The recycling cycle taking place at Tarkett's new plant in Waalwijk, The Netherlands.

Last week, international flooring manufacturer Tarkett revealed another step towards a closed-loop production system in collaboration with Aquafil, textile pioneers and creators of ECONYL. While they have worked together for a number of years, this development is one which will revolutionise the contract flooring industry. Opening a new carpet tile recycling centre in Waalwijk in The Netherlands, Tarkett are offering the ReStart Take-Back Program: a post-use carpet tile take-back scheme for customers to take advantage of while simultaneously saving tiles from rising landfill levels. In utilising polyamide 6 (PA6) post-use yarn, it takes the partnership to another level of circularity.

With groundbreaking machinery to separate the fibres from the backing, (the two core components of carpet tiles), the key to this approach is the purity which remains after, making it easier for the materials to be recycled. Retaining more than 95% yarn purity after separation, the yarn is recycled by Aquafil and transformed into regenerated ECONYL nylon yarn. The backing, named EcoBase, was created by the company in 2010 and was designed for reuse and recycling from the outset giving it distinct advantage to bitumen-based alternatives. With 100% of Tarketts carpet tiles being recyclable, they are also now able to recycle tiles which haven't been manufactured by them. Thanks to this new technology, each material can be easily recycled in-house or with an external partner.

New machinery created by Tarkett means carpet tiles can be separated by component with such purity ... [+] making it easier to recycle.

This recycling operation not only closes the circle on their production cycle but also impacts their carbon footprint with an impressive 84% saving at the end of its life stage when compared against incineration, the method which has been used to dispose of most commercial carpet tiles. The ReStart take-back and recycling program and the increase of Ecobase backing production capacity are part of a 15 million investment from the global flooring leaders in a bid to create a circular economy within the group to fight against the climate crisis we face today.

One of the key factors to true sustainability is collaboration. To achieve quicker results in preserving and protecting the environment, knowledge and resources have to be shared. This is crucial, not only within an industry, but also between sectors to ensure change can impact a wider audience. Any successful collaboration goes beyond a customer and supplier relationship. states Fabrice Barthlemy, the CEO of Tarkett, reflecting on the partnership. Our vision is to get to a stage where all materials we use are recycled materials with the aim to get it to 30% by 2030. Collaborating with Aquafil helps us to take our mission to the next step. The CEO of Aquafil, Giulio Bonazzi, agrees. Transparency and trust is key in a collaboration, he comments, You have to share the same values and ensure the end goals are aligned with each other in order to make it work.

Post-Use carpet tiles waiting to be deconstructed and recycled at the new Tarkett recycling ... [+] facility.

The Waalwijk plant is the first to separate the materials with such clarity, and its location has been selected to help minimise its impact even further. Located centrally between the UK and the rest of Europe means the transportation of tiles sent to and from the plant is kept to a minimum. Our goal is to reduce our emissions year-on-year through adopting circular systems and green technology. continues Barthlemy. We already use 134,000 tonnes of recycled material each year. Accelerating our take-back program with our customers, which already has more than 400 participants in Europe, is a key focus. We have designed the carpet recycling facility with scaleability and efficiency in mind.

Fabrice Barthelemy, CEO of Tarkett and Giulio Bonazzi, CEO of Aquafil.

Looking at the building and construction industry as a whole, Barthlemy believes we can all take responsibility in reducing its impact. We always have to do more. he says, However, we do need more incentives for the industry. With incineration and landfill being the most cost-effective disposal solutions, this has to change in order for customers to see recycling schemes like this as the most viable option.

Current recycling figures for carpet tiles across Europe are still minimal: 60% of post-consumer carpet tiles end up in landfill, with 37% being incinerated and only 3% recycled. In a bid to change this, Tarkett and Aquafil are leading by example. Sustainable design begins with the end in mind. states Bonazzi. It is a journey and is more than just a recycled material. We have managed to reduce our carbon footprint by almost two thirds over the last 8 years and, through offering cradle-to-cradle solutions, we can positively impact industries to ensure systemic change can take place. Aquafil work with a vast array of designers and brands including names such as Stella McCartney, Napapijiri and Prada. Bonazzi is positive as to how these influential figures are helping to raise awareness around sustainability issues.

The yarn is separated from the backing of the tile with 95% purity making the recycling process a ... [+] lot easier.

Tarkett are keen to continue their movement towards a closed-loop system across all their products. An example is their vinyl production, where they salvage and recycle offcuts direct from sites across Europe. Furthermore, they plan to develop ways to also recycle vinyl post-use. Our aim isn't to make money from these schemes, its an investment for us to improve our systems and take responsibility for what we do. Barthlemy concludes. The biggest challenge is to ensure we engage with end users to salvage as many materials as possible.

The shift from a linear to a circular economy has begun and projects like this provide hope in knowing solutions are available for industries to positively adapt. Whilst time is not on our side, we need to take advantage of these schemes quickly to change industries at a faster pace.

You can find out how to join the ReStart Take-Back Program here.

