Greenguard Certifies ITW TACC Duct Sealants The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) has awarded its GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification to the Miracle/Kingco line of HVAC duct sealants from ITW TACC. Miracle/Kingco products were the first of their kind certified under the stringent GREENGUARD Certification Program for low-emitting interior products, tested to a scientifically rigorous testing method and standard.

"ITW TACC is committed to producing environmentally sound products that meet the demands of HVAC," said Sean Tanner, ITW TACC's HVAC Business Manager. "The certification of our sealants by GREENGUARD demonstrates the importance we place on environmental sensitivity and the health of our customers."

ITW TACC's Miracle/Kingco brand duct sealants can now be applied to the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating Systems for New Construction and Commercial Interiors. GREENGUARD-certified furniture and furnishings enable projects to achieve LEED points as part of Indoor Environmental Quality.

Miracle/Kingco duct sealants certified under the GREENGUARD program include Ultraseal 970, M-181, D-619 and Glenkote.

EWI's Navy Joining Center Receives Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement Award

Edison Welding Institute Inc. (EWI) has announced that its Navy Joining Center (NJC) recently received the Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement Award, an annual award given to project teams from the government and/or private sector most responsible for a specific innovative manufacturing technology achievement.

NJC received the award for leading a project that addresses a design challenge using composite-to-steel adhesive joints for the DD(X), the U.S. Navy's next-generation multi-role surface combatant. Project team members included participants from industry, academia and other Navy centers.

"This Man Tech project has developed an innovative, cost-effective adhesive joining technology for the DD(X)," said Larry Brown, project manager for NJC. "The adhesive-bonded joint has been demonstrated to be 40% lighter and 50% less expensive to produce than the existing bolted-joint configuration, and also improves the ship signature and requires less in-service maintenance."

Preparations are under way for implementation of the technology by several Navy shipbuilders. Bath Iron Works and Northrop Grumman Ship Systems have been active team members and participants in all aspects of the project since its inception. To ensure that manufacturability and implementation is fully within the capability of manufacturing personnel, full-scale test articles were built at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems under normal operating conditions.

In addition to EWI, the project team includes Bath Iron Works, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, the Composites Manufacturing Technology Center of Excellence (South Carolina Research Authority), Penn State University Applied Research Lab, Boeing and Naval Surface Warfare Center-Carderock.

Bayer First Chemistry Company to Receive Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership

At a White House ceremony on Jan. 5, Bayer Corp. received the Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership for its Making Science Make Sense® program, a company-wide initiative that advances science literacy across the United States through hands-on, inquiry-based learning, employee volunteerism and public education. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez presided over the award ceremony.

Bayer was one of three companies honored this year, and is the first chemistry company to receive the award.

The Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership recognizes the country's outstanding corporate citizens. It is the only presidential award to honor companies for the exemplary quality of their relationