April 28, 2010 (Chattanooga, TN). The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce rewarded business innovation on April 28 with honors for groundbreaking companies in the region. Astec, Inc. received the Kruesi Award for Innovation during the annual Spirit of Innovation Awards Luncheon. The celebration included announcement of Enerfit as the Early Innovator Award recipient.

David Abney, chief operating officer of UPS, delivered the keynote address to the Convention Center audience. He said innovation springs from vision, an environment that nurtures new ideas and passion.

Abney, who oversees all UPS operations worldwide, including the pick-up and delivery of 15.8 million packages and documents daily, urged business leaders to strive for both revolutionary and evolutionary innovation.

He warned against dismissing ideas deemed impossible or too radical and declared that failure is required for innovation -- if the failure is small and fast. "Innovation can come from anyone, anytime, anywhere," Abney said.

Chamber President and CEO Tom Edd Wilson praised business owners who translate big ideas into marketable products and services."Someone has said that ‘Good ideas are common,’" Wilson said, quoting English author Ashleigh Brilliant. " ‘What’s uncommon are people who'll work hard enough to bring them about.’ "

The Kruesi Award recognizes companies for innovative products, services and business practices that have been created and implemented by businesses in the Chattanooga area.

Wilson presented the Kruesi Award to Ben Brock, president of Astec, Inc., for developing the Double Barrel Green System, a "warm‐mix" asphalt cement without the use of expensive or caustic additives or systems. The process provides a 14% reduction in the fuel usage, emissions and costs related to producing asphalt cement.

The industry has long sought a warm-mix solution to the hot-mix process because heating the mixture to at least 300°F produces blue smoke -- hydrocarbon emissions -- and requires greater fuel consumption, Brock said.

"Astec’s Double Barrel Green System also works extremely well with recycled asphalt cement," he said. "As a result, asphalt cement makers that utilize Astec’s technology are able to recycle 100% of the used paving materials they receive. Brock pointed to studies showing that cities lay about 2.5 tons of asphalt per person each year. "Since each ton of asphalt requires 1.8 gallons of diesel to mix, Double Barrel Green’s 14% cost and emissions savings are significant," he said.

The Chattanooga Technology Council’s (CTC) Early Innovator Award honors emerging, technology-based companies that have produced a groundbreaking prototype product or software application with the potential for success in the marketplace.

Chris Daly, CTC president, and Forrest Simmons of BNY Wealth Management, award sponsor, presented the award to Ron Patch, Enerfit owner. Enerfit is a strategy for retrofitting commercial air conditioning units that saves energy, reduces relative humidity, controls indoor air quality and extends the life of the unit.

"The retrofit is specifically designed for larger air-conditioning and heating units installed in big-box stores, churches, schools and other large buildings," said Patch, who designed the system. He said the fans installed in such facilities are typically larger than necessary, and only have two settings: full power and off.

By adding sensors, automated Web-based control with 3D visualization and other modifications, Enerfit allows the system to adapt its energy usage depending on conditions, he said. Enerfit is being tested locally prior to full commercialization. "Field tests are yielding total unit energy savings ranging from 40 percent to 70 percent through the management of fan power consumption," Patch said.

The Kruesi Finalists

Glenveigh Medical, LLC was recognized for five innovative products designed for the obstetrical care arena. The primary innovation consists of the scientific theory and testing of an existing drug, Digibind, for a pregnancy disease called preeclampsia which has no effective treatment.

"Preeclampsia complicates 5-8% of all pregnancies and is one of the leading causes of maternal and fetal death worldwide," says Dr. David Adair, Glenveigh’s chief science officer, chairman and founder.

"Glenveigh's recently completed Phase 2 clinical trial is the most advanced efficacy study for severe preeclampsia. Basic research conducted by the company has led to numerous patent applications and acceptances. This research has also provided invaluable insight into other areas of medicine such as vascular biology and diseases of inflammation."

Global Green Lighting, a division of Global Manufacturing Alliance Group, was a Kruesi contender for designing and manufacturing a new LED (light emitting diode) street light fixture that exceeds the performance objectives established by the U.S. Department of Energy to advance the introduction of energy-efficient, white-light sources for general illumination.

