Utility Power & Water Robots - GineersNow Electric Power & Water Leaders magazine, Nov2019

N OV E M B E R

2019

NEWS

Siwi’s World Water Week Moves to Arena in 2019

Water is Fundamental to Achieving the Global Goals

SUEZ strengthens its presence in China

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EDITOR‘S NOTE

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obots have significantly taken over the majority of the sectors of the industry, may it be the oil and gas industry or the construction industry. Their applications in the industry have proven to be virtually limitless, from stacking bricks in the construction field to exploring oil reserves in extreme environments.

Designed to ease the human workload, robots are now becoming more visible in the field, especially in the power and water industry.

Utility Power & Water Robots

Office Automation in Utilities Reduce Operational Cost Some of the major applications of robots in the workplace include taking over the human resource department, auditing department, and the accounting department.

In the human resource sector, they are particularly useful in automating the leave, payroll, and benefits processes.

Meanwhile, in the finance department, automation helps in cutting the operational costs by doing the job of a team of employees all by itself.

The audit functions of automation are also useful in securing the data of their employees.

Aside from helping automate the workplace and reduce operational costs, robots also play a vital role in the workplace, particularly in keeping workers and equipment safe and free from risks.

They are dispatched to the field first, where they inspect the area for possible faults and health risks before allowing any humans to enter the field.

They are equipped with high-end sensors, such as thermal cameras and infrared, and specially designed algorithms that are capable of replacing the human inspectors.

This is exceptionally handy, especially in heightening workplace safety.

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Challenges in Power and Water While it is easy to see how beneficial the fully automated system is, there are still challenges that may have been overlooked. But once these challenges are overcome, it is no longer surprising that the future of the utility sector is in the hands of these robots.

With continued improvements and innovations, we can see more of this technology being commercialized in the near future.

Regional Office: LG Electronics Gulf FZE, P.O Box 61445, Dubai. Tel: +971 4 279 9222, UAE, Mr. Amjad Abu Alika, Tel: +971 50 450 9808, email: amjad.abualika@lge.com; Fortune International Trading LLC, Mr. Wail Halbouni, Tel: +971 50 481 3570, email: fortintl@emirates.net.ae; Ghantoot Trading, Mr. Nour Haboush, Tel: +971 50 109 4109, email: nour.h@ghantootgroup.ae; District Cooling Company, Mr. Ahmed Henedi, Tel: +971 50 658 4832, email: ahmed@districtcoolingcompany.com; Al Yousuf Electronics, Mr. Moitra, Tel: +971 50 457 6170, email: pmoitra@alyousuf.com; Bahrain, AJM Kooheji and Sons, Mr. Jayachandran, Tel: +973 36888801, email: v.jayachandran@ajmkooheji.com: Al Babtain Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Co., Mr. Naji Kataya, Tel: +965 5 051 5771, email: nkataya@albabtaingroup.com,kw; BLK, Mr. Imad Rhayel, Tel: +965 5 157 1229, email: irhayel@blk.com.kw; Oman, Oman Gulf Enterprise, Mr. Narender Kumar, Tel: +968 9 747 4505, email: narenderk@otegroup.com; Aspire Projects and Service, Mr. Vivek Wagh, Tel: +968 99357694, email: vivekwagh@aspireoman.com; Azerbaijan, NBC LLC., Mr. Elkhan Sadikhov, Tel: +994 50 216 3363, email: elkhan.sadikhov@nbc.com; Al-Con Maxiwell Group, Mr. Vagif Alexperov, Tel: + 994 50 216 2092, email: maxiwellbaku@inbox.ru; Armenia/Georgia, ARAY Gulf, Mr. Vilson Melikjanyan, Tel: +374 9 307 7755, email: vilson@aray.am; Yemen, Modern House Exhibition, Mr. Khaled Jabr, Tel: +967 71 172 0202, email: mail@mhe-yemen.com; Pakistan, Iceberg Industries (Lucky Goldstar), Mr. Imran Jamil Khan, Tel: +923 21 277 6100, email: ceo@icebergindustries.net

CON TENTS

10 How to Choose the Right Paint and Color for Your Home

14 Advantages of Installing Multi Variable DC Inverter VRF System in PH Buildings

18 Using Robots in the Power & Water Industry

34 Siwi’s World Water Week Moves to Arena in 2019

38 SUEZ strengthens its presence in China: Two new contracts in wastewater and waste management in the city of Changshu

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Water is Fundamental to Achieving the Global Goals

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46

Yanmar Completes Acquisition of North American Loader Manufacturer ASV Holdings

50 James Fisher Offshore increases Middle East decommissioning activities with major offshore jacket removal project in Saudi Arabia.

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Rockwell Automation Expands Its Threat Detection Services Globally

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The Most Innovative and Applicable Projects for the Recovery and Reuse of Water Resources

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Project Engineers Win Construction Contracts Putting These Skills to Test

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How to Choose the Right Paint and Color for Your Home Building your dream house is not an easy task; painting your dream house is a whole different story. The color of both your exterior and interior walls says a lot about the vibes of your entire house.

But while it is easy to look at the broad array of color options in the hardware store, picking the best ones to fit your house might not be as easy.

Whether it’s your first time or your second, the paint job is not always a piece of cake. But you need not worry about that anymore. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you in decorating (or redecorating) your home.

Pick your room color starting from the largest and most centrally located room.

