Environmental Technologies Industries

Environmental Technologies Industries

Newsletter

September 2000

ETTAC Member Wins NASA Johnson Space Center Award
By David O’Connell
Environmental Technologies Industries

The NASA Johnson Space Center has awarded its Environmental Systems Commercial Space Technology Center (ESCSTC) to the University of Florida Team, which includes Tempest Environmental Systems, for the development of advanced water purification technologies and their applications, for long duration human space missions. Gerard “Roddy” Tempest, the company President & CEO, is an active member of the U.S. Department of Commerce-supported Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee (ETTAC), which represents the interests of U.S. environmental exporters.

Tempest Environmental Systems will be concentrating on projects that utilize its unique talents in the areas of water and wastewater treatment and purification. While its top-level commercialization goals can be summarized as "self-contained, self-sustained water processing", Tempest has the technical capability to take wastewater and purify it to four (4) grades of water quality: (1) Drinking water quality to meet or exceed US-EPA and W.H.O. standards; (2) Industrial process water quality (ASTM Type III and IV) for the washing or rinsing of machine and glass parts; (3) Nuclear reactor feed water quality (ASTM Type III and IV) and for most analytical or general laboratory testing such as hematological, serological, and microbiological procedures; (4) Sterile USP XXII for human injection and water quality used as the standard for procedures requiring maximum accuracy and precision such as HPLC, ICP/MS, atomic absorption, flame photometry, tissue culture, blood gas, reference buffer solutions and reconstruction of lyophilized materials (ASTM Type I).

The ESCSTC is being established to allow NASA to partner with academia and industry in advancing state-of-the-art environmental systems in order to develop technologies that meet NASA's needs for safe long-duration space flight, while serving as a catalyst for commercial, terrestrial application of the technologies developed.

Office of Environmental Technologies Industries: New Name; Same Mission

In May, 2000, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Environmental Technologies Exports (ETE) was officially renamed the Office of Environmental Technologies Industries (ETI).

ETI will still continue to provide U.S. environmental firms with the quality market research, business counseling, trade leads, trade promotion events, and advocacy services which have helped to increase U.S. environmental exports to $18.9 billion in 1998, a 100% increase over 1993.

ETI will also continue to play a key role in the development of U.S. trade policy and in related trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO), Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), etc. Your company can assist our trade policy development by filling out the non-tariff barrier form on our website (www.environment.ita.doc.gov).

Revised ETI Home Page (www.environment.ita.doc.gov). New graphics. New features. And a new URL. Check out the new and improved ETE home page at www.environment.ita.doc.gov. We have added several items such as trade leads and tariff information, and have expanded our section on Finance.

Doing Well by Doing Good- The Business of Disaster Recovery
By Marc Lemmond
Environmental Technologies Industries

From the earthquakes in Turkey to hurricanes in Central America, natural disasters have left communities around the world economically and socially devastated. Governments and international donors from the public, private, and non_profit sectors support recovery by donating funds for needed materials, supplies, and services. The U.S. government is active in donating resources and funds to speed disaster recovery efforts. In response to the severe earthquakes in Turkey last year, President Clinton pledged $1 billion from a multitude of federal sources in support and over $20 million was authorized to help Venezuela recover from flooding.

Environmental technologies are among the desperately needed products and services following a tragedy. Natural disasters have left millions around the world without access to uncontaminated water and food supplies or adequate waste collection and disposal services in addition to infrastructure needs. For example, following Hurricane Mitch, ANDA (the water utility and regulatory authority of El Salvador) announced initiatives of over $500 million USD in projects to rehabilitate water and sewage infrastructure. In Honduras, the U.S. Agency for International Development (US AID) responded to the storm by contributing approximately $100 million USD to rebuild water infrastructure through that country’s National Water and Sewage Service (SANAA). Helping to promote these opportunities, the office of Environmental Technologies Industries (ETI) organized a "Hurricane Mitch Reverse Trade Mission" to the annual conference of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) in Denver, CO this past June. Participants included key water sector decision_makers from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Interested parties can contact Ellen Zeytoun of ETI at (202) 482_0359 for additional information.

Hach, a water quality testing firm based in Colorado, is one company that has learned to capitalize on these opportunities. Moving quickly in response to Mitch, the company was able to supply water testing equipment in Honduras. Hach Business Analyst Cindee Arduino says "Our products have been designed to be durable and portable. They are ideal in relief situations because they can provide accuracy and convenience without needing electricity to operate. Disaster relief activities aren’t just good business, they are the essence of what we do." In Singapore, Cooke Companies International (CCI) worked with the US Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP) to supply training as well as equipment after mass municipal waste combustion caused widespread dioxin contamination. The firm was able to participate through grants from US AEP’s Overseas Program Fund.