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Tarkett Pave The Way With New Carpet Tile Recycling Factory In The Netherlands - Forbes

There are a lot of reasons to worry about what happens with your personal information online.Even if no one ever breaks into your bank accountor takes over your Facebook, that doesn't mean they aren't collecting your information and stitching together a profile that includes everything from your name and email address to yourphone numberandsocial media profiles.

The latest breach of personal information was discovered in October by a security researcher named Vinny Troia. Hefound almost 4 terabytes of data--about 1.2 billion records--simply sitting in an unsecured Google Cloud server,Wiredreported on Friday.

Troia describes the data as a collection of profiles that include home and mobile phone numbers, email addresses, work histories based on LinkedIn profiles, andother social media profiles like Twitter and Facebook.

"This is the first time I've seen all these social media profiles collected and merged with user profile information into a single database on this scale," Troia told Wired.

The database doesn't appear to include any Social Security numbers or account passwords--but that doesn't mean it isn't dangerous. In an era where cyber-thieves have grown increasingly adept at impersonating others in an attempt to gain control of user accounts, this information is a gold mine.

Some companies simply scrape together publicly available information and store it in databases for marketers or other interested parties. For example, at least some of the information Troia found--including 600 million email addresses--appears to have come from a company called People Data Labs (PDL), which provides it to a variety of customers.

This information is usually used to create profiles of consumerslike you and me--so that when we enter an email address to get a discount code from an online retailer, for instance, the retailer can match that email address to other information like social media profiles, job title, and even income.

That's creepy, to be sure, but technically legal. The problem iswhen all of that information ends up in the wrong hands.

PDL told Wired that it doesn't believe it was hacked, since it would be easier to simply obtain the information through legitimate means. But the existence of information itself is concerning.While it's not clear exactly who owned the database, what they planned to do with it, or where itcame from originally, the reality is that these companies have plenty of your personal data stored. Most people would likely be shocked to find out exactly how much information is collected, and how much these companies know about them.

Troia says he has notified the FBI and the database was takenoffline. He also uploaded the information to http://www.haveibeenpwned.com, which allows users to identify whether or not their personal data has been included in a data breach. If, for example, your email addresswas included, that doesn't mean your account has been compromised, but it's probably a good idea to at least change your password (I just did).

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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An Enormous Data Breach Left the Personal Information of 1.2 Billion People Sitting Out in the Open - Inc.

On one busy corner of Kansas City's St. John Avenue, a community is coming together to create a piece of art that reflects the whole world.

Home to culturally and ethnically diverse businesses and many artists, the city's Historic Northeast neighborhood is already a colorful place.

Rebecca Koop's pottery studio, however, was a gray building with smooth Art Deco curves (back in 1929, it had been an auto repair shop). Over the last couple of years, a picture of the earth began to take shape on the facade as Koop and her neighbors spent long summer days on scaffolding placing section after section of tile.

I just wanted an earth and I want it to be interactive and I wanted to meet my neighbors to have this be a community project, says Koop, and offer it as a teaching opportunity and really just kind of a neighborly kind of thing.

Fifteen years ago, she had the idea for a large-scale mosaic that would cover the front of the building. So she started collecting cheap, surplus tile.

At that time there was a lot of colored tile, and so I tried to just grab up as much blue and green tile as I could find," she says. "Its easy to find tan and taupe and white. And I thought I had enough. Well, no I didnt.

The building might not look big, but Koop has more than 600 square feet of surface to cover. Every tiny piece must be cut, shaped and organized into a pattern.

Where the earth meets space, I have the phases of the moon, says Koop. And of course between those phases we have space and points of light, so Im putting the constellations up there.

Koop is a full-time potter and ceramics teacher. Shes also the events director for the Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, and she runs the community garden next to her studio. But she spends most of her spare time cutting tile, grouting, and dreaming up the next section of the mosaic.

Koop's also a bit of an art activist. On Wednesday evenings, she invites her neighbors to make their own mark on her wall.

You just cant imagine that a tiny little inch tile is then going to develop into a square foot, which will then develop into an entire mosaic, says Beth Keith, who lives just around the corner.

Its a slow, plodding-type project," says Keith. "Those are the best kind, often. I can just come and be a little part of that and watch it slowly develop and then now we can stand back and look at it and say, 'Wow.' She should be proud.

Another helper is Koops intern, Adrian Feiber, a senior at The Kansas City Art Institute.

I had to do little sections here and there," Feiber says. "But I really couldnt tell you exactly, like, a spot that I did for sure. Missouri I remember, the Colorados and areas like that; Canada and the lakes. I know Ive got a tile in there somewhere, but I couldnt point to it exactly.

The work isnt easy.

Me and all of the others who have helped have cut, you know, many, many, many pieces of tile and thats pretty labor intensive, says Keith. And, you know, I am not a young thing so I would have aches and pains after cutting tiles.

Koop and her neighbors worked outside until late October. Now, the grout has been sealed and prepared for the winter. After two years of work, the mosaic now stretches more than halfway across the building.

Its been an experience," Koop says with a laugh. "Its an exciting experience, actually, because I can see the progress.

Theyll spend the next few months inside, cutting more tile into tiny pieces. When the weather warms up, they will be out here again. If all goes well, Koop expects itll be done this time next year.

