Friday, November 28, 2014

Ecolab, Inc.: Making the World a Cleaner and Safer Place


Publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, Ecolab, Inc. is a global provider of technologies and services that ensure the safety of food and water. The business was created as Economics Laboratory in 1923 and is now headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Merritt J. Osborn founded the business and it focuses its resources in providing the world the best water, hygiene and energy technologies. Their products and services are marketed globally and are most helpful to companies that thrive in the industry of hospitality, healthcare, food, energy and the industrial markets. Through the technology the business offers, businesses are able to ensure that their working environment remains to be clean and safe and is capable of operating efficiently. Ecolab is best known for supplying chemicals needed by beef and poultry processors to reduce the presence of pathogens in their products, especially the salmonella and E. Coli virus.

There are millions of customers in more than 170 countries that trust the services provided by Ecolab. The company employs more than 45,000 associates that have made it their business to make the world safe and clean.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

EnPro Industries: Engineered for Long Lasting Performance


One of the successors of Goodrich Corporation is EnPro Industries which has started its independent operations in 2001. The company is a supplier of various industrial products that serve critical functions in a wide range of industries. Their products include plain bearings, diesel engines, sealing and other high-performance products.

The formation of the company happened after Goodrich spun off its Engineered Industrial Products business. The spin off included the aligning of several businesses under the newly created company but were allowed to operate using its own brand name. The majority of the businesses included in the spin off were originally owned by Coltec Industries, which was also purchased Goodrich in 1998. Today, brand names like GGB Bearing Technology, STEMCO, GArlock Sealing Technologies, Fairbanks Morse Engine, Compressor Products International and Technetics Group operate under the umbrella corporation of EnPro Industries.

The operations of the entire venture are comprised of 61 manufacturing facilities that are located in 12 countries. These businesses are capable of supporting companies that thrive in the industry of oil and gas, mining, power generation, aerospace and defense, chemical processing, pharmaceutical, pulp and paper and heavy-duty trucking. There are roughly 40 industries that the company serves. They provide thousands of applications that range from tractor-trailer trucks to jet engines, chemical plants to oil wells and even operations in Navy ships.

As the business strengthened its positions in the global market, it has also taken an aggressive stance in growing its venture through strategic acquisitions. These acquired businesses focus on engineered industrial products that are aligned to the company’s goal of becoming the global preferred provider of engineered solutions.

The common stocks of the business are traded publicly on the New York Stock Exchange using the symbol NPO. The company is a component of the Russell 3000 Index and maintains its main office in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Diamond Resorts International: A Hospitality and Resort Management Company


The concept of Diamond Resort International works similarly to timeshare and destination clubs. The business is registered as a vacation ownership company that is publicly held on the NASDAQ. Founded in 1996, the company holds its headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The operations of the company cover 33 countries. Every individual who wants to purchase any real estate interest operated by the Diamond Resorts are able to choose from their 89 managed resorts. In addition, they also have163 affiliated resorts that were formerly owned by Sunterrra Resorts and Timeshares. They also have four cruise itineraries that are made available through their DRI timeshare exchange. Claiming to be one of the largest hospitality companies in the world, the business has over 490,000 members and owners.

The company was founded by Stephen J. Cloobeck, who also created the US Corporation for Travel Promotion. The company is known or not having any accreditation from the Better Business Bureau.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Douglas Dynamics, Inc.: The Snow and Ice Control Equipment Expert


There are currently six brand names that Douglas Dynamics, Inc. markets. These brand names include BLIZZARD, FISHER, SnowEx, SweepEx, WESTERN and TurfEx. Each of these brand names serves various functions in different marketplaces and are considered to be leaders in their niche.

This American company is known as a premier manufacturer of vehicle attachments and equipment across North America. The business is best known for their snow and ice control equipment that are most useful especially during heavy snowy seasons. Douglas Dynamics designs, manufactures and markets these products across the United States and in Canada. Millions of people rely on the services provided by these vehicles to help them go about their daily lives despite heavy snows. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the business markets their products and services through their network of distributors. Their end users are mostly snowplowers and those professionals, who have contracts with residential, commercial and municipal areas to remove snow.

Douglas Dynamics has committed its operations to innovation and constant marketing of products that are not only state of the art but are also marked with the highest quality. Through their continuous improvement processes, they are able to generate value for their shareholders, while making an impact on the lives of those who rely on their products and services. For more than 65 years, the company has created products that helped companies improve their job efficiency, business profitability and impact to the population’s way of living.

The solutions expertise of the business served as one of the driving force that has made the business float despite emerging competitions. Douglas Dynamics is well positioned in the market and is set to continue creating growth opportunities and generate the much needed revenue. The business continues to publicly trade on the New York Stock Exchange, under the symbol PLOW.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Chart Industries: Manufacturing Equipment for Cryogenic and Gas Storage and Distribution


The products and equipment that are manufactured by Chart Industries are most useful in the production, storage and distribution of natural gas, atmospheric and other industrial gases. The company is a publicly held business that trades on the NASDAQ.

As a leading manufacturing of equipment, their products are globally marketed and are categorized as either standard or custom engineered and are used in various applications in gas processing and cryogenic. The business serves a wide array of industries. As of, they have 3 major markets served that have significant sub-sectors that utilize the products manufactured by Chart. These markets are the general industrial, biomedical and energy industries. Sub-sectors include food & beverage, natural gas processing, biomedical and metal fabrication.

The offerings of the business might not be useful to us directly, but every day, these products get to touch our lives one way or another. Their products are used in fountain soft-drink carbonation and beer dispensing, oxygen respiratory therapy, preservation of carbonated beverages and flash freezing of produce, poultry and fish.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Comfort Systems USA: Creating Healthy and Comfortable Environments


Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) are three essential elements needed to create a conducive working environment for all employees. It is in the provisioning of these necessities that Comfort Systems USA conducts their business. This publicly held company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, under the symbol FIX and holds its headquarters in Houston, Texas.

The company offers installation, maintenance, repair and replacement services of HVAC systems primarily in the commercial, industrial and institutional HVAC markets. In addition, some of their operations also offer electrical and mechanical contracting to businesses that range from small sizes to those that are part of the Fortune 500 companies. Through its subsidiaries, they are also able to offer building services and retrofit systems for virtually any kind of establishment. Throughout the country, the business has changed the HVAC systems of museums, schools, high rise buildings, hospitals and even manufacturing plants. Comfort Systems exist to provide buildings and establishments the comfort, efficiency and safety it needs to continue its operations.

They take complex building issues head on by integrating their strategic planning with engineering, implementation and operational support that are customized to address the issue at hand. The venture remains to be the preferred brand name when it comes to energy efficiency, building environments and comfortable workplace.

The operations of Comfort Systems are categorized into three primary segments: construction, building service and maintenance and retrofit. As the company continues to expand, they have ventured outside the HVAC markets and offers refrigeration services, automation, security, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, water treatment and BIM.

Regardless of the size of any project, the company guarantees success and quality through their best in class practices, ideas and technology. Their nationwide coverage provides the company an advantage over their competitions and allows them to create several “centers of excellence” across the nation.