Maspeth, NY:  The Newtown Creek Alliance with AWISCO Corp. and Highview Creations LLC have been awarded $206,188 to construct a green roof on AWISCO’s Maspeth, Queens, building as part of the NYC DEP’s 2011 Green Infrastructure Grant Program. The roof will manage over 390,000 gallons of stormwater per year, directly reducing CSOs (Combined Sewer Overflows) to Newtown Creek. It will also be visible from the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, demonstrating to New Yorkers the potential for green practices in industrial areas. The AWISCO roof was one of 15 hugely exciting projects throughout New York City that will improve water quality while making our city greener.

A huge thanks to Kate Zidar and the S.W.I.M Coalition, Highview Creations, Jean Tanler and the Maspeth IBZ, and of course to AWISCO for making this happen, and to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for its commitment to Green Infrastructure! For the full press release, visit DEP Green Infrastructure Projects.

Queens Ledger Article click here

Click here for the article from weldingandgasestoday.org

Pete Barnable (left) and Gene Kramer (right) of Kramer Sales, present AWISCO President Lloyd Robinson with Hougen Manufacturing’s Top Ten Distributor Plaque for 2010.

AWISCO has been a Hougen Top Ten Distributor since partnering with Hougen in the late 1970’s. In a letter to Lloyd, Hougen Sales Manager Jim Kaiser said, “Your level of sales and outstanding service are representative of your superior commitment to our customers.” Kaiser concluded, “On behalf of the owners and employees of Hougen Mfg., I want to thank you and your employees for your ongoing support.”

Hougen is the premier manufacturer of magnetic drills,  Rotobroach ™  Cutters and other innovative cutting tools for the steel erection,  construction, sheet metal and automotive industries.

Derrick West (L) and Eric Weisholtz

Improvisation – it’s not just for the stage

One of the latest examples of quick thinking and clever utilization of company resources comes from the LifeGas Cryoservices program.

More specifically, it begins with Derrick West, a LifeGas medical sales specialist. Working in conjunction with Eric Weisholtz, hospital services manager, West recently landed a strategic LifeGas Cryoservices customer: Rutgers University, and The University of Medicine and Dentistry, in New Jersey. This win is a good illustration of how silos can be demolished while communication is enhanced. It’s also a good example of asset utilization across business segments.

It started with a dilemma. While West was able to win the liquid nitrogen supply business for the university’s Center of Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine in Piscataway, New Jersey, there was a catch: the sale required LifeGas to deliver liquid nitrogen once per week via microbulk containers. From there they would fill 22 vertical gas liquid containers (VGLs) on-site.

Trouble is, LifeGas didn’t have a truck for microbulk shipping. So, thinking quickly, West worked with Weisholtz and Steve Brady, Linde distributor manager, to ask if a Linde distributor, AWISCO, could deliver liquid nitrogen on Linde’s behalf. Not only could it, but favorable pricing and terms were negotiated.

“It’s a win-win from all ends,” said Weisholtz. “Actually it’s a triple win – for the customer, for AWISCO and for Linde.”

Linde is helping a valued distributor, AWISCO, increase usage of an underutilized asset – while simultaneously increasing its own bulk sales to AWISCO. In addition, to make the deal happen, LifeGas pulled 40-230-liter nitrogen VGLs from the Linde Middlesex helium plant – tanks that had been sitting idle since the late 90′s.

“The helium group was happy to part with the assets, and LifeGas diagnosed, repaired, buffed and fully restored the cans to perfect working order,” said Weisholtz. “This resulted in zero capital outlay from LifeGas!”

“The total new employees needed to service this business is zero,” added Weisholtz. “The total number of new trucks required is zero. Plus this win comes over a competitor in the area as well.”