Laboratory Project

The Ooltewah-based American Bicycle Group - maker of Litespeed bicycles – has been working with NASA engineers to develop titanium components needed for the Mars Science Laboratory Project. The mobile laboratory vehicle will carry several scientific instruments to Mars to continue the exploration that previous Mars rovers began on the planet. The partnership began in 2007 when the lead mechanical engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, Jaime Waydo, was working on developing the suspension and drivetrain for the Mars Science Laboratory. She and her colleagues ran into trouble developing custom-formed titanium tubing for the vehicle’s suspension system, and called upon Litespeed for the solution.

Alstom Power –

A Global Leader in Carbon Capture Technology

Alstom, a world leader in power generation, is at the forefront of carbon capture technology development. In 2007 and 2008, Alstom announced plans to test CO2 capture technologies in the U.S. and Europe. To date, Alstom has started operations at three CO2 capture pilot projects in Wisconsin, Sweden, and Germany. The company recently announced a partnership with The Dow Chemical Company for the design and construction of a pilot plant to capture approximately 1,800 tons per year of CO2 from the flue gas of a coal-fired boiler at a Dow-owned facility in South Charleston, West Virginia. Alstom is partnering with American Electric Power on a new carbon capture demonstration project in New Haven, West Virginia that captures 150,000 tons per year of CO2. The plant, which uses chilled ammonia technology, will be the first integrated demonstration project that burns coal, cleans the flue gas, captures the CO2, compresses it, and sequesters the CO2 at more than 8,000 feet underground.

Astec’s “Green”
Asphalt

Astec Industries, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of equipment used to make asphalt, has developed a new innovation described as a “green tsunami.” The company’s Double Barrel® Green System makes it possible to mix asphalt at a dramatically lower temperature by using water instead of chemicals. The system was recognized by Construction Equipment magazine as one of the Top 100 Products of 2008. Typical roller asphalt - a mixture of 5 percent heavy oil and 95 percent crushed rock - has to be mixed at 330 degrees Fahrenheit. Astec’s equipment can now mix concrete at 270 degrees, creating far less emissions and requiring less energy. The amount of oil that would be saved using the new process each year in the U.S. is equivalent to one week of imported oil - about 90 million barrels.

GenTech Construction Partners – Create City’s First LEED-Certified Building

River Street Architecture, Fidelity Trust and GenTech Construction have partnered to establish the first LEED-certified building in Chattanooga. The Hamilton on Cherry building, located at 714 Cherry Street, was recently awarded LEED gold-level certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGB). LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - is the USGB’s rating system for green building. The three-story building, originally the Burk Hotel and later the Hamilton Hotel, was built in the early part of the 20th century and had been vacant for several years. The building design team performed an energy model that indicated almost 30 percent less energy use than the existing building. GenTech Construction embraced the notion of reuse by planing old framing lumber and refashioning it in the new wood storefront system, as well as the metal and wood railing on the second floor.

Miller Industries on Track with Nation’s Speedways

Miller Industries, the world’s largest manufacturer of towing and recovery equipment, also serves a critical role as “The Official Towing and Recovery Equipment” for the California Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Daytona International Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Talladega SuperSpeedway, Chicagoland Speedway, and the Phoenix International Raceway. Trucks are staffed by experienced tow operators who volunteer their time and services. Each operator is trained by Miller Industries Race Director Ken Burdine on the proper techniques and safety procedures on the speedways.

Tricycle, Inc. Offers Sustainable Options for Interiors Industry

In 2002, Tricycle launched an alternative to carpet sampling for the architecture and interior design industry. The Chattanooga-based sustainable design services company produces and delivers extremely realistic paper samples - called Tryks - to specifiers, instead of physical carpet samples. In 2007, Tricycle launched a significant expansion of the program. Tryk now works with woven carpet, wall coverings, fabrics, and hard surfaces. Since 2003, eco-minded architects and interior designers have requested more than 279,000 realistic, recyclable, paper Tricycle prints in place of carpet samples. This translates to more than 69,000 gallons of oil conserved and 418,000 pounds of carpet that will never be landfilled – because it was never manufactured in the first place.

Volkswagen to

Have Capability to Double Output at

Chattanooga Plant

There had been early indications that Volkswagen would double production at its Chattanooga assembly plant, but that goal was reiterated during a recent investor meeting in Germany. Initial plans called for building 150,000 cars per year, but Volkswagen officials have now confirmed that they will one day have the capability to produce 300,000 autos each year at Chattanooga’s Enterprise South industrial park. The factory will build a new midsize sedan specially designed for the North American market. Approximately 30 percent of these cars will be powered by Volkswagen’s TDI Clean Diesel Technology. In total, the German car maker is expecting to sell 800,000 units in the United States in 2018, which is triple current sales. Construction recently began on the $1 billion plant, which is expected to begin production in 2011.

U.S. Xpress and TransCard Earn Top Honors

TransCard, a leading provider of prepaid debit card solutions, recently earned top honors at the Payback Awards for its dual-purpose fuel and pay card for U.S. Xpress Enterprises. The card provides a convenient way for drivers to access their pay while they are on the road and offers financial management tools, including bill pay. The program is an efficient, cost-effective way for U.S. Xpress – one of the nation’s largest truckload carriers - to pay its drivers, as well as to fund and manage fuel purchases. “This card has become invaluable to our drivers,” says Patrick Quinn, co-chairman of U.S. Xpress Enterprises, Inc. “Not only does it provide drivers with a guaranteed method for receiving their wages, regardless of their location on pay day, but it also allows drivers to transfer money to their families that same day via the Internet, over the phone, or even on their mobile devices.”