Julie Denesha is a freelance photographer and reporter for KCUR. Follow her on Twitter@juliedenesha.

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Neighbors In Kansas City's Northeast Have Spent Years Piecing Together This Mosaic Of The World - KCUR

Sustainability experts for decades have been exhorting managers to focus more on the function their products deliver and less on the product itself. Biosphere Rule #5, Function Over Form, is focused on fulfilling customers functional needs in ways that sustain the value cycle.

This is the sixth in a seven-part series on what author Gregory Unruh calls theBiosphere Rules. Readpartsone,two,three,fourandfive.

Biosphere Rule #5, Function Over Form, is focused on fulfilling customersfunctional needs in ways that sustain the value cycle. As we will see, this ruleis an inevitable consequence of building out a Sustainable Product Platform,as discussed in the previousinstallment.

As always, the biosphere serves as our guide. Nature has been experimenting witha variety of species playing different ecosystem roles for billions of years.The diversity of the biospheres innovation is impressive. For example, thereover 200,000 species doing some form of pollination including moths,butterflies and bees; as well as bats, birds and bears. Nature is not fixated onthe specific organism doing the work, but more on the function pollination being fulfilled. It's the functions that provide the ecosystem services neededto sustain the biosphere.

Sustainability experts for decades have been exhorting managers to focus more onthe function their products deliver and less on the product itself. They call oncompanies to servicize their business and one of the first executives toheed this siren song was Ray Anderson, the legendary founder ofInterface carpet. In the1990s, Anderson read Paul Hawkens classic, The Ecology of Commerce whichcalled, among other things, for companies to stop selling products and startdelivering the functional service provided by the product. Pioneering theapproach, Interface launched the EvergreenLease in 1995 under theslogan, Selling carpet without selling carpet.

There were a lot of good arguments for leasing instead of selling carpet. Forexample, carpet wear follows the 80/20 rule, where 80 percent of the wear occurson the 20 percent high-traffic surface area. The carpet underneath desks andfiling cabinets gets almost no wear at all. In providing carpeting service,Interface could inspect the carpet on a monthly basis, and just replace thehandful of worn-out carpet tiles. Because less product is being replaced, itresults in an environmental and business win-win.

While the arguments were compelling, the Evergreen Lease ran into problems thebiggest of which was the tax rules around leasing. Leasing is tax advantagedbecause you are allowed to deduct lease payments as a business expense. Butthere is a legal expectation that the leased product will have economic value atthe end of the lease. If you are leasing a BMW, for example, the car isstill valuable when the lease expires. The problem with the carpet tiles is theydidn't really have any economic value at the end of their lease; there wasnothing that Interface could really do with them in fact, they imposed adisposal cost on the company. If at the end of the lease the product was usedup, from a tax perspective you weren't leasing anything; you were merelyfinancing the sale. For this and other reasons, the Evergreen Lease foundered.

Interface, however, was not staking its whole sustainability strategy onEvergreen and was, at the same time, actively pursuing a value-cyclingstrategyfor its carpet tiles developing series of technologies that would became oneof the first fully operational product value cycles. The Reentry2.0 technology allowedthe company to separate the soft-face fiber you walk on, from the heavy backingmaterial. The face fiber was then deep-loop value-cycled back into new fiber.For the backing material, Interface created CoolBlue,a system that would grind up old backing material and cycle it into fresh tilebacking. These technologies comprised a sustainable product platform and changedthe situation for Interface. Leasing became a possibility because the platformgave the tiles value at the end of the lease they were valuable, andnecessary, inputs for Interfaces production process.

But it was more than that: If your value cycle depends on a constant flow ofinput materials, and those input materials are old carpet that is installed atyour customers office building, do you really want to sell that carpet at all?The tiles are an integral part of your value cycle, so who really owns thatcarpet?

This question is an inevitable outcome for any company building a value cycle.The materials in your product, like the carpet tiles installed in yourcustomer's office, are actually part of your production system. A clientsoffice is serving as your warehouse, storing your input materials until they areneeded for a new production run. Your customer is fully integrated into yourproduction system. They are a customer, in that they are purchasing yourproduct, but they also then become a supplier of production materials. You entera new world where your suppliers and customers merge into custopliers andsurplustomers.

This is an inevitable outcome of pursuing a sustainable product platform. Youmove away from the sell it and forget it model into an entirely new businesssystem. Your company naturally moves to a servicized model, where the deliveryof functional service, not the transfer of ownership, becomes primary: productfunction over product form.

Dr. Gregory C. Unruh is the Sustainability Editor for the MIT Sloan ManagementReview and author of the new book, The Biosphere Rules: Natures FiveCircularity Secrets for Sustainable Profits*. For a limited time, SustainableBrands subscribers can download a complimentary digital copy of the book*here.

Published Nov 25, 2019 7am EST / 4am PST / 12pm GMT / 1pm CET

Dr. Gregory C. Unruh is the Arison Professor of Values Leadership at George Mason University in the Washington DC Metro area, and the Sustainability Editor for the MIT Sloan Management Review.