Exposure gained through emergency response activities can lead to other commercial benefits. Subsequent bidding opportunities are the most obvious long_term possibility. In Venezuela, Hach ’s initial donation of equipment to a humanitarian group lead to subsequent product orders. In one of the examples outlined earlier, Dr. Marcus Cooke, founder and President of CCI, says "Their initial critique of the system allowed us to make significant improvements in the first commercial units."

A number of U.S. federal government agencies have programs to speed assistance to areas affected by disasters. For assistance in finding information on U.S. government relief, please contact ETI’s Marc Lemmond at (202) 482_3889.

New Approaches Help Expand International Trade Opportunities for the U.S. Environmental Industry
By David Scott Smith & Sandra Collaz
Interagency Environmental Technology Office (IETO)

A companies' ability to forge business alliances and partnerships has become not only desirable but a necessary tool for survival in today's world. As more buyers of environmental products and services are demanding "systems-based solutions," goods and services are often "bundled" by more than one company or organization to fit the particular requirements of a domestic or international buyer. To respond to changing market requirements, U.S. companies must sharpen their partnership-developing skills so that they can produce precisely the package of goods and services that meets each client's specific requirements for economic and environmental performance.

The Interagency Environmental Technology Office (IETO), established by Vice President Gore in 1994, is a one-stop shop for companies and organizations with interests in the development and deployment of environmental technologies, especially overseas. IETO has addressed the overseas partnering issue by creating an Internet infrastructure for U.S. and European partnering at www.et3m.net. This Web site is designed to draw in thousands of companies and organizations interested in collaborating with U.S. or European partners on environmental technology projects. At this Web site, companies post their profiles, search for potential partners, access key information, find resources, and explore joint projects and opportunities. By submitting a profile of their companies and activities, organizations can review each other's capabilities and goals. In essence, the Web site is a convenient, accessible tool for companies to "pre-qualify" each other.

"U.S.- European Partnering Event for Environmental Technologies": November 29, 2000

U.S. and European companies and organizations that want to meet face-to-face are invited to attend the "U.S.- European Partnering Event for Environmental Technologies" on November 29th through December 1st, 2000. The event will be held at the Golden Tulip Hotel Schiphol, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. This conference is part of an ongoing initiative to form alliances for joint business activities or research collaborations anywhere in the world (bundled U.S. and European goods and services), and identify international projects and funding sources. The event's principal organizers are IETO and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, with more than a dozen additional U.S. and European sponsors. The cost of the conference is $145 and includes full participation in all scheduled sessions as well as some meals. For more information, to complete a profile, or to register to attend the partnering event, please visit the Web site at http://www.et3m.net. For more information, visit IETO at http://www.whitehouse.gov/CEQ/ieto.html or call Sandra Collazo, Interagency Environmental Technology Office, Environmental Technology Task Force, White House Council on Environmental Quality at 202-395-0854 or Sandra_J._Collazo@ceq.eop.gov.

Federal Program Update
By David O’Connell
Office of Environmental Technologies Industries

Ex-Im Bank Expands Subsovereign Borrowing

The U.S. Export-Import Bank recently announced that it will accept the credit of qualified cities, states, and other subsovereign governments in emerging markets for the purchase of U.S. equipment and services to address vital infrastructure needs. The new Ex-Im Bank initiative will immediately make doing business with U.S. companies easier for subsovereign entities in Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Colombia, Croatia, the Czeck Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Malaysia, Poland, Slovakia, and South Korea. In particular, the program will help foreign borrowers with municipal, state and provincial support gain access to Ex-Im Bank financing to purchase, among other things, environmental goods and services.

