www.ushalonbank.com   1.800.433.1751                                    May 2020 - Vol 3, Issue 31
                            
News
Ozone Hole Over Arctic Closes
Foam Discharge Swamps Worker (Spain)
"Gas" Fire Suppression System to Protect Historical Archives in Belgrade
Most Popular Stories from March 2020
Aviation
Foam
Petrochemical
Batteries
Mergers and Acquisitions

boeing_airbusBoeing and Airbus Brace for Prolonged Downturn
Already hurt by the yearlong grounding of its 737 MAX aircraft, Boeing reported its second consecutive quarterly loss.
PHOTO: ANDY RAIN/ EPA/SHUTTERSTOCK
4/29/20

By Doug Cameron and Andrew Tangel
The Wall Street Journal

Aerospace companies outline survival plans as airline customers reel from near-collapse of air travel

The world's biggest aerospace companies outlined survival plans that include thousands of job cuts and raising fresh funds as their airline customers reeled from the coronavirus pandemic and the near-collapse of global passenger air travel.

Finish reading this article here.

boeing_reopenBoeing Workers Return After Four Week Closure
Boeing employees, who returned to work this week, wear masks as they approach an entry gate to the final assembly plant in Everett on Wednesday. (Mike Siegel/The Seattle Times)
4/22/20

By Dominic Gates
Seattle Times Aerospace Reporter

When Boeing workers returned en masse to the airplane factories in the Puget Sound region after a four-week shutdown, they found a changed workplace, cleaner and with a series of safety protocols in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Even as Boeing faces a drastic collapse in its business due to the near disappearance of air travel, management instructed about 27,000 factory employees to return to work. Yet with the coronavirus still threatening lives nationwide, the first to return came back with varying levels of unease.

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airbusAirbus Cuts Production By One-Third
An Airbus A330 of the French Air Force is on display at the Airport of Hamburg, Germany, Tuesday, March 31, 2020. (Axel Heimken/dpa via AP)
4/22/20

By Associated Press
FOX56

LONDON -- European plane maker Airbus said it is reducing production by about a third as demand for aircraft and travel plummets due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The company said it delivered 122 planes in the first quarter, but 60 remain undelivered. It delivered only 36 in March, down from 55 in February, as airlines asked to suspend orders while facing huge costs related to a near-total shutdown of air travel.

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cell_towersUK Cellphone Towers Ablaze
In the U.K., fires at multiple cellphone towers are raising concerns about the spread of conspiracy theories linking 5G networks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tim Graham/Getty Images
4/4/20

By Jason Slotkin
NPR

Conspiracy theories tying 5G networks to the coronavirus pandemic are troubling telecom authorities in the United Kingdom and are being cited as possible motivation for multiple cellphone tower fires this week.

Fires on at least three towers have been reported over the past few days. In at least two instances, accompanying videos and online posts are raising concerns that the attacks may be linked to conspiracy theories that cast 5G networks as the actual cause of COVID-19.

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tycoTyco Initiates COVID Prevention
4/9/20

By John Liesveld
EagleHerald Publishing

MARINETTE -- As a critical manufacturer of fire protection products and fire prevention infrastructure for companies and organizations across the globe, Tyco Fire Products LP represents one of those essential industries exempt from Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers's emergency order "Safer at Home."

The order spelled out various and enforceable regulations and restrictions community-wide. It resulted in the closure of all non-essential businesses like movie theaters, swimming pools, social clubs, fitness centers salons and spas. The effort was a move to help prevent and/or reduce the risk of further community spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Accordingly, and like many essential services and industries exempt from the order and still in operation, Tyco fortified its efforts to assist in curbing potential exposure risks to help "flatten the curve" of the COVID-19's impact across the community.

To continue reading this article, click here.
 
siemensSiemens CEO Promises No Job Cuts Due to COVID-19
4/12/20

By Darrell Proctor
POWER

Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser told a German newspaper the company will not reduce its workforce despite the economic downturn due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Kaeser, in an interview published April 11, said the company would likely continue having some employees work fewer hours at some of its facilities in Germany, and could extend that order to more workers.

Kaeser told Passauer Neue Presse that "no one at Siemens will leave because of a temporary fluctuation in activity." He said the German-based company is continuing to adapt to changes in the energy landscape, including reductions in the use of coal and natural gas for power generation and an increase in the use of renewable energy resources such as solar and wind. But he said those are structural changes not tied to the coronavirus.

Continue reading this story here.
 
oil_marketWill BP/Hilcorp Deal Unravel Over Weak Oil Market?
Hilcorp's Innovation drilling rig on the North Slope. (Courtesy photo)
4/10/20

By Tegan Hanlon, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage
Alaska Public Media

BP's sale of its entire Alaska business to Hilcorp is in jeopardy, The Wall Street Journal reported. As oil prices crater, banks are hesitant to finance the $5.6 billion deal, the newspaper says.