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The Biosphere's Guide to Foolproofing Sustainability, Part 6: Function Over Form - Sustainable Brands

While becoming a parent may be easy for many people, doing a stellar job in the role often is not. Here's what the parents of the most successful kids do differently, according to a handful of recent studies.

They limit screen time

You probably understand that letting your child sit in front of a screen for hours at a time isn't good for his or her development and health. But in reality, policing this aspect of life is difficult considering the ubiquity of digital entertainment and the reality of how young people use social media to relate with one another. But it's definitely a battle worth fighting if you consider a study which found that kids whose screen time exceeded limits set by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) actually have less functional brains. Researchers tested the language and literacy skills of 47 preschoolers between ages three and five and conducted imaging on their brains. The kids who had higher levels of screen-based media use had lower microstructural integrity of white matter tracts.

They don't spank

The AAP recently issued its most strongly worded policy statement on this topic. According to a bunch of studies conducted in recent years, corporal punishment has multiple detrimental effects on kids. It can lead to aggressive and defiant behavior, increases the risk of mental health disorders and cognition problems and can negatively affect the parent-child relationship. And why one might wonder why the AAP would even have to mention this, spanking tots younger than 18 months increases the likelihood they get physically injured.

They're warm and accepting

This is especially true for mothers. Researchers at the University at Buffalo in New York studied more than 140 teenagers and found that those who had warm and accepting mothers were less likely to be in an abusive relationship later in life. The teens filled out a series of surveys in eighth grade and later in high school regarding their exposure to conflict between their parents, what their relationship was like with their mothers, and any dating violence which they had experienced.

"Children form internal working models about themselves and others based on the quality of their relationship with their parents," lead investigator Jennifer Livingston said in a statement. "If the primary caretaker is abusive or inconsistent, children learn to view themselves as unlovable and others as hostile and untrustworthy. But positive parenting behaviors characterized by acceptance and warmth help children form positive internal working models of themselves as lovable and worthy of respect."

They make sure kids get enough sleep

Researchers analyzed survey responses from parents and caregivers of 49,050 children aged 6 to 17 regarding how many hours of sleep on average a child in their household gets. According to the AAP, sufficient sleep means getting at least 9 hours on an average weeknight for children aged 6 to 12 years and at least 8 hours on an average weeknight for teens 13 to 17. It turns out that about a third of schoolchildren don't get enough sleep on weeknights. While it might not strike you as the worst thing in the world, it's another thing which the best parents take seriously. Kids who don't sleep enough are less likely to show interest in learning new things, care about doing well in school, work to finish the things they start, do all their homework and stay calm when faced with a challenge.

They play with their kids

Oxytocin is a critical hormone when it comes to mental health because it's involved in social interaction, bonding and relating to others. It's activated when people experience eye contact, empathy or pleasant touch. But how parents -- again, especially mothers -- interact with their babies actually affects the development of their children's oxytocin systems. Researchers studied a session of free play between mothers and their five-month-olds and collected saliva samples from the parent and child during the visit and also a year later. They found that the children whose mothers were highly engaged in the play session had experienced "epigenetic changes" in their DNA. Essentially, they had increased expression of the oxytocin receptor gene, meaning they were better able to experience the positive effects of the hormone.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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Science Says the Most Successful Kids Have Parents Who Do These 5 Things - Inc.

November 25, 2019 | David Kennedy | Senior Architect, Bailey Edward

The American Dream as we have known it is no longer part of the American success story. With a shortage of six million homes to house our families, the United States is facing a housing attainability crisis.

Today, only 18 percent of the Americans earning the medium income can afford a home in their communities, a number that inflates to 30 percent in urban areas. By taking advantage of existing Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), the government and the private development community can work together to increase the supply of affordable housing to minimize the current crisis.

Based on the Low-Income Housing Act of 1989, corporations and investors can receive tax credits for investments in building low-income housing across the country. These tax credits are a popular tool to provide millions of dollars to developers for the design and construction of low-income housing. There are two primary vehicles for LIHTC: 4 percent bonds and 9 percent investment credits. While both provide funding for low-income housing projects, the type you chose will depend on your project.

Although some of the 4 percent projects are new developments, most are acquisition/rehabilitation projects. These renovation projects typically prove to be less costly per unit but also are common in areas where low-income housing is not in as much demand. The more lucrative 9 percent investment credits are more ideal for new construction as they cover a larger percentage of development costs.

Unfortunately, these tax credits are severely underfunded. The current federal budget allocates around $9 billion nationally for these tax credits. Because these funds are so limited, the guidelines and applications for all LIHTC projects are comprehensive and onerous. Its important to ensure what little funding there is goes to projects that are built efficiently, both for cost and energy. But knowing why others have been turned away can give great insight to fine-tune a potential project and better your chances of receiving these tax credits.

Private developers can increase their opportunity to receive LIHTC credits and thus increase the supply of low-income housing by reducing costs. Perhaps the best route for a developer to take is to lower construction costs through thoughtful construction management and design. One such way to decrease construction costs is by minimizing the number of trades used to build a housing project, therefore increasing efficiency. Most housing developments take a minimum of fifteen separate trades to complete a home or apartment building and this inefficiency adds cost to the project. While it may be difficult to modify the traditional trade skills, by self-performing a few of the trades, general contractors can reduce some of the cost.

