business
BRIEFS LobeStar Pump is now LobePro LobeStar Pumps, manufacturer of the LobeStar Rotary Lobe Pump, has announced it will now be LobePro. LobeStar engineers pumping solutions for difficult applications such as pumping sludge, slurries, corrosives and waste. The quick growth and acceptance of the company’s products in the global marketplace resulted in challenges in trademarking the LobeStar name throughout the world. LobePro notes that nothing but the name has changed. LobePro still has the same engineering and service team and the same Rotary Lobe Pumps. More info can be found at the new website www.LobePro.com. BIO
Clenergen names Kumar nonexecutive director, Nelson board adviser Clenergen Corp. has announced the appointment of MB Sanil Kumar as nonexecutive director and Bonnie Nelson as board adviser. Kumar is the managing partner of Kumar Biju Associates, a firm of accountants based in India and the Middle East. He has more than 20 years experience in the accounting and management consultant professions and works with an extensive portfolio of corporate and multinational clients as well as the government and public sectors. Nelson is a prior owner and CEO of the Wall Street brokerage firm, Vanderbilt Securities Inc., where she was responsible for taking companies public, over-the-counter trading, mergers and acquisitions, and the development of joint ventures and strategic alliances for her clients. With a career spanning more than 20 years of investment and merchant banking, Nelson has extensive experience in consulting and corporate finance for public and private companies. BIO
Morbark launches Sawdust Quick Switch conversion kit Morbark Inc. now offers a second quick-switch conversion kit, allowing grinder owners to further diversify their product offerings by simply modifying the hammermill of their Morbark horizontal grinder. The original conversion kit, introduced in 2009, gave Morbark grinder owners the ability to make highquality standard-size chips. The new Sawdust Quick Switch conversion kit also allows grinder owners to supply the largevolume sawdust market. This gives Morbark grinder owners the capability to produce mulch, high-quality chips or sawdust with one machine. The conversion kit is available on Morbark horizontal grinder models 3800, 4600, 4600XL and 6600 from any model year, wheeled or track versions. For more information, go to www.morbark.com/quickswitch. BIO
14 BIOMASS MAGAZINE 7|2010
Sapphire hires senior director, downstream technology Sapphire Energy announced veteran oil executive Dan Sajkowski has joined the company as senior director, downstream technology. After more than 24 years with BP (Amoco), Sajkowski brings his wealth of experience in the oil and refining industry to the burgeonSajkowski ing field of algae-based fuel. Sajkowski served as the business unit leader of BP’s Whiting Refinery, the fourthlargest refinery in the country, for the past five years. In addition to operational and financial accountability for the site, he was a primary driver behind the largest capital project in the history of Indiana and the most complex project BP has ever undertaken: the $3.8 billion modernization of the Whiting Refinery. BIO
River Consulting ranks high in a down economy River Consulting was ranked as one of the Top 500 Design Firms in the country by Engineering News-Record for the third consecutive year. Published annually, the ENR Top 500 recognizes topperforming architectural and engineering firms. River Consulting took the 431st spot in ENR’s April 21 issue. The ranking is based upon 2009 revenue, and is a rise from last year’s spot at 440. River Consulting is a mid-major A/E to energy, food, process and industrial clients, providing engineering and project management services to companies around the globe and combines the capability of a full-service firm with the responsiveness and flexibility of a specialty engineering practice. BIO
New England Wood Pellet, Sandri announce strategic partnership, sale of Propell Energy New England Wood Pellet LLC and The Sandri Cos. announced a formal strategic partnership between the two companies, as well as the acquisition by Sandri of NEWP’s commercial pellet boiler business, Propell Energy, which is central to the partnership. Propell Energy was founded in 2008 to market commercial- and industrial-scale pellet boilers for heating schools, office buildings, apartment complexes and other large buildings. Propell also provides economical bulk pellet delivery to large commercial accounts. Sandri will fold Propell Energy into its emerging renewable energy division. Sandri’s renewable energy group will be led by Jake Goodyear, president of Propell Energy. The partnership also involves a multiyear exclusive supply agreement in which Sandri will buy and resell bulk pellet fuels exclusively from NEWP for resale to residential and commercial customers. The two companies also partnered to secure a $3.2 million dollar grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources to install numerous commercial pellet boilers in western Massachusetts and increase the use of residential high-efficiency pellet boilers. BIO