The biggest part of the house is always a great place to start imagining what your color palette would look like. It can be either your living room or kitchen. A soft, neutral hue for this room, like the colors of Rain or Shine’s ROS Classic, will make the color selection a lot easier for you. From there, it should be easy to move on to the next spaces in the house.

Create a palette with colors of the same hue.

Once you’ve settled on the color of your main room, all you need to do now is to select the shades of the same hue for your walls and adjacent rooms.

This will make the building of your palette easier and faster. Simply move on the next shade of that particular color and you’re done! The advantage of this trick is that you’re sure that the final colors of the rooms will blend well together.

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Separate the downstairs and upstairs rooms.

When you’re working on two or three-story houses, it is best to work on the colors of both levels separately. Feel free to create one mood or theme for the downstairs space and another mood for the upstairs space. This will create a diversified vibe in your home and will not make it look monotonous.

Use neutral colors for connecting spaces.

Halls and landings are best painted with neutral colors such as white, greige, or beige. This will put the highlights in the colors of the room and not on the blank spaces in between. However, if you chose the mentioned colors for your rooms, then the connecting spaces should be painted with hues that are about a shade or two darker from the colors of your room.

Whether you’re looking forward to finally adorning your new home with inspirational colors or just simply want to redecorate your house and conceal ugly cracks and spaces, Rain or Shine Paint is ready to serve all your painting needs. Select from a wide variety of colors of the ROS Classic or the ROS Hi-Gloss for your interior paint. For your exterior walls, you can count on ROS Dirt Shield and ROS Hydro Lock to keep your walls free from leaks and cracks and prolong the exterior beauty of your house.

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F E AT U R E S T O RY

Advantages of Installing Multi Variable DC Inverter VRF System in PH Buildings

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hen the air conditioning system in the office is faulty, you must decide between investing in a replacement or spending for another costly repair. Whether these units have been performing poorly from the get-go or are nearing the end of their lives, these air conditioning systems, at their current state, cannot efficiently serve their purposes in the Philippines’ urban environment any longer.

That being said, a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) air cooling and conditioning system is one of the must haves in cooling the places the average, ordinary, everyday working Filipinos frequent.

Compared to traditional HVAC systems composed of a large central unit pumping out air to a whole new space, VRF system installations are gaining traction to urban locations. And, if one thing is for certain, there are countless business districts and high-rise buildings all around the metro just waiting to be cooled by a more efficient air conditioning system. This urban setting is perfect for the more efficient TMV5 is a new generation of multi-VRF systems, integrating central air conditioning.

Having a TOSOT TMV-5 VRF system in the facility, whether it’s the most peaceful resort or the busiest casino in the metro, has a handful of advantages. These advantages can be surmised to overall operational efficiency, which is important for the facility visitors’ comfort and the least harmful to the wallet.

While efficiency and cost effectiveness alone is enough to attract any facility owner, here are 5 detailed reasons why the TOSOT TMV-5 VRF is a crystal clear front-runner compared to other HVAC systems for the Philippine urban setting.

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1. It does not interrupt the comfort of others A VRF system’s compressor unit is able to identify the requirements of each area and expel the exact amount of refrigerant needed to cool that room or area. The precision of these systems stamps out awkward cold spots, hot spots, and corrects off humidity issues. The TOSOT TMV-5 VRF steps it up by using an All DC inverter technology to improve compression efficiency

2. It is as silent as a breeze Instead of having one large, noisy central unit, the TOSOT TMV-5 VRF system is a quiet outdoor and indoor unit. They are much smaller and generate less sound. Since a VRF’s louder condensers are located outside the building, these contraptions operate silently, ensuring a quiet environment for visitors and workers alike.

3. It is energy efficient With up to 22 HP in a single outdoor unit and the ability to connect a maximum of 80 sets indoor units per system, you can cool more rooms at a lesser cost with the TMV-5. The system is also able to intercept heat and, as part of the cooling process, channel this heat to other locations in the building, which may need heating. This cyclical process is another indication of the VRF’s cost-effectiveness.

facility owners would be happy to know that these VRF systems are small-space friendly and have a beautiful, near seamless design. It will blend with the environment, operating effectively while staying invisible to the public eye. And, if you needs to move, this system also travels lightly. You can say goodbye to large maintenance room, service shafts, distribution pips, and water pumps. Lacking these results in an overall easier installation experience and a cleaner look. Still in the theme of cleanliness, The TOSOT TMV-5 VRF system also has an eco-friendly R410a refrigerant, lessening your carbon footprint while making you comfortable.

5. It talks to you Everything utilizes smart technology nowadays, so it should come as no surprise that even air conditioning and cooling systems are jumping on that technological trend. TOSOT TMV-5 VRF system boasts ease of use and a smooth user experience with technologies such as nonpolar CAN technology to improve communication efficiency and season setting and key card control functions for added security. These features allow users a less cluttered, less complex experience with the VRF system. It is like talking to the system itself.

So, whether you own a little coffee shop in one of the nooks and crannies of urban Manila, or looking over the rest of the world from atop a corporate building floor, you can rest easier knowing the 4. It is clean, compact, and takes little space cold breeze you are feeling right now is thanks to a TOSOT TMV-5 VRF system somewhere in the building.

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Robots, developed to perform various human functions in a more precise and faster manner, are now becoming a significant contributor to our everyday lives. Since the replacement of hand-built car by robotic assembly lines, robots have slowly made their way into the various sectors of the industry, and the utility sector is no exception.

