Teleflex driving change.A Sault Ste. Marie Sault Sainte Marie — pronounced "Soo Saint Marie" (IPA /su seɪnt məˈɹi/) — is the name of two cities on the Saint Marys River, which forms part of the boundary between the United States and Canada. manufacturer is making a contribution toward cleaning up harmful air emissions on North American North American named after North America. North American blastomycosis see North American blastomycosis. North American cattle tick see boophilusannulatus. highways and rail yards with an innovative operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. for trucks and locomotives. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Teleflex Advanced Thermodynamics thermodynamics, branch of science concerned with the nature of heat and its conversion to mechanical, electric, and chemical energy. Historically, it grew out of efforts to construct more efficient heat engines—devices for extracting useful work from expanding builds an auxiliary power unit An auxiliary power unit (APU) is a device on a vehicle whose purpose is to provide energy for functions other than propulsion. Different types of APU are found on aircraft, as well as some large ground vehicles. (APU APU Azusa Pacific University APU Auxiliary Power Unit APU Alaska Pacific University APU Asia Pacific University (Japan) APU American Public University APU Anglia Polytechnic University (Chelmsford) ) for the trucking and rail industry designed to reduce unnecessary idling, cut fuel consumption and minimize emissions. The Sault company, which was purchased five years ago by Teleflex, a $2-billion-a-year Pennsylvania multi-national, produces the Proheat Gen 4 system, which provides heating, cooling and household power for trucks. "Anytime a truck pulls over and needs to have the engine running, our unit replaces all the requirements for that," explains plant manager John Cocchiola. Running on one-tenth power, the system charges the batteries, keeps the truck engine warm with coolant coolant (kōō´l  nt),n flow, and provides a climate control system (heat, air conditioning air conditioning, mechanical process for controlling the humidity, temperature, cleanliness, and circulation of air in buildings and rooms. Indoor air is conditioned and regulated to maintain the temperature-humidity ratio that is most comfortable and healthful. , ventilation) for the driver's cab. With a four-kilowatt generator, the unit also comes with an outlet to run a microwave oven, television or other small appliances while the driver is resting. Cocchiola says the unit uses about one-third of the amount of fuel that the main engine would use at idle. The other benefit is reduced wear and tear on the main engine, which results in less servicing lower maintenance costs. While the truck APUs are designed and built by Teleflex, the locomotive units are being manufactured on a contract basis with EcoTrans Technologies of London, Ont., a joint-venture partnership between CSX Transportation, the largest railway in the eastern U.S., and International Road and Rail Inc. of London, Ont. The locomotive APUs were recognized in 2002 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and with a Clear Air Excellence Award for its clean air commitment through innovation. For competitive reasons, Cocchiola is reluctant to divulge production numbers, except to say plant production has doubled in each of the past two years and will again in 2004. The 50-employee company, situated in the Batchewana First Nation's Blue Heron Industrial Park, will be among 10 exporters from Northern Ontario to receive an Ontario Global Traders Award in Sault Ste. Marie on April 15. Coincidentally, EcoTrans Technologies is also up for the same exporting award this spring representing the southwestern Ontario region. With a $10,000 price tag per unit, the North American market for truck APUs is only in its infancy, with the level of industry acceptance only at about one or two per cent, Cocchiola says. "The market's coming around, given the environmental impact and the price of fuel." As well, the Canadian government has released a rebate program for Canadian truck drivers to install these units. With the parent company's plans to continue doubling annual production for the next few years, Cocchiola is working with the Batchewana First Nation band to secure more floor space to accommodate a plant expansion. "We're certainly (crammed) to the rafters," says Cocchiola, whose combined 26,000-square-feet of warehouse and assembly space is spread out over three buildings in the industrial park. www.proheat.com www.ecotranstechnologies.com By IAN ROSS Northern Ontario Business Northern Ontario Business is a Canadian magazine, which publishes monthly in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. The magazine covers business news and issues in Northern Ontario. |
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