Developers should also consider modular construction as an opportunity to decrease construction costs as well as delivery time. While this technique is not new and is used in many areas of the country, the wide-spread use of modular construction is hampered by a lack of production companies. Going this route means committing to a contractor well in advance of the construction start to get in their production schedules. But the ability to construct wall and floor panels in an enclosed factory setting allows progress to continue during inclement weather. The precision of factory construction should save some time in the field. The walls and floors can even be pre-fabricated with electrical and plumbing rough-ins, thus saving additional time.

Developers should request energy efficient design in all their projects. The current codes require tight building envelopes, but do not require net-zero energy or use of renewable energy for the buildings power source. The overall cost of maintaining and managing the new affordable developments would decrease if this were the case.

Mixed-use developments, primarily consisting of retail below housing, is a great solution for affordable housing developments because the retail uses in the building will most likely be beneficial to the residents. This could reduce transportation cost and energy usage. The retail portion of the development is not typically funded by the LIHTC. However, if the project is large enough (over $5 million on the commercial uses), they could qualify for New Market tax credits, another government-sponsored funding source.

Of course, the best way to ensure affordable housing projects receive funding is to ensure the right people are in office to increase budgets to these programs. When it comes time to cast your vote, be sure to investigate the candidates stance on affordable housing and zoning. But in the meantime, these energy- and cost-effective solutions can help developers navigate the current LIHTC situation and improve their chances of receiving these credits, thus chipping away at the current affordable housing crisis.

About the Author

David Kennedy has nearly 40 years of experience working on a variety of project types, including multi-family, healthcare, office and retail. Projects have included affordable housing units, mixed-income developments and high-rise apartments. As a Senior Architect at Bailey Edward, David has led design teams, business development efforts, client management and staff development on projects. He is a thoughtful architect of the highest integrity who invests his time and vision greatly into the projects he leads.

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Solving the housing attainability crisis - REjournals.com

ELKHART, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LCI Industries (NYSE: LCII) (the Company) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lippert Components, Inc. (LCI), a supplier of a broad array of highly engineered components for the leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the recreation and transportation product markets, and the related aftermarkets of those industries, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire CURT Group (CURT), a leading manufacturer and distributor of branded towing products and truck accessories for the aftermarket, for approximately $340 million. The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.

With a strong reputation for product innovation, engineering, and brand excellence, we look forward to welcoming CURT President Rock Lambert and his team to the LCI family. Culturally, CURT is a strong fit, with a deep focus on delivering innovative products and an unwavering commitment to quality and superior customer service. Its highly complementary portfolio, combined with its strong brands and extensive distribution network, will significantly expand our addressable market. With a track record of delivering remarkable financial performance and strong cash flow generation, we believe that the addition of CURT will further advance our long-term growth strategy to bring our core competencies to new, attractive markets and diversify our business to drive outperformance throughout the cycle, said Jason Lippert, CEO and President of LCI.

CURT, headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, maintains a robust product portfolio comprised of thousands of SKUs across various product lines, including hitches, towing electricals, ball mounts, and cargo management. CURT boasts a significant market position, owning and operating a stable of leading brands, including CURT, Aries, Luverne, Retrac, and UWS. Leveraging a multi-channel model, CURT serves customers across e-commerce, direct-to-installer, and distribution channels. In addition, CURT has a wide distribution network, with centers strategically located throughout the U.S. to serve its North American customers. For the 12-month period ended September 30, 2019, CURT delivered approximately $255 million of revenue.

With its proven track record of building high-quality products and successfully sourcing and integrating companies, LCI is an ideal partner for us. Both LCI and CURT have strong reputations and positions fostered through a culture of innovation, history of high-quality products, customer satisfaction and retention, and manufacturing excellence. We look forward to joining the team and further positioning the business for long-term success, said Rock Lambert, CEO of CURT Group.

Faegre Baker Daniels LLP is serving as LCIs legal advisor on the transaction.

Summary Terms of Agreement and Financing

Webcast and Conference Call Information

LCI will host a conference call beginning at 8:30 AM EST on Friday, November 22, 2019. The conference call may be accessed by dialing (888) 525-0270 for participants in the U.S./Canada or (704) 935-3405 for participants outside the U.S./Canada using the required conference ID 9190245. Alternatively, interested parties can listen to a live webcast of the conference call by logging on to the Investor Relations section of the Companys website at https://lci1.com/investors/. A replay of the webcast will also be archived on the Companys website for a period of twelve months following the release.