It's the largest deal in the world involving oil and gas production assets that has yet to close, the WSJ reports. It includes BP's stakes in the massive Prudhoe Bay oil field and the trans-Alaska pipeline.

BP and Hilcorp have said they expect the deal to close this summer.

To read the rest of the story, click here.


Can Hilcorp Revive BP's North Slope Declining Fields?

Hilcorp has used its Innovation drilling rig as part of its program to revitalize oil production at the Milne Point field on Alaska's North Slope. (Photo courtesy Hilcorp)
3/5/20

By Nathaniel Herz, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage
Alaska Public Media

For three decades, the overarching story of Alaska's big North Slope oil fields has been one of decline, with production gradually sinking as companies pumped out the most easily-accessible crude.

But over the past few years, at one of the basin's oldest developments, something unusual happened: Production actually increased, and not just by a little. In 2018, the Milne Point field pumped slightly less than 21,000 barrels a day. In January, it was up to nearly 32,000 barrels daily - a difference that, at today's prices, is worth an extra $3.5 million a week.

The architect of that turnaround is Hilcorp, the privately-owned oil company that bought a 50 percent stake in Milne Point in 2014. Now the company is poised to acquire a much bigger prize as part of its $5.6 billion deal with BP: a piece of the massive Prudhoe Bay field.

Read the rest of this article here.

conocoConoco Phillips to Cut Another $200 Million from Spending
4/18/20

By Associated Press
U.S. News & World Report

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- ConocoPhillips has announced another $200 million spending cut in Alaska following previous reductions a month earlier as oil prices decline amid the coronavirus pandemic.

ConocoPhillips made the initial cut in capital spending in mid-March, before announcing another $200 million cut earlier this week in response to large drops in the global oil market, the Alaska Journal of Commerce reported.

Read the full article here.
 
battery_safetyHoneywell and Nexceris Create Alliance to Address Lithium Ion Battery Safety
3/12/20

By MDM Publishing Ltd - NS
International Fire Protection

Combines Honeywell advanced fire detection technology and Li-ion Tamer lithium-ion gas detection solutions to provide enhanced safety for battery systems

Honeywell, a global leader in fire and life safety, and Nexceris, developer of Li-ion Tamer® lithium-ion gas detection solutions, announced the formation of a strategic alliance to address lithium-ion battery system safety. The partnership, which builds on Honeywell's industry-leading fire portfolio, will enhance its advanced detection technology with Li-ion Tamer's products and give customers early warning capability of potential battery failure and the ability to mitigate or avoid the effects of the failure.

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raytheonFive Reasons Why Raytheon Technologies is Destined to Dominate Aerospace and Defense
Raytheon Technologies will provide engines, weapons, sensors, displays and other items for all three variants of the F-35 fighter.
Wikipedia
4/2/20

By Loren Thompson, Senior Contributor, Aerospace & Defense
Forbes

Friday, April 3, marks the first day of share trading for the merged enterprise of Raytheon and United Technologies, to be known as Raytheon Technologies. Otis and Carrier, the two non-aerospace, non-defense businesses formerly part of United Technologies, are being spun off. What remains is a more coherent enterprise that will, as CEOs Tom Kennedy and Greg Hayes have argued, define the future of aerospace and defense.

This is not the first time Raytheon and United Technologies (contributors to my think tank) have undergone corporate transformations. United Technologies began its history as United Aircraft after the government in 1934 forced the breakup of a trust that included Boeing and United Airlines. It became a multi-industry conglomerate under CEO Harry Gray in the 1970s, and now under Greg Hayes has returned to its roots in aviation.

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raytheon_stockRaytheon Technologies is a Good Buy, Despite the Economic Downturn
Illustration by Gary Musgrave
4/17/20

By Andrew Bary
Barron's

Three industrial companies have made their debut at possibly the worst time for any business.

Yet the three -- Raytheon Technologies, Otis Worldwide, and Carrier Global -- all look appealing, despite a downturn that will sap this year's results. Their emergence follows the completion of the merger between Raytheon and United Technologies.

Read more of this article here.
 
Results: NAFED April State of Business Survey
NAFED logo 4/22/20

NAFED recently sent out surveys to their subscribers asking them to answer questions on how their businesses are doing during the pandemic. These are the latest results.

Dear NAFED member:

We want to thank everyone who participated in our April survey. Here is a summary of the responses with 132 responses logged.