In fact, the global revenue for all robotics, including drones, to be used in the transmission and distribution segments, is predicted to reach about $13.2 billion by 2026. With manufacturers gearing to-

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wards the production of Robotics Process Automation (RPA) bots, the applications of these machines are becoming larger and wider by the minute. This type of robot is capable of mimicking how a human would interact with an application with the same User Interface (UI).

With this in consideration, the power and water industry is now researching more ways to incorporate these machines into their systems. The major applications of robots in the utility industry are identified below.

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COVER STORY

Possible Applications of Robots in the Industry In finance and accounting RPA bots are expected to be of significant use in the primary business process, some of which are the payment processing, invoice processing, travel and expenses accounting, reporting, and even asset accounting. One successful integration of this system is from a US investor-owned utility.

The RPA bots were deployed to manage the billing processes for one of their primary commercial and industrial customer. With hu22

man employees, the process would require 17 new employees on board, but with the utilization of the RPA bots, the employees were reduced to two, thus cutting down on operational expenses as well.

In human resources With automation in the human resources sector, robots can take over repetitive tasks such as training and development, new hire and induction, recruitment requisition, and leave and payroll processes, to name a few.

In operational processes An investor-owned water utility took the risk and implemented a workflow automation system for customer information system (CIS) updates. The automation system was related to taking the customer service orders, and within a short period, the system already improved their service orders from 6% to a whopping 50%. If the process were done with human employees, it would require three to five full-time workers to do the entire job.

With the integration of automation, the water utility

has significantly cut down on operational costs as well.

In the audit function Bots have also proved to be useful in the audit function.

One such US utility company developed an employee data protection audit bot that they now use to evaluate the controls protecting their employees’ data and to ensure that Personally Identifiable Information and Protected Health Information are free from scrutiny and misuse.

The bot improved the company’s audit processes, resulting to compliance with different utility policies, procedures, and regulations, some of which are the US Privacy Act, HIPPA, and Identity Theft Prevention Act, to name a few. The bot has since been enhanced and is now on a fully functional version which can run against a wide variety of file types like excel and word.

In the field On the ground Equipping robots with visual and infrared thermal imagery sensors, humans no longer need to be present at transmission substations to do the repairs and maintenance. Robots can seamlessly follow their preprogrammed paths and in23

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Equipping robots with visual and infrared thermal imagery sensors, humans no longer need to be present at transmission substations to do the repairs and maintenance.

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spect substation assets for faults, leaks, and any other hazards. They are also loaded with programs capable of identifying high-risk asset characteristics so they can easily tag images of faulty assets. These images will then be presented to the utility engineer for verification before maintenance personnel is deployed to the field.

On the line Robots can also be dispatched to a transmission line pole where they will do a routine inspection. The robots can draw their power from the energized line. Once settled, the robot then travels along the route to collect visual and infrared images of the line assets, particularly the ole-mounted hardware and insulators.

In the air Drones are particularly handy in getting a live video stream of the transmission tower and lines at a bird’s eye view. While its primary purpose is to record its entire flight over the transmission lines, it can also be set to inspect the lines and capture close-up shots of line assets.

-end-

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NEWS

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Siwi’s World Water Week Moves to Arena in 2019

orld Water Week, the leading annual event on global water issues, is evolving in response to increasing demand as the gravity of global water crises sets in. Starting in 2019, the event will move to Tele2 Arena in the Swedish capital Stockholm.

The organizer, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), has selected the new venue with the intention of creating a more inclusive World Water Week village. Tele2 Arena not only makes it possible for more people to attend, it also allows for more flexibility and networking opportunities.

“As issues of water scarcity and variability take hold all over the world, we want to ensure that World Water Week continues to evolve,” says Torgny Holmgren, Executive Director, SIWI. At its core, World Water Week is a collaborative learning experience. Some 3300 participants from more than 130 countries come to Stockholm each year to exchange knowledge, network and develop solutions to the world’s most pressing water-related challenges. Nearly 400 organizations will convene sessions this year.

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During the nearly week-long conference, participating academics, policy makers, practitioners, private sector actors and young professionals can attend over 250 sessions of different forms, in addition to many informal events and meetings that take place in the margins and off-site. Highlights of the Week include the awarding of the Stockholm Water Prize, presented by H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, and the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, presented by H.R.H Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

“We don’t plan to increase the number of sessions, but we do want to increase engagement from outside the water community. This is essential if we are to take a holistic look at the global water picture and develop solutions that will work,” says Gabriela Suhoschi, Director, World Water Week and Prizes, SIWI. Tele2 Arena, managed by the Stockholm Live event group, was

a natural venue partner, with excellent access to public transport, accommodation options and restaurants. So far, the arena has mainly been used for concerts and sports games, but there is a strong interest from the venue to be part of the Week: “We are delighted and proud that SIWI is choosing Tele2 Arena as the venue for its incredibly important global event. It’s great that SIWI sees the potential of our larger arenas as venues for this type of conference,” says Marie Lindqvist, Executive Director, Stockholm Globe Arenas.

Plans are underway for the move, which will require a rethink of many of the logistical aspects of the event.

Background The idea that became SIWI stems from three linked events in Stockholm in 1991. The Stockholm Water Festival invited the public to celebrate

water on the streets of Stockholm, the Stockholm Water Symposium gathered some one hundred scientists to discuss global water challenges, and the Stockholm Water Prize, under the patronage of H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, was awarded for the first time, in recognition of outstanding achievements in water-related activities.