About LCI Industries

From over 70 manufacturing and distribution facilities located throughout North America and Europe, LCI Industries, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, LCI, supplies, domestically and internationally, a broad array of highly engineered components for the leading OEMs in the recreation and transportation product markets, consisting of recreational vehicles and adjacent industries, including buses; trailers used to haul boats, livestock, equipment, and other cargo; trucks; boats; trains; manufactured homes; and modular housing. The Company also supplies engineered components to the related aftermarkets of these industries primarily by selling to retail dealers, wholesale distributors, and service centers. LCIs products include steel chassis and related components; axles and suspension solutions; slide-out mechanisms and solutions; thermoformed bath, kitchen, and other products; vinyl, aluminum, and frameless windows; manual, electric, and hydraulic stabilizer and leveling systems; entry, luggage, patio, and ramp doors; furniture and mattresses; electric and manual entry steps; awnings and awning accessories; electronic components; appliances; televisions, sound systems, navigation systems, and backup cameras; and other accessories. Additional information about LCI and its products can be found at http://www.lci1.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements including with respect to the expected timing of the closing of the transaction, the expected financial impact and accretive nature of the transaction, the expected sources of funds for the transaction, the expected impact of the proposed transaction on the Companys operations, markets, prospects, strategies and efficiencies, and other matters. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for the purpose of the safe harbor provided by Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates reflecting the best judgment of the Companys senior management at the time such statements were made. There are a number of factors, many of which are beyond the Companys control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, in addition to other matters described in this press release, (i) conditions to the closing of the transaction may not be satisfied; (ii) the transaction may involve unexpected costs, liabilities or delays; (iii) the Companys business or stock price may suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the transaction; (iv) the Company may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies from the transaction within the expected time frames or at all; (v) the Company may be unable to successfully integrate CURTs operations into its own, or such integration may be more difficult, time consuming or costly than expected; (vi) following the transaction, revenues may be lower than expected, and operating costs, customer loss and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers, clients or suppliers) may be greater than expected; (vii) the outcome of any legal proceedings related to the transaction; (viii) the Company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; (ix) risks that the pending transaction disrupts current plans and operations and the potential difficulties in employee retention as a result of the pending transaction; (x) other risks to consummation of the transaction, including the risk that the transaction will not be consummated within the expected time period or at all; and (xi) the risks described from time to time in the Companys reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the heading Risk Factors, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in other of the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which such statements were made. Except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after such date.

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Lippert Components Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire CURT Group, a Leading Manufacturer and Distributor of Branded Towing Products and Truck...

Alpine Painting has proudly served the New Jersey area with high quality commercial painting for over 35 years. Our industrial shop painting & sandblasting facility, headquartered in Paterson, New Jersey, is a central hub for our Tri-State operation. Our painters travel throughout Northern & Southern New Jersey in Passaic County and Bergen County, as well as Union, Morris, Ocean, Cumberland, Essex and Hudson County.

Through the years, as Alpines reputation as high quality commercial painting company grew from just serviing North Jersey, to a coverage area of a 200 mile radius of Paterson, NJ. Today, Alpine Painting provides our commercial and industrial painting & sandblasting services in Central Jersey, as well as South Jersey, East & West NJ.

Atlantic County, Bergen County, Burlington County, Camden County, Cape May County, Cumberland County, Essex County, Gloucester County, Hudson County, Hunterdon County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, Ocean County, Passaic County, Salem County, Somerset County, Sussex County, Union County and Warren County

Alpine Commercial Painting Contractors Service the following Cities and Towns in North Jersey

Paterson, Clifton, Montclair, Passaic, Garfiled, Hackensack, Paramus, Teaneck, Fort Lee, Englewood, West New York, Fair Lawn, Livingston, East Rutherford, Vernon, Hamburg, Parsippany, Wayne, Morristown, Plainfield, Newark, Bloomfield, West Orange, East Orange, Irvington, Kearny, Linden, Westfield, Jersey City, North Bergen, Elizabeth, Union City, Hoboken, Bayonne, Linden, Hillsborough, Union, Fort Lee, East Brunswick, North Brunswick, Bridgewater, Mahwah, West Milford, Ramsey, Teterboro, Saddle River & Saddle Brook.

Commercial Painting & Industrial Sandblasting Services in Central Jersey and South Jersey

Plainfield, Perth Amboy, Edison, New Brunswick, Piscataway, Middletown, Princeton, Rumson, Long Branch, Asbury Park, Freehold, Toms River, Belmar, Brick, Howell, Red Bank, Tenton, Gloucester, Old Bridge, Woodbridge, Lakewood, Hamilton, Franklin, Middletwon, Vineland, Jackson, Atlantice City, Margate, Camden and Cherry Hill.

Alpine Paintings commercial painting work can be seen all over the Tri State area, especially our home state of New Jersey. We have provided our professional painting services to NJ townships and local business owners for over three decades with glowing reviews.

Below are a List of some of our Satisfied Customers:

Please contact us for quotes and questions on your commercial painting or industrial sandblasting projects in New Jersey. We have proudly served the state of NJ and its local business owners with our professional painting services for over three decades.

Commercial Painting Contractors North Jersey

Commercial Painting Contractors Central Jersey

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Commercial Painting Contractors New Jersey | Alpine Painting

Free Arts for Abused Children adds board members

Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona is pleased to announce Andrew Yocopis and Maggie Blackwell have joined the nonprofits board of directors.

Andrew Yocopis, an attorney at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, focuses his practice on a wide-range of real estate matters. He represents clients in the acquisition, development, financing, leasing, and disposition of various commercial properties, including multifamily and mixed-use developments, office buildings, shopping centers, industrial sites, and hotels. Hes a former board member at Berkeley Law Foundation, associated with ULI and Valley Partnership and a volunteer with United Way, CASS and Ballet Arizona.