To see the rest of the results, click here.
 
riverside_basicRiverside/PSI Acquires Basic Fire and Safety (Washington)
4/28/20

By Mark Scott
Smart Business Dealmakers

The Riverside Co. has invested in fire protection service provider Basic Fire & Safety as an add-on to its fire and life safety platform, Performance Systems Integration. Based in Portland, Oregon, PSI is a provider of fire and life safety services in the Pacific Northwest. The company provides customers with fire and life safety services including system inspection, service and monitoring, equipment sales and cylinder repairs, as well as installations for new construction and retrofits.

BFS provides customers in Washington state with a variety of fire protection services, including fire extinguisher part sales, inspections, and service.

Read the full article here.
 
Ozone Hole Over Arctic Closes
Ozone forecast charts produced daily by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service show predictions for total vertical ozone column values for the Antarctic region up to five days ahead.
European Commission Atmosphere Monitoring Service
4/28/20

By Jordan Davidson
EcoWatch

An unusual phenomenon happened in March and April when an enormous hole in the ozone layer formed over the Arctic. Last week, though, scientists tracking the hole noticed that it has closed, as CNN reported.

Unlike the infamous hole in the ozone over Antarctica, which was caused by overuse of now illegal chemicals containing chlorofluorocarbons, the hole in the Arctic was caused by a combination of factors, including low Arctic temperatures, sunlight, pollutants and a particularly strong polar vortex, according to the Copernicus' Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS), as CNN reported.

Read the full article here.

Foam Discharge Swamps Worker (Spain)
Firefighters searched for worker swamped by foam
4/28/20

By Dilip Kuner
The Olive Press

Firefighters' visibility reduced to zero as they waded through the foam

A warehouse worker in Spain had to be rescued when a fire suppression system went off, releasing a tidal wave of foam.

Fire crews in Zaragoza rushed to the scene when no sign of the man could be seen after the wall of foam swept through the warehouse and spilled out onto the street.

Read the full article by clicking here.
 
coronavirusCoronavirus in the Security and Fire Sector (UK)
IFSEC GLOBAL

The impact of coronavirus can be seen across the world. At the time of writing, there has been three million confirmed cases of COVID-19, causing governments to take drastic action in the form of 'lockdowns' and implementing strict social distancing measures, in an effort to combat the spread and ensure their medical and emergency services are not overwhelmed. This has, inevitably, had a dramatic impact on the economy, with global markets slumping - more than eight years of gains since the last recession were wiped out in one month - to levels not seen since 2011. Every sector has been hit in different ways, and at IFSEC Global, we've been covering as much information as possible related to the security and fire sectors since the outbreak began. The role personnel play in these sectors is often key to ensuring safety, so particular emphasis has been put on reporting on 'key worker' status in the UK, but there have also been more wide-reaching ways in which the industry has played its part in responding to the threat of a global pandemic.

Click here to read this article in full.
 
nfpaNFPA Cancels 2020 Conference
nfpa
4/22/20

EC&M

2021 NFPA Conference & Expo to be held week of June 21 in Las Vegas

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has canceled the 2020 NFPA Conference & Expo scheduled for June 15-18 in Orlando, Fla.

"At this time, the world continues to be significantly impacted by COVID-19 and we no longer believe it is possible to host and conduct this event in Orlando in June," says NFPA President and CEO Jim Pauley. "NFPA is a safety organization and we would not hold an event where the well-being of staff, attendees, and business partners could be compromised in any way."

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dnr_requestTyco/JCI Responds to DNR Request
4/24/20

By John Liesveld, EagleHerald Staff Writer

MARINETTE -- In a followup report on an article published in a previous edition of the EagleHerald, "DNR requests immediate action on foam," officials with Johnson Controls Inc. and its subsidiary Tyco Fire Products LP. (JCP/Tyco) offer their response to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) request calling for prompt action concerning sightings of suspected PFAS foams on waterways in the City of Marinette.

The DNR requested the JCI/Tyco conduct samples of the foams for PFAS analysis; deploy booms on the surface of those waterways to prevent migration of foams into the Bay of Green Bay; remove any existing foams with a vac-truck; and maintain twice-daily monitoring of locations where foam buildups occur. Under the right circumstances, PFAS compounds in water can result in a collection of foam on water's surface.

Read the full story here.

"Gas" Fire Suppression System to Protect Historical Archives in Belgrade
4/15/20

By MDM Publishing LTD
International Fire Protection

A custom-engineered gas extinguishant system from fire systems leader, Advanced, is now protecting thousands of culturally important collections at the Historical Archives of Belgrade.

The Archives play an important role in Belgrade, preserving some of the city's most important cultural and social assets, including 34,000 books and journals, documents, photographs, works of art and other artifacts spanning the 16th to the 20th centuries.

Advanced's local partner in Serbia, TVI Ltd, undertook the fire protection work designing and engineering a bespoke gas suppression system to meet the site's specific needs.

Finish the article here.
 
Most Popular Stories from March 2020

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