World Water Week, a further development of Stockholm Water Symposium, is today the world’s leading annual water event, and the Stockholm Water Prize the most prestigious water award.

During its 28 years of existence, World Water Week has grown from a two-day seminar, attended by some 100 people during the Stockholm Water Festival, to become the preemptive event for the international water community.

In coming years, it aims to reach include even more sectors in the water conversation.

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NEWS

SUEZ strengthens its presence in China: Two new contracts in wastewater and waste management in the city of Changshu

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UEZ NWS has signed, through its joint venture Jiangsu Sino French Water , a concession contract to build the wastewater treatment plant and operate, for a duration of 30-year, the plant and the sewer network in Chengdong area, Changshu. The contract is worth a total of c. €413 million.

SUEZ NWS also won the operation and maintenance contract for the waste treatment plant in the Jianghe Tianrong area. These contracts strengthen

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Phase I of construction of the plant will start this year and be operational by 2021 with a capacity of 60,000 m3/day. A second phase will double the capacity of the plant to reach 120,000 m3/day by 2023. This contract is in line with the local government’s ambition to increase the wastewater treatment capacities and improve sanitation services in Changshu.

SUEZ NWS also won, through a joint-venture2, the operation and maintenance contract of the waste treatment plant, with a daily capacity of over 2,000 tons, located in the Jianghe Tianrong area. The JV is in charge of the transfer and disposal of construction and demolition waste, industrial waste and domestic waste produced in Jianghe Tianrong. The JV will sort, crush and sift the construction and demolition waste in order to meet the reutilization rate over 70% set by the city of Changshu.

the presence of SUEZ NWS in Changshu, where the Group is active since 2006 in the supply of drinking water and the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater.

Jiangsu Sino French Water will be responsible for the investment, design, construction, operation and maintenance of the wastewater treatment plant of Chengdong district. It will also be in charge of the operation and maintenance of the sewage network and pump stations. The

Lu Jijun, Vice Mayor of Changshu, said, “Changshu’s partnership with SUEZ NWS in water development has generated significant social and economic impact. In addition to the water supply and wastewater treatment activities, the two partners have further expanded their partnership in waste management. I believe that with a shared commitment to the environment, we will be able to speed up the adoption of an integrated water supply and drainage solution in Changshu,

which will provide strong support for a livable city and economic growth.”

“These two new contracts strengthen our partnership with the city of Changshu and are another testament to our shared commitment to circular economy and sustainable development.

Already committed in the supply of 875,000 m3 of water and the treatment of 140,000 m3 of wastewater daily, we now support the local authorities in their waste management, thus contributing to the development of a sustainable urban environment.” - Bertrand Camus , Group Senior Executive VP - Africa, Middle East, India, Asia and Australia

SUEZ NWS is active in Changshu since 2006 through Jiangsu Sino French Water that already invested approximately RMB 1.5 billion in drinking water supply and the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater for over two million residents as well as industrial and commercial customers in Changshu.

*2 Changshu SUEZ NWS Environmental Management Co., Ltd is a joint-venture formed between SUEZ NWS (35%) and Changshu Water Investment and Development Company Limited (65%).

*1 Jiangsu Sino French Water Company Limited is a joint-venture formed between Changshu Urban Construction Public Assets Management Company Limited (40.8%), Changshu Jiangnan Water Company Limited (24.2%) and SUEZ NWS (35%).

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NEWS

WATER IS FUNDAMENTAL TO ACHIEVING THE GLOBAL GOALS

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here that we come together and make sure that the very best ideas are brought forward,” said SIWI’s Executive Director, Torgny Holmgren.

“World Water Week is a key meeting place for the water and development community; it is

World Water Week is the world’s biggest global annual meeting focusing on water and development. It is organized by SIWI, Stockholm International Water Institute. The Week draws over 3,000 participants from nearly 130 countries, who come to Stockholm to learn about new research results, share experiences, discuss progress in

he term “water scarcity” is becoming increasingly common.

As more countries, and cities, experience the effects of high population pressure and less available freshwater, the interest among policy-makers, businesses, and citizens grows.

The realization is there. We need to become more efficient water users. We need to make some drastic changes.

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the implementation of the Global Goals, and together try to find new ways to meet the world’s growing water challenges.

The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Peter Thomson, called the world’s climate and water resources the “fundament of our existence”, and said that “Without proper stewardship of that fundament the 2030 sustainable development agenda obviously goes nowhere. Because without the fundament we can’t exist.”

“Together with the Paris Climate Agreement, implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals represents the best chance our species has to achieve a sustainable way of life on Planet Earth before it is too late”, he added.

Sweden’s Minister for Environment, Karolina Skog said that “Sustainable and efficient management of our water and wastewater […] has a profound effect on all aspects of human life; economic growth, sustainable development, sustainable city planning, circular thinking in industry and in production, energy saving, good quality of our water and, last but not least, it is crucial for health and for a sustainable environment.”

Astronaut and Member of Sweden’s Royal Academy of Science, Christer Fuglesang described the intricate water reuse systems that are necessary during space missions, enabling food to be grown on board, and ensuring a drinking water supply – both helping to inform research, and optimize methods for increased water use efficiency on earth.