"Last year Global Green Lighting launched its line of low energy lighting products that include induction and LED street lights that are 200 percent brighter and use up to 80 percent less energy than typical HPS (high pressure sodium) or MH (metal handle) lamps," according to Don Lepard, GGL owner and president.

"Our primary applications for these LED fixtures are retrofit and new installations of outdoor lighting used for primary and secondary roadway lighting, parking lots, tunnels and pedestrian walk-ways. It is our goal to help clean up the environment, one light at a time."

Innovative Software Design has developed a robotically controlled 3-D laser scanner for scanning impressions and plaster models in orthodontic offices. The associated software also has the ability to add trimmed plaster bases on the virtual plaster models which eliminates the need to pour plaster models and eliminates the grinding, trimming, and finishing of plaster models for orthodontic purposes.

"In addition, it allows the user to simulate orthodontic tooth movement and calculate the distances that teeth need to travel in the supporting hard and soft tissues in order to obtain optimal relationships to the adjacent and opposing teeth," says Dan Knoch, who, with his wife Sylvia, owns the company.

At $15,000 the scanner is $20,000 less than earlier scanners whose prohibitive cost put them out of reach for the average orthodontic practice. This 3-D laser scanner and software will allow the orthodontists to design accurate orthodontic appliances, eliminate thousands of dollars of lab fees and shipping costs, and shorten treatment time – saving money for patients, as well.

Interlock Industries, Inc. manufactures a full line of eco‐friendly, water‐based commercial and residential floor and wall adhesives called Spray‐Lock™. Since 2006, the company’s adhesives have been applied under more than 200-million-square-feet of Wal‐Mart flooring.

"Our proprietary and patented technology allows us to apply 60‐80% less adhesive while achieving superior results," says owner Fred Land. "For Wal‐Mart alone, this has translated into a savings of almost 4.5 million pounds of glue since 2006."

Spray‐Lock™, which saves customers time and money, has received the coveted Floor Score® and Green Label Plus™ green certifications. The certifications allowed Interlock to be used in the Majestic 12, the first LEED-certified cinema in Chattanooga.

Lectrus, an electrical integration and metal enclosure manufacturer, has developed the industry’s first blast resistant equipment center. A blast resistant equipment center is a robust metal walk‐in enclosure that houses and protects critical electrical equipment in the unlikely event of an explosion at a petrochemical processing facility.

Each Lectrus center is engineered and built specifically for each application. Electrical equipment is integrated at Lectrus’ plant and transported by truck to the job site, ready for installation. "Outside of protecting personnel during a blast event at a refinery, nothing is more critical than sustaining the proper function of process‐related automatic shutoff valves and critical power equipment, as well as water pumps for fire protection," said Deron Austin, Lectrus vice president of marketing.

Thermal Transfer Composites has developed a new generation of thermally conductive composites that have greater heat transmitting ability and lower thermal expansion than their predecessors. Automotive, computer and aerospace firms are among the potential and present customers for the composites which also have uses in new green technologies for mass transit and wind turbines, as well hybrid and electric cars.

"With the introduction of the Primex Ultra line of Al/SiC (alumni alloys and silicon carbide ceramics) composites TTC’s thermal performance has now increased by 42% and production costs are reduced by more than 30%," according to Dr. Dan White, CEO and co-founder of TTC. "Now these new materials also provide lower thermal expansion and higher stiffness than any other Al/SiC composites currently on the market. The innovation of Primex Ultra allows Thermal Transfer Composites to offer the highest performance in the industry with cost advantages above and beyond their toughest competitors."

Early Innovator Award Finalists

Engagency is developing a new social city guide and community media network, designed to make localized media and marketing a more animated and interactive experience. The pilot program, WhatsUpChattanooga.com, launched in 2010 with the goal of adding a new online component to the city's ongoing renaissance and economic development efforts. Jason Perry is president of Engagency.

Skoodat makes education data useful for everyone in real time. Skoodat's cloud education toolbox and platform enable education organizations to get out of the information technology infrastructure business and focus on education innovation.

Skoodat removes the barriers associated with older technologies, providing cloud software applications, a development platform and infrastructure services that can help schools dramatically cut costs while improving performance through effective, practical use of historic and real-time data.Dr. Ken McElrath is CEO of Skoodat.