He says, I am personally interested in Free Arts Mission to transform childrens trauma to resilience through the arts. There are very few organizations that combine arts and education in the impactful way that Free Arts delivers its services. I feel very connected to Free Arts mission and the communities it serves.

Maggie Blackwell is director at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), where shes responsible for Core Banking Transformation. Shes a former board member at Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development, a volunteer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and St. Marys Food Bank.

Maggie noted, I like the combination of helping at risk youth with a focus on the arts. I know it can be very beneficial in healing. I personally enjoying painting, going to art galleries and supporting up and coming artists. I look forward to serving on the board and helping them to continue to grow.

SVN Desert Commercial is a full service comprehensive commercial real estate brokerage in Phoenix, AZ. Every month in 2019, SVN has been nationally ranked in the TOP 10 offices within the SVN International Corp. network. With over 200+ offices around the country and the addition of the international SVN franchises, there is one commercial real estate managing director that continues to increase the level of his sales training expertise through top level commercial real estate certifications.

Just last week, Managing Director Mike Gallegos was named The Massimo Groups 2019 Contributor of the Year. Gallegos was recognized as an individual who has made a substantial contribution to the organization through developing new curriculum and expanding the client experience to new levels. Gallegos has also been serving as a sales training manager to several SVN offices across the country. He has worked with SVN in Phoenix since 2016 and has spent endless hours to get certified in several areas of commercial real estate that brings value to advisors who are continually increasing the level of performance from month to month. I think what we do here at SVN Desert Commercial Advisors goes way above and beyond what most brokerage firms do in preparing Advisors for success, said Gallegos.

The training transcends the usual basics, using skills development tracks built on personalized up-front assessments and deliberate practice to hone the critical building blocks of economics, financial analysis, sales, and the encyclopedic knowledge of the local market.. Gallegos stated, We intentionally seek out progressive, fresh training materials to augment the program, master the content through the certification process, and then adjust and implement so we can enable the Advisors to transform the client experience.

The law firm of Jaburg Wilk announced that Echo A. Reynolds joined the firm as a partner in their bad faith litigation, insurance coverage, and commercial litigation groups. Before joining Jaburg Wilk, Echo represented clients at another Arizona law firm in insurance coverage, insurance defense, bad faith litigation, and business law matters.

Echo is an excellent addition to our firm and our insurance law group, said Insurance Law Practice Group Leader Nate Meyer. Her bad faith and insurance defense litigation experience coupled with her business law knowledge adds another dimension of expertise for our insurance clients.

Echo received her J.D. from Arizona State University, Sandra Day OConnor College of Law and her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Arizona State University. She is admitted to practice in Arizona and is a Judge Pro Tempore for the Maricopa County Superior Court.

Jeff Williamson has been promoted to President of the Transportation Group for Sundt Construction, Inc.

Williamson brings over 30 years of experience in the construction industry to his new position. He began his career in the construction industry as a field engineer in 1986 and has worked in both the field and the office at all levels of the business. Prior to joining Sundt, Williamson served for 15 years as a regional vice president for a large civil contractor in the Southwest, where he helped grow annual volume from $28 million to $242 million. Upon joining Sundt in 2011, he assumed the role of senior vice president and heavy civil division group manager. Under Williamsons leadership, the group has performed more than $2 billion worth of work across Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and Utah and expanded into the Intermountain Region by opening an office in Salt Lake City.

With Jeffs leadership, the Transportation Group has made important contributions to our companys success and strategic direction, said G. Michael Hoover, Sundts President, CEO and Chairman of the Board.

Williamson holds a masters degree in civil and structural engineering and bachelors in civil engineering, both from the University of Arizona. He is a member of the American Public Works Association, The Road Information Program (TRIP) and a former Chairman of the Arizona chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).

In a move that cements Phoenix Childrens position among the nations top pediatric heart programs, the Heart Center has named John P. Breinholt, III, MD, as Division Chief of Pediatric Cardiology. Dr. Breinholt rounds out a team of top-tier talent at the Heart Center, ranked No. 14 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and one of just 10 programs in North America to earn the Society of Thoracic Surgeons highest distinction.

Dr. Breinholt comes to Phoenix Childrens from the University of Texas-Houston and Childrens Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, part of the Texas Medical Center, where he served as Professor and Chief of Pediatric Cardiology and co-director of the Childrens Heart Center.

Its difficult to contain our excitement about Dr. Breinholts arrival, said Wayne J. Franklin, MD, FACC, Co-Director of the Heart Center and Director of Adult Congenital Heart Diseaseat Phoenix Childrens. There is no exaggeration in saying our Heart Center has some of the very best physicians and offers the most comprehensive heart care available.

An interventional cardiologist by training, Dr. Breinholt offers special expertise in heart catheterization to provide less invasive treatment of congenital heart defects. Throughout his 20-year career, he has treated thousands of children with a wide range of heart conditions. He focuses on providing less invasive therapies to some of the most vulnerable patients, which include premature babies weighing less than two pounds. These procedures can help prolong, and even avoid, major surgery for children with heart defects.