This new sub-sovereign initiative continues Ex-Im Bank’s commitment to U.S. environmental firms. Ex-Im Bank’s special “Environmental Exports Program” provides enhance levels of support (working capital guarantees, export credit insurance) for a broad range of environmental exports. Because of Ex-Im Bank efforts, a company in the Mexican City of Ciudad Juarez will be able to begin recycling used tires in a custom-designed recycling facility being built with Ex-Im Bank financing assistance. Sorbilite, Inc. Of Virginia Beach, VA is selling $2.35 million in recycling equipment and services to Refaccionaria Valati, a gas distributor that also runs a tire retreading center in Ciudad Juarez. Under the enhance terms of its Environmental Export Program, Ex-Im Bank is providing a $2.07 million insurance policy to support a seven year loan by Wells Fargo Bankof El Paso, TX to Refaccionaria Valati. The plant will convert about 4,000 tons a year of used tires from the Ciudad Juarez area into rubber floor mats and molding. “This deal would not have been closed without Ex-Im Bank support,” said Brigitte Pohl, VP of Sorbilite. Sorbilite has annual sales of approximately $7-10 million, of which exports account for about 80% of this total. Ex-Im Bank had supported Sorbilite’s export of a wood-fiber recycling facility to Sri Lanka several years ago. For more information about Ex-Im Bank programs, contact Craig O’Connor at 202-565-3939 or visit www.exim.gov.

TDA - Working to Promote U.S. Envirotech Exports

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) is an independent federal agency that helps American companies develop commercial opportunities in emerging markets. To achieve this mission, the agency invests in feasibility studies, training grants, technical assistance, orientation visits and deal_making conferences. Promoting the export of America’s environmental technology and services is an important part of TDA’s program, as more and more foreign nations are prioritizing wastewater treatment, air quality and hazardous waste projects. In addition, environmental improvement is being included as a feature in the development of many infrastructure and industrial projects overseas and is a crucial element of every single TDA study. In 1999, TDA invested in 56 new environmental projects around the world.

In addition to the water, wastewater and air projects listed here, TDA has supported numerous power plant conversions from coal to gas, technology upgrades to lower emissions, rail transport projects to reduce road congestions and many other environmentally beneficial initiatives. Recent TDA projects in the environmental sector include:

Philippines Industrial Air Emissions Phase II — TDA awarded a $537,000 feasibility study grant to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to fund 50 environmental audits that will quantify the air emissions from industrial sources in the Manila area. The technical assistance is supporting an Asian Development Bank loan to ameliorate air pollution in Manila. Ecology and Environment, Inc. of Lancaster, New York, is providing this assistance, which is expected to be completed in 2002.

Peru North Lima Wastewater Treatment Plant — TDA has provided a $450,000 grant for a feasibility study on a wastewater treatment plant in Northern Lima. The proposed project involves the construction of a 500 mgd primary treatment plant and ocean outfall. Parsons Engineering Science International of San Diego, California, is conducting the study, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2000. The U.S. export potential for this project is estimated at $137 million. For more information about TDA programs, contact Anne McKinney at 703-875-4357 or visit www.tda.gov.

Success Stories
By David O’Connell
Environmental Technologies Industries

LightStream Technologies of Reston, Virginia , participated in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Environmental Technologies Matchmaker Mission to India in September of 1999. The mission from September 13-21. During the course of the Matchmaker, which visited New Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai, the company received over 25 serious and qualified inquiries from Indian companies interested in becoming LightStream Authorized Solution Providers. The company is also in discussions with one of India's fastest growing public companies regarding local product assembly and regional marketing. The company projects sales to the Indian market in excess of $15 million over the next 5 years. Lightstream success is based on its development of advanced proprietary technology for treating water and wastewater using high power pulsed ultraviolet light (UV). LightStream's overseas marketing plan is based on its Authorized Solution Provider Network comprised of leading water equipment and total solution companies which provide a unique channel of stocking distributors to bring LightStream sales and service closest to market. The Network is designed as both a distribution channel and a global product and project collaboration source. The company supports the network via private computer network, advertising, public relations campaigns, product demonstrations sites, international trade shows, and end user conferences. Due to its continuing positive results from matchmakers and other programs of the U.S. Department of Commerce, LightStream has made these Commerce programs a critical link to its global business development plan.

Kinetico Incorporated of Newbury, Ohio is a water and wastewater treatment equipment manufacturer that has increased its export sales substantially during the past five years, thanks to the efforts of the U.S. Department of Commerce (USDOC). Working frequently with USDOC offices in Cleveland and participating in a number of USDOC programs has been instrumental to its overseas growth. In 1999, approximately 25% of the company revenue was export-based, up significantly from just 6% in 1994. Recent successes include the sale of multi-million dollar wastewater recycling systems to: ST Microelectronics in Morocco; Intel, Texas Instruments and Philips in the Philippines; and Motorola in Hong Kong. Kinetico's standards products division manufactures water treatment for residential and commercial use. Andrew Warnes, Manager of International Operations for Kinetico, states that "without a doubt, our growth could never have occurred so quickly without partnering with the USDOC". The USDOC got us into the JETRO "fast track" program in Japan, and helped us earn a NASDA grant to pilot wastewater treatment for aquaculture in Ecuador. These projects have brought us high visibility in important sectors." Kinetico’s goal is to increase its exports to over 50% of total revenue by 2002.

