact on the use of batteries in UPS systems, according to a group of  data center energy experts, who are seeking to mobilize the industry to seek revisions.

The new NFPA 855 standard was developed to provide safety guidance for the growing use of lithium-ion batteries in uninterruptible power supply systems (UPS) that provide emergency power in data centers and other mission-critical facilities.

Read the rest of this article here.

String of Massive Blazes at Sea Worry Shipping Industry
The burning Grimaldi vessel Grande America off the coast of eastern France, which caused a massive oil spill, on March 11. (Photo: Loic Bernardin/Marine Nationale, AP)
3/25/19

By Tom McKay
Gizmodo

International shipping concerns are worried about a wave of major nautical blazes that have resulted in death and injury among crew as well as damage to ships and cargo running in the hundreds of millions of dollars, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Per the Journal, major fires at sea have included the loss of the Italian carrier Grande America, which sunk in the Atlantic in the Bay of Biscay with 2,000 cars on board, causing a massive oil slick and necessitating the rescue of dozens of crew members by a British naval frigate.

Click here to finish reading this story.

Panicked Passengers Escape Burning Plane
The Latam Airlines airplane on fire at Confins International Airport in Belo Horizonte, in southeast Brazil. (COE/FocusOn News)
3/27/19

By Janet Tappin Coelho and Yaron Steinbuch
New York Post

Dramatic video captures the moment passengers fled from a Chilean airliner after a fire broke out on its luggage conveyor belt at a Brazilian airport.

The Latam Airlines flight from Sao Paulo had just landed at Confins International Airport in Belo Horizonte, in southeast Brazil, and was parked at the gate when the blaze erupted on the baggage unloading belt.

Read the entire article here.

protegisInternational Systems of America (ISA) and ABCO - After Merger - Rebrand as Protegis Fire and Safety LLC
4/2/19

Protegis Fire & Safety

The merged company is one of the most robust in U.S. for centralized fire and life safety products, services and parts

Louisville, KY / Cleveland, OH -- After two of the country's best-known names in fire protection, suppression and alarm systems, International Systems of America and ABCO Fire Protection, announced a merger in August 2018, they have together now rebranded under one name - Protegis Fire & Safety LLC. Protegis is Latin meaning "to protect" or "to cover." Solidifying its wide-ranging managed service capabilities, the company now has a presence in 43 states and Canada. Protegis employs more than 300 fire protection contractors and safety technicians throughout the country. The company will maintain its primary offices in Louisville, KY and Cleveland, OH. Mike Epperson is the current CEO of ISA and will serve as CEO of Protegis.

The rest of this story can be found here.
 
protegis2Protegis Acquires Maryland-based Fireguard LLC
4/15/19

Align Capital Partners

CLEVELAND and DALLAS -- Align Capital Partners recently launched a new brand name for its fire and life safety platform - Protegis Fire & Safety. In addition, Protegis, previously doing business as International Systems of America and ABCO Fire Protection, announced that it has completed the acquisition of Maryland-based Fireguard LLC. Like Protegis, Fireguard provides fire safety service and repair, inspection and installation services for commercial customers in a variety of end markets. On a combined basis, Protegis now does business in 45 states and employs more than 325 fire protection technicians across the country.

Read the full story here.

frontierFrontier Fire Protection Acquired by Highview Capital
4/5/19

Private Equity Wire

Highview Capital, a Los Angeles-based middle-market private equity firm, has acquired Frontier Fire Protection, a provider of fire and life safety solutions in the US Mountain West and Southwest regions.

Frontier Fire's management team, including Chief Executive Officer Greg Londo, will continue to lead Frontier Fire and remain shareholders of the Company.

Founded in 1960, Frontier Fire provides full-service fire sprinkler and fire alarm solutions, including installation, retrofitting, inspection and detection. The Company serves an established network of general contractor customers across four states and a diverse range of end-markets, including multi-family residential, healthcare, mixed use, industrial, education, government, office, senior housing and retail.

Read the full story here.
 
firevaseSamsung Fire Vase - A Purple K Alternative to Hand Helds?
The Firevase, in its original form.
Samsung
3/28/19

By David Grossman
Popular Mechanics

Just make sure your aim is true.

Though it may seem like something out of a video game, the firevase is very real. Designed by Samsung subsidiary Cheil Worldwide, it was made with the challenge of getting more homes in South Korea to have readily available fire safety equipment. The Seoul-based Chaebol (South Korean conglomerate) is currently distributing 200,000 of the vases to members of its insurance program.

Read the rest of this article here.
 
fireboyFireboy Launches Pre-Engineered Clean-Agent System
4/2/19

By Fireboy-Xintex
Textile World

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Fireboy-Xintex has launched its first pre-engineered, FM approved Fire Detection and Suppression MAE Series (A-C or A-B-C rated) system, which is perfect for use in land-based clean applications such as server rooms, laboratories, electric control rooms, and manufacturing and storage facilities.

The FM approved pre-engineered system replaces traditional engineered systems, resulting in a typically lower cost than conventional systems. The MAE Series System is contained within one convenient release panel with an LED display. The clean agent cylinder size is based on the volume of the room, up to 1,800 cubic feet. All necessary components are included in the kit; no engineering or piping calculations are required. Additional components and system options are available upon request, including extra smoke detectors and strobes, among others.

Read the full article here.
 
challengesOld Challenges, New Challenges in Fire Protection
nfpa
3/1/19

By Casey Grant
NFPA Journal

In our evolving world, fire hazards are in constant flux. New technologies promise incredible opportunity, but can also pose significant danger if they aren't integrated smartly and safely. In other cases, it's problematic older approaches that keep safety researchers busy, problems we thought we had already solved. In both cases, we must rise to meet the challenge.

The dramatic proliferation of electrical energy storage systems (ESS) is a perfect example of the push and pull between innovation and the need to better understand the consequences. Renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal are critical to sustainably satisfying the world's increasing energy demands. But because of the fickle nature of these natural energy sources, the power generated must often be harnessed when it's available and stored for later use. Due to this need and cost and efficiency advantages, ESS, most using lithium-ion battery technologies, are now being proposed everywhere, including systems as large as shipping containers, sometimes proposed on upper floors of tall buildings in dense metropolitan areas. When built intelligently, ESS units don't burn often, but when they do the results can be dramatic.

Continue reading this story here.
 
UTC Develops Hybrid-Electric Plane
The Project 804 team in Quebec. (UTC/AVI screenshot)
3/28/19

By Nick Zazulia
Avionics International

United Technologies Corp. has selected regional turboprops as its inroad to the electric transportation market, and it says its hybrid-electric solution could achieve a 30 percent fuel savings.

UTC is developing a flight demonstrator with the engine on one side replaced by a hybrid-electric powerplant produced through collaboration with its Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney subsidiaries. Dubbed Project 804, the test aircraft is intended to "demonstrate the technical viability of a hybrid propulsion system, but also the economic viability stemming from the massive fuel savings," according to Jason Chua, executive director of united technologies advanced projects at UTC.

Click here to finish this story.
 
perimeterPerimeter Solutions Acquires 3 Fire Suppression Companies in Idaho
3/21/19

By Perimeter Solutions

Fire Safety Global Market Leader Expands its Solutions Offering to Fire Suppression and Chemical Industries

ST. LOUIS, MO -- Perimeter Solutions, the global leader in the production of fire retardants, foams, and water enhancing gels, along with a wide range of services for managing wildland, industrial, municipal, and military fires, announced it has completed the purchase of a group of companies in Post Falls, Idaho, including First Response Fire Rescue, River City Fabrication and H&S Transport.

Click here to read more of this article.
 
Most Popular Stories from March 2019

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