One of the countrys foremost pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons has joined the top-ranked pediatric heart program at Phoenix Childrens. Roosevelt Bryant III, MD, now serves as surgical director of the Cardiac Transplantation and Mechanical Assist Device Program at Phoenix Childrens Heart Center, ranked 14 in the nation by U.S. News & World Reports Best Childrens Hospitals and one of just 10 congenital cardiothoracic surgery programs in North America to earn the Society of Thoracic Surgeons highest-achievable three-star rating.

Dr. Bryant is a remarkable surgeon and already an asset to our team, said Daniel Velez, MD, co-director of the Heart Center anddivision chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Phoenix Childrens. Not many surgeons have his mix of experience and talent treating the difficult congenital heart conditions that we see at the Heart Center. His addition brings incredible value for our families, and our entire staff, to have access to such talent right here in Arizona.

At Phoenix Childrens, Dr. Bryant is responsible for overseeing cardiac transplant surgeries for pediatric patients of all ages, as well as implementation of mechanical assist devices for patients who have hearts that are not functioning properly.In his most recent positionas a heart transplant surgeon at Cincinnati Childrens, he transplanted more than 60 infants, children, teenagers and adults with complex heart conditions.

AZ Business Leadersis an annual business-to-business publication that combines the whos who of Arizona business community with their valuable leadership advice and knowledge. The magazine is published byAZ Big Media. To learn more about Az Business Leaders, contactSheri Brown, director of sales.

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On the move at Free Arts, SVN, Jaburg Wilk, Sundt, PCH - AZ Big Media

Paint Sprayer Market Introduction

A paint sprayer is used to coat a large surface with paint evenly as a protective coating. The advantage of using a paint sprayer over the brush and roller is that it requires less time to paint the same area. Paint sprayer is used to paint wood, brick, and metals. Paint sprayers are used in various industries such as automobile, manufacturing, construction, and marine. Hand-held airless paint sprayers are an ideal option for painting a fencepost.

Paint sprayers can be cleaned easily by running water through it. By pouring paint thinner into the sprayer, even the toughest oil based paint remaining in the sprayer can be easily removed. Cleaning the sprayer and nozzles thoroughly increases the shelf life of the paint sprayer. Paint spray devices are available in different sizes and varieties depending on its end user (professional painters, homeowners, and contractors). Drop-forged aluminum paint sprayers are strong, durable, and lightweight.

Paint Sprayer Market- Competitive Landscape

BLACK+DECKER Inc.

Incorporated in 1910, Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc. is power tools manufacturing company. The companys product categories include hand tools, appliances, automotive products, cleaning products, home and office products, protective equipment, storage products. Apart from this, the company provides parts and repairs. The company is well known for the collection and recycling of rechargeable batteries. The company is located in Baltimore, Maryland. Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.

Wagner

Wagner is a market leader in advanced paint applicators who develops and markets a wide array of painting and decorating products. The applications include commercial painting, home improvement, and industrial fine finishing. The company is famous for its full research and development, engineering, manufacturing, and distribution capabilities.

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ECCO FINISHING

Incorporated in in the year 1931, the company is a manufacturer of quality products for application of liquid paint, wax, glue and sealing materials. The company has manufacturing unit in Skara, Sweden.

Rigo

Since 1944, Rigo are a leading painting equipment manufacturer. The company has specialization in manufacturing spray painting, equipment and accessories. The products have wide range of applications which includes building, nautical, automotive, joinery and carpentry field.

Fuji Spray

Incorporated in 1986, Fuji Spray is market leader in tan spraying equipment. The company is well known for HVLP spray tan models UL & CSA approved for use as cosmetic devices.

The other key players in the market are Exel Industries, Graco Inc., SATA GmbH & Co, Hi Tec Spray, HomeRight Inc., Dino-power, Airprotool, Shanghai Telansen, 3M, Binks, and Oliver Technologies and others.

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Paint Sprayer Market Dynamics

The paint sprayer market is anticipated to rise due to rapid development in technology. Brisk urbanization, increasing number of manufacturing industry units, and a growing construction sector are macro-economic drivers of the paint sprayer market. Increasing penetration of passenger cars is another factor increasing the demand from the automobile industry for paint spraying equipment. A restraint of the paint sprayer market is that the cleaning of paint sprayers is expensive compared to rollers. Also, the high pressure paint sprayer is dangerous if not handled with proper care.

Paint Sprayer Market Segmentation

Based on product type, the market can be segmented into

Conventional paint sprayer is best suited for smaller projects as it is affordable. Conventional paint sprayers make use of dry and clean compressed air to transfer the coating from a pressurized pot into the material hose, thereby atomizing the stream of paint when it exits the nozzle of the paint sprayer gun. Airless paint sprayers does not directly use compressed air to atomize the coating material; rather it atomizes the fluid, and high hydraulic pressure (500 to 4500 PSI) to deliver paint to the spray gun.

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Paint Sprayer Market: Expanding Application Areas To Drive The Global Market Growth - TheFinanceTime