Another central aspect of efficient water use, is to use less. In his welcoming speech Holmgren pointed out that it will be challenging but necessary to change large-scale water consumption patterns: “The Week’s theme, Water and waste: Reduce and reuse, really touches the very core of our daily lives. To reduce, some drastic changes will be necessary – especially by the main water users, including industries,

energy producers and the agriculture sector.”

He added that changes are also needed in how we think about reuse of water: “I think that it is very important to try and change the mind-set around waste.

Rather than presenting us with a problem, we can view waste as an asset also becoming a business opportunity.”

Stephen McCaffrey, 2017 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate

and a Professor in water law, spoke of the need for water cooperation and water diplomacy. He told participants that although the ingredients for potential water conflicts exist, such as higher population pressure, climate change, and much of the world’s fresh water being shared by two or more countries, studies show that water sharing is much more likely to lead to cooperation than conflict.

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MIDDLE EAST NEWS

Yanmar Group today announced the completion of its acquisition of compact equipment manufacturer ASV Holdings Inc. (“ASV”), a designer and manufacturer of renowned compact tracked loaders (“CTLs”) and skid-steer loaders (“SSLs”).

The announcement is the final step in the acquisition, following on from the June disclosure of a definitive agreement to acquire the company through the mechanism of a statutory merger.

Yanmar Completes Acquisition of North American Loader Manufacturer ASV Holdings

Yanmar has acquired 100% of ASV’s outstanding shares of common stock for total consideration of $70.70 Million, or $7.05 per share.

ASV’s independent dealer network throughout North America, Australia, and New Zealand will join Yanmar’s existing global construction equipment operations. The company also sells OEM equipment and aftermarket parts, and owns and operates a 238,000 square-foot production facility in Grand Rapids, MN. “We expect ASV to realize significant, channel and product synergies after joining the Yanmar Group,” stated Mr. Giuliano Parodi, Executive Officer of Yanmar Holdings.

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“In addition, the ASV Grand Rapids facility will continue as a center of excellence for compact tracked loaders and skid steer loaders, while benefiting from the global capacity and resources of the Yanmar Group.”

The acquisition strengthens the Yanmar’s range of compact

equipment products allowing it to offer full dig, load, carry solutions on the worksite and contribute to Yanmar’s prospects for growth in North America and globally.

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MIDDLE EAST NEWS

James Fisher Offshore increases Middle East decommissioning activities with major offshore jacket removal project in Saudi Arabia.

Innovative cutting solution deployed is capable of delivering time-saving efficiencies

James Fisher Offshore (JFO), a global provider of specialist offshore engineering solutions, has increased its oil and gas decommissioning activities in the Middle East with a new offshore platform jacket removal project in Saudi Arabia. The work will utilise its pioneering cutting solution which is capable of delivering significant time-saving efficiencies.

This extensive project, which requires two full spreads of advanced abrasive cutting equipment to be mobilised in

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support of a leading regional contractor’s jacket removal programme, secures JFO’s integral role in this critical scope of work well into 2020.

A regional supplier of ultra-high-pressure abrasive internal cutting solutions, JFO’s innovation has been well received – this new project comes in quick succession from a wave of recent regional scopes, with JFO continuing to broaden its decommissioning activities in the Middle East.

Offering enhanced accuracy and severing capabilities as well as proven time, cost and resource savings, the JFO system delivers benefits across subsea cutting scopes from piles and jackets, to well casings and well heads.

Exceeding customer expectations during the initial regional deployment, JFO’s system adds value to customers’ decommission projects through speed, accuracy and reliability, supporting cost and time reductions.

Jack Davidson, managing director, JFO comments; “As a key market for JFO, the appetite for our solutions in the Middle East region is very encouraging. There is a clear recognition of our experience, track record and innovation in delivering measurable efficiencies for some of the region’s most notable decommissioning projects.

We are looking forward to adding both breadth and depth to these burgeoning regional relationships and continuing to demonstrate our growing decommissioning capabilities.”

With the recent successful completion of multiple regional decommissioning scopes, this new project further validates JFO’s methodology and unique combination of experience and innovation - delivering tangible benefits to the global decommissioning sector.

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A S I A PA C I F I C N E W S

Rockwell Automation Expands Its Threat Detection Services Globally Cybersecurity services powered by Claroty protect supply chains from unknown threats and provide operational benefits

Masud, manager security services portfolio, Rockwell Automation.

“Our Threat Detection Services combine our innate understanding of industrial automation with Claroty’s trusted OT network visibility.

The services can give companies peace of mind by protecting not only one facility but their entire supply chain from unpredictable threats.”

The Threat Detection Services help safeguard connected operations in three key ways: • Identify and Protect: Identifying all industrial control networked assets, and their vulnerabilities, to help companies know what to protect • Detect: Monitoring networks for not only known threats but, more importantly, anomalous traffic or behaviors to alert companies of a security incident – possibly before it even happens

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ore than half of all respondents to an LNS Research survey said their industrial facility has experienced a cybersecurity breach. To help prevent such incidents and combat the unpredictable threats that cause them, industrial companies around the world can now manage cyber risk in their operations using the Rockwell Automation Threat Detection Services powered by the Claroty

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threat detection platform.

Rockwell Automation recently expanded the services globally to help more companies combat the unknown nature of today’s rapidly evolving industrial cybersecurity threats.