Environmental Dynamics, Inc.(EDI), of Columbia, Missouri, manufacturers aeration and mixing systems used in municipal and industrial waste water treatment facilities. The firm has been an active user of U.S. Department of Commerce services, according to Diana Bailey of the U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC) - St. Louis. In fact, EDI's website indicates that "EDI works closely with the U.S. Department of Commerce to continually develop international projects around the world." Mr. Boik, EDI’s Financial Manager, indicated that EDI's sales to Brazil in the last three years have amounted to US$ 215,673, most of which was insured by the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Assistance provided by the USEAC-St. Louis and Regina Cunha of the U.S. Commercial Service in Rio de Janeiro was in the form of business counseling, particularly on the programs of the U.S. Export-Import Bank.

Regional Highlights

Canada - U.S. Border

The environmental agencies of the United States and Canada recently released a comprehensive Lakewide Management Plans (LaMPs) designed to protect and restore Lake Erie, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. The agencies also announced the release of an updated LaMP for Lake Ontario and a report on each lake’s total ecosystem, rather than isolated "hot spots". The LaMP’s were initiated as part of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between the United States and Canada. The plans were developed in cooperation with federal, state, provincial, and tribal agencies and governments in partnership with representatives of academic, environmental, business, and industry groups. For more information, see www.epa/gov/glnpo/gl2000/lamps.

China

18 Chinese environmental managers participated in the Industrial Water Quality Management Study Work Tour this past June in Seattle and Denver. The Office of Environmental Technologies Industries (ETI) was just one of many sponsors of this highly successful and effective door opener for US_China environmental trade. The program fulfilled objectives of the Joint Commission for Commerce and Trade (JCCT) Environment Subgroup, maximized U.S._Chinese company interactions, and elicited U.S. trade and industry interests and support. In this first_ever U.S._China work study program in the States, ETI coordinated closely with U.S. Department of Commerce offices in China and throughout the U.S., along with the EPA, US_AEP, and several state and private sector trade and industry organizations. The 18 Chinese representatives participated in more than 50 technical and commercial presentations from a wide array of private, state, and federal experts in Seattle and Denver; visited more than a dozen waste water treatment sites; and attended the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) conference. During the tour, a Chinese company signed a $15 million contract with one of the US companies, that has already resulted in $1 million in sales. For more information on the Chinese environmental marketplace, contact Susan Simon at 202-482-0713.

Europe

The "U.S.- European Partnering Event for Environmental Technologies"takes place on November 29th through December 1st, 2000 in Amsterdam. This conference is part of an ongoing initiative to form alliances for joint business activities or research collaborations anywhere in the world (bundled U.S. and European goods and services); and identify international projects and funding sources. The event's principal organizers are IETO and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, with more than a dozen additional U.S. and European sponsors. The cost of the conference is $145 and includes full participation in all scheduled sessions as well as some meals. For more information, to complete a profile, or to register to attend the partnering event, please visit the Web site at http://www.et3m.net. For more information, visit IETO at http://www.whitehouse.gov/CEQ/ieto.html or call Sandra Collazo, Interagency Environmental Technology Office, Environmental Technology Task Force, White House Council on Environmental Quality at 202-395-0854 or Sandra_J._Collazo@ceq.eop.gov.

As part of its recent partnership with the ECOLINKS program www.ecolinks.org, EEC announces two upcoming ECOLINKS seminars, "Environmental Opportunities Presented by Entry into the European Union, Special Focus on the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland." The first half-day seminar will be held in Pittsburgh, PA - October 24, 2000. A second seminar will be held in Chicago, IL - October 26, 2000. For information on these events or on EEC's ECOLINKS activities please contact Mr. Chris Godlove, EEC, Tel: (202) 312-2911; e-mail: godlovec@ctc.com. These two seminars are sponsored by EEC, ECOLINKS and USDOC.

The EU-USA INTERPRISE Environmental Technologies 2000 October 19-20, 2000 in Denver, Colorado http://www.ebiusa.com/ . The EU-USA INTERPRISE Environmental Technologies 2000 is an initiative funded by the European Commission to support personal business contacts between European and American enterprises active in the environmental industry. During the event, bilateral company meetings will be held which are aimed at setting up partnerships, technology transfers, joint ventures, joint financing, teaming arrangements or technical assistance agreements. You can read more about the event and register online at EBI's website http://www.ebiusa.com/ Participation fee is $195 per company. (Contact: Mariko Killion at 619-295-7685 x27)

Latin America - Brazil

The U.S. Commercial Service organized a successful Environmental Technologies Matchmaker Mission to Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires, September 11-15, 2000. Six U.S. environmental firms participated on the mission. In the wake of the one-on-one Matchmaker Mission meetings, one company announced at an MOU signing that it would sell would sell 150 units of its water disinfection system to its Brazilian counterpart for an approximate first year value of $10 million. For more information on the Brazilian environmental marketplace, including a list of projects, contact David O’Connell at 202-482-3509.

World

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) - a multi-national sustainable development project funding organization - funds projects around the globe. These projects can be "full size", "medium size" ($1 million USD), or smaller, "enabling" consulting activities and project development efforts. GEF funds all activities through its partner organizations, regional development banks, bi-lateral development organizations, non-governmental organizations, and even the private sector. GEF funding presents an additional funding option for projects with global environmental impact. Learn more at www.gefweb.org.

Global Technology Network (www.usgtn.org)

The Global Technology Network (GTN) assists the U.S. business community in gaining access to global environmental and energy markets by providing trade leads and market information from the developing world, free of charge. The GTN currently has database access to U.S. environmental firms covering over 600 different sub-sectors within the environmental industry. Since 1994, GTN reports 90 environmental deals worth $67,145,000 for U.S. firms. A small travel grants program is also available to support U.S. firms pursuing these GTN trade leads. (Contact: Kara Wyrsch at 202-466-4227, or www.usgtn.org).

ATTENTION WATER EXECUTIVES:
DON’T MISS THE FOLLOWING
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AT WEFTEC 2000!

Mexico: Opportunities for Business & Partnership Seminar
WEFTEC 2000, Anaheim Convention Center
Saturday, October 14, 2000; 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Sponsored by: U.S. Department of Commerce - ETI and the Water Environment Federation
This full-day workshop will provide current information on the vast business opportunities for the wastewater sector in Mexico. For further information and to register, please contact: Kevin DeBell, Water Environment Federation at 703-684-2416; Email kdebell@wef.org

Asia: Opportunities for Business & Partnership Seminar
WEFTEC 2000, Anaheim Convention Center, Room 304A
Monday, October 16, 2000; 12:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Sponsored by: U.S.-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP) and the U.S. Department of Commerce
This workshop will provide current information on the vast business opportunities for the wastewater sector in Asia. (Contact: Sharleen Bakeman, Ensight Technical Services at 303-651-1001; Email: Bakeman@nilenet.com)

Asia Business Meetings
WEFTEC 2000, Anaheim Convention Center
October 16-18, 2000
Sponsored By: U.S.-Asia Environmental Partnership and the U.S. Department of Commerce
Meet “one-on-one” with buyers direct from Asia recruited to attend WEFTEC 2000 by the US-AEP Tech Reps. from Asia. (Contact: Sharleen Bakeman, Ensight Technical Services at 303-651-1001; Email: Bakeman@nilenet.com)

Mexico Business Meetings
Anaheim Convention Center, Room 304-A
Tuesday, October 17, 2000; 8:30 to 5:00 PM
Sponsored By: U.S. Department of Commerce - ETI
Meet “one-on-one” with buyers direct from Mexico recruited to attend WEFTEC 2000 by the U.S. Embassy - Mexico City. (Contact: Cyndi Skiff, Ensight Technical Services Email: skiff2@uswest.net)

Israel Business Meetings
Anaheim Convention Center, Room 304-A
Tuesday, October 17, 2000; 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Sponsored By: The Israeli Export Institute and the U.S. Department of Commerce
Meet “one-on-one” with buyers from Israel recruited to attend WEFTEC 2000 by the U.S. Embassy, Tel Aviv. (Contact: Sharleen Bakeman, Ensight Technical Services at 303-651-1001. Email: Bakeman@nilenet.com)

China Business Meetings
Anaheim Convention Center, Room 304-A
Wednesday, October 18, 2000; 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Sponsored By: U.S. Department of Commerce and the L.A. U.S.-Export Assistance Center.
Delegations of public and private representatives from Beijing and China's wealthy southeast provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, and Guangxi will attend WEFTEC and are available to meet individually with U.S. companies. (Contact: Erica Chavez at 949-660-1688 x308.)