“A scary aspect of security threats is what you don’t know about them – what techniques they’ll use, what attack vector they’ll leverage, what vulnerabilities they’ll exploit,” said Umair

• Response and Recovery: Developing plans for containing, eradicating and recovering from attacks to keep operations running or more quickly return to a fully operational state Companies that have used the Threat Detection Services have also discovered operational benefits. For example, collected asset data can help uncover risks like obsolete technology, outdated firmware and spare parts shortages.

The Claroty threat detection platform creates an inventory of

a user’s industrial network assets, monitors traffic between them and analyzes communications at their deepest level. Detected anomalies are reported to plant and security personnel with actionable insights.

assets and improve their ability to keep operations running.”

Claroty is a Rockwell Automation Encompass Product Partner in the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork program.

“The Claroty platform, used within the Threat Detection Services, can accelerate a company’s journey to more connected and digitally driven operations,” said Amir Zilberstein, co-founder and CEO, Claroty. “Most critically, the platform can help companies detect and quickly respond to threats that bypass their security controls. But it can also give companies a deeper understanding of their industrial

About the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork Program The Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork program offers global manufacturers access to a collaborative network of companies mutually focused on developing, implementing and supporting best-in-breed solutions to achieve plant-wide optimization, improve machine

performance and meet sustainability objectives.

About Rockwell Automation Rockwell Automation Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and information, makes its customers more productive and the world more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., Rockwell Automation employs approximately 23,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries.

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Stage 1 Protection Breaker Panel (CHSP)

From Plasma TV’s and HD DVD Players to surround sound systems and advanced gaming, today’s homes contain more electronics than ever. With this automation comes an increased vulnerability to the effects of surges.

One lightning storm could cost a homeowner thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to the electronics in a home. Once a surge enters a home and damages the electronic components, the homeowner is forced to embark on a time-consuming and frustrating journey. One must: • Diagnose all of the issues • Attempt to find all locations of

damage

• Determine if your equipment

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A homeowner can help protect against such damage with a comprehensive approach to surge protection. Eaton’s surge suppression products offer the homeowner a complete approach, by offering both Stage I and Stage II surge protection.

Stage I: Service Entrance Protection is designed to provide premier surge protection for AC power, telephone and cable at the point of entrance to the home. Protection at this location can reduce surges to an acceptable level for surge strips to handle at the point of use.

Stage II: Point of use surge strips are designed to offer premier surge protection for specific electronics while providing innovative features to enhance user convenience safety.

Please contact Avery Creek at 1-877-ETN-Care for Technical support . www.eaton.com.

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The Most Innovative and Applicable Projects for the Recovery and Reuse of Water Resources

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oday, the circular economy applied to the integrated water sector - only calculating the resource’s reuse in agriculture – is able to provide a turnover of 777 million euros and approximately 4000 jobs in Italy (“Circular Economy in Italy”, Duccio Bianchi, Edizioni Ambiente publishers). But its potential is much greater: there again, the 2017 edition of the United Nations’ World Water Development Report has an eloquent title: “Wastewater: the untapped resource”.

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The topic of the management and sustainable exploitation of wastewater, at urban and industrial level, has a high profile at Ecomondo (5-8 November, Rimini Expo Centre, Italy), the Italian Exhibition Group’s platform for the circular and green economy in Italy and Europe.

With the Global Water Expo section, and thanks to the partnership with Utilitalia, Ecomondo provides a showcase for the innovation every stage of the integrated water service and wastewater cycle. The central role of Ecomondo in this context, on

the other hand, is borne out by an important event held in September precisely in Italy: The 3rd edition of the Resource Recovery Conference (www.iwarr2019. org) of the IWA (International Water Association), of which IEG expo was a partner: it is the major international summit on this matter, which brings together hundreds of world experts intending to implement projects of circular economy in the water sector.

At Ecomondo, the expo section of Global Water Expo is constantly growing (two halls - D1 and D2 - are reserved for it at the 2019 edition), while a panel of very high profile scientific meetings, prepared by Professor Francesco Fatone (Marches Polytechnic University), responsible for the “water” area on the Ecomondo Technical-Scientific Committee, will ensure opportunities for in-depth networking on all the major topics connected with the water sector: from the combination of water and agriculture, to that of water and health, from the integrated management of wastewater and urban waste in cities (water and the city), to issues of governance and regulations. A focus will also be dedicated to digital solutions (water 4.0), with a view to improving efficiency, planning and management for better economic and environmental sustainability.

HORIZON 2020 EUROPEAN INNOVATION ACTION At this edition of Global Water Expo it will be again be possible to obtain close-up knowledge of the evolution of the innovation projects in the water sector co-financed by the European Commission through the Horizon 2020 action. As well as the conclusive results of the Smart Plant project which, in large-scale pilot plants, has validated for over two years, the possibilities of the recovery and reuse of cellulose, biopolymers and nutrients from wastewater and purification sludge, Ecomondo 2019 will enable attendees to know the characteristics and steps of the innovative Hydrousa project, which has the objective of responding to the problems of water shortage, typical of the Mediterranean islands in the summer tourist period, by means of innovative nature-based solutions: recovery of wastewater, collection of rainwater, low-cost desalination of seawater, replenishing ground-water

water and collecting air humidity. Innovative solutions that will be tested on three Greek islands (Lesvos, Mykonos and Tinos), while other areas of the Mediterranean (including the Tuscan archipelago) will be involved for the repeatability of the concept. New solutions for the reuse of purified wastewater in the Mediterranean basin are also at the centre of the European project Fit4rReuse.

All innovative projects that combine research and applicability, and which in the context of Ecomondo will be covered in depth on Tuesday 5th November during the meeting entitled Water reuse in agriculture, sustainable irrigation and nature managed water cycle in the new European framework.

The European project Digital Water City (DWC) aims at finding digital solutions for the optimization of urban water services and will be presented at Ecomondo on Thursday 7th November in the context of

the conference on Water and sanitation safety plans, organized in collaboration with the Superior Health Institute and Utilitalia. Professor Fatone explains, ”Digital technology can be of great use for efficient management of services and water resources, but also for properly planning investments and contributing to safeguarding the population’s health by means of smart systems and early warning experts.” The Digital Water City project involves five European cities: Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, Sofia and, for Italy, Milan.

On the other hand, the issue of legislation on matters of sustainable sludge management and valorization in wastewater treatment is the topic of the meeting being held on Thursday 7th November entitled Barriers and solutions for sustainable sludge management and valorization in wastewater treatment.

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F E AT U R E S T O RY

Project Engineers Win Construction Contracts Putting These Skills to Test

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ecoming a project engineer goes hand in hand with being a good project manager.

Engineers help build structures through accurate technical reading. Project managers facilitate the design-buildoperation process by managing people.

What makes the two so distinct yet very similar? Their purpose— which is to put their individual strengths toward project completion. Managing the tech-

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nical and people side of the business isn’t a skill honed overnight; a project engineer jumps through many hoops to assimilate a strong culture of caring into tight bottom lines.

Project management in engineering is a growing discipline where engineers apply project management techniques to better manage their role on site.

Responsible for product design, engineers prepare detailed sketched and engi-

neering reports after reviewing drawings built by architects to ensure compliance with code and client specifications. Enormous technical detail and support go into materializing the final design, which creates an equally big room for errors if consistency and accuracy are affected.

The bid-to-win ratio of construction contracts has diminished over the past two decades, where in the prefinancial crisis era more projects would be up for auction to a select few contractors in lo-

cal areas. Today, the sheer growth in construction activity has also generated a parallel growth in the number of contractors, except now those that are digitally inclined bring more business due to the cost and time saved in managing bids vis-à-vis manual processes.

The reality can be improved by turning a fresh leaf in the way project engineers approach contracts. For aspiring engineers looking to join large construction firms as project engineers, mapping out your career doesn’t have to be daunting. Procore informs of the many aspects of project engineering to help you make a well-informed decision.

In its essence, good project engineering draws from a good education as an essential first step. If you’re at the crossroads of choosing to study further, reading this might ease your decision-making process.

Alternatively, those at the crossroads of applying for project engineer jobs often get stumped creating resumes; this post could inspire you to build a compelling application.

Still hanging on to discover tricks to win more construction contracts? We might be onto something.

Project Management for Engineers How Construction Project Engineers Communicate PEs work with multiple teams for months until the end of a project. Communication about daily project events helps them collaborate even under

pressure—something that young PEs easily give in to before weighing their options to get to an agreeable solution.

Construction projects are volatile and that brings ambiguity even to the most thoroughly-planned project items. The superintendent and PE are in close quarters which can lead to as much efficiency as anxiety for PEs to prove themselves on the job. When things don’t go according to plan, PEs can take on more than is reasonably manageable without raising queries, since they may view themselves as seeming incompetent if they raised difficult questions.

perceived interests of the project stakeholders. Hence, it’s always advisable to raise issues when they arise to ensure that everyone involved has enough bandwidth to arrive at a fair solution.

Stabilized communication increases your chance to convey what’s deliverable to a client, resulting in greater accuracy in bid proposals which in turn is likely to improve your winning odds.

This can deter effective teamwork as the focus drifts away from the task on hand to pandering to the 63

desalination Technology Update—

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How Project Engineers Build Relationships Project engineers, as already seen, collaborate with a variety of stakeholders. From clients to subcontractor teams, they’re deeply involved throughout the project lifecycle, which requires them to nurture relationships to achieve desired outcomes.

Strong internal relationships determine their success at bidding events since a full and fair estimation of projects enables them to promise only what’s achievable—not what they think the client would want in an effort to outdo their competitors.

Setting yourself apart from the competitors is a multi-faceted process, one that needs clarifying what type of work you can do and at a price that beats direct 66

rivals.

If you’re on strong terms with your customers, you can glean valuable insights from their past engagements with contractors to prepare and price your projects accordingly. Many times, bidding at the lowest price isn’t feasible while coming in at a higher price point isn’t entirely risky since you must be on the same page with the client about the value your resources and expertise will deliver.

Avoid speculating on what your client wants. Instead, actively work with them to form a proposal that appears to hit their targets. For instance, you can include a list of past projects showing how you surpassed the schedule and result expectations through pictures of similar proj-

ects. Draft a phased schedule of delivery to help your client think about how you intend to complete the project. Aim to include appealing added services to your proposal that prove you can reach your completion date with no pending work and all obligations met.

Onboard a Construction Estimating Software Using software is yet to become a universal SOP; however, a construction estimating tool is effective to centralize bid information and define workflows to control costs and schedule.

Should your company find value in a digital solution, here’s a comprehensive guide on construction project manage-

ment software to move to the next level.

Construction bidding software is widely integrated into project management software to cover a variety of activities across project phases. It automates costing jobs and comes with a range of integrations and product support that smoothens tasks from creating drawings to billing clients.

Being a smart data management tool, it regularly notifies users of price fluctuations in the market, labour costs, material supplies, and offers a plethora of bidding resources that come in handy wherever you are in the construction bidding process.

The database adapts to the method you use to cost jobs while updating with the incoming market and industry

trends.

This minimizes errors and risks and gives contractors, engineers, owners, and clients the confidence to visualize the project to completion.

Lean Construction for Higher Bid Wins The most viable approach to greater bid wins is to have the lowest possible costs and the most efficient field project management process. Field teams must adopt lean and productive approaches to executing on project design requirements with zero downtime, lags, quality slip-ups, and errors. With everyone managed according to lean construction parameters, your jobsite will function as was laid

out during the planning phase.

Here are some tactics to help you imbibe lean construction project management: • Present a realistic proposal • Onboard digital solutions and show their application • Offer specialized services • Offer a complete package of trained staff and value-added engineering services • Provide proof of being well-financed alongside permits and liability coverage • Give a walkthrough of a schedule to show faster project completion • Develop a partnership and promise to do whatever it takes to account for what you’ve proposed

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F E AT U R E S T O RY

How Engineering Can Keep In-Person Casinos Alive The world we live in today is one that’s moving constantly toward new innovations and greater tech dependency. We’ve seen the rise of services that allow you to place orders for meals and groceries, experienced ride sharing’s transition from horror story to everyday utility, and watched as streaming services took over television. It’s not the first thing we think about as we consider these changes, but in all of these instances physical venues and product stand to suffer as a result of innovation. And when we think of things this way, another industry comes to mind as one that’s approaching a crossroads of sorts in its ongoing digital revolution. Internet-based casinos have become so sophisticated, and so widely available, that it’s become fair to wonder if in-person alternatives can continue to survive.

That’s an open question, but thinking of it from a creative engineering standpoint, there’s more than a glimmer of hope for these traditional commercial venues.

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The Expansion of Online Casinos Online casinos are nothing new, but they do seem to have grown both in number and audience as of late. And while this seems in an overarching way to be a sort of natural evolution resulting from better software on gaming platforms (in some cases it really is that simple), there would appear to be a few more specific explanations for what we might call the second rise of online gambling.

For one thing, the best games on the internet are easier to find than ever before. Fifteen or 20 years ago, finding the best online gambling opportunity meant testing out different poker sites - essentially to find the one that was least annoying. Now, it’s as simple as going to one of a handful of trusted, aggregator platforms hosting wellreviewed games from top genre developers. Furthermore, these same platforms and games can now be accessed easily via mobile, putting the best online casino games in history right in people’s pockets.

There’s also the legal side of things to consider, and this is actually where we’re seeing the most evidence that the surge in online casino popularity could continue in the coming years. Specifically, new online casinos in the U.S. are beginning to expose the American market to the industry. It’s going to take state-by-state legislating to make the games legal to play with real money, but the first steps have been taken, and tens of millions of U.S. gamers could add significant revenue and attention to the market.

It’s these developments that seem to be at least opening the door for physical, in-person casinos to see a decline in popularity. But as alluded to above, this is where creative designers and engineers can come into play.

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How Casinos Can Survive Casinos have long attracted crowds of people all over the planet, for a number of different reasons: bright, exciting visuals, a positively charged atmosphere on location, and of course, the dream of earning boatloads of cash. But with online gambling opportunities improving so rapidly, some of those attractions are becoming decidedly less special. Exciting visuals? These are easily replicated by modern casino gaming graphics, if not improved upon. The chance to risk and win real money? This is, if anything, more convenient online, and with more options at hand. This doesn’t mean people won’t continue to enjoy in-person casino floors, but it does mean casinos that want to continue thriving may have to emphasize other aspects of their appeal. And the things not even the best of the best online platforms can compete with are atmosphere and physical impact.

To some extent we’re already seeing casinos acting on this. There does appear to be more emphasis being placed on live attractions, from shows to restaurants run by celebrity chefs. And some of the newer casinos in places like Las Vegas are clearly built with beauty and luxury as the first priorities, and gaming merely a feature. These trends, subtle though they may be, are likely to continue, and the thinking here is that they can be enhanced significantly by bold and exciting engineering projects.

To explain this idea, look back at a previous post you may have seen here regarding Dubai’s push to attract more tourists. The famously

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innovative city is constructing the world’s largest ferris wheel, adding yet another engineering marvel to an impressive list that’s been amassed over a relatively short time period. Now think about this in the context of attractions like The Venetian Macau’s artificial canal network, or the miniature New York City at the New York, New York in Las Vegas, or even the sky-scraping infinity pool at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. All of these are effectively engineering and design achievements that have come to define casinos already, and in some cases entire towns!

This, given all of the digital takeover potential described above, is what casino owners and operators will need to be thinking about in the next five, 10, or 15 years. Just another casino resort - even a beautiful and luxurious one with a massive gaming floor - is unlikely to offer much specifics appeal to the modern gamer who’s used to digital convenience and sees nothing special in an in-person slot machine or poker table. However, what if a new Vegas establishment hired an engineering team to beat out Dubai’s new ferris wheel? What if a major European city challenged the highest skyscraper in its country with a new casino resort? What if a country built an artificial island incorporating ferry service to a faux-tropical casino venue? These features and attractions can still make an impact that online gaming can’t match.

It’s for this reason that we might expect a significant push toward innovative and daring engineering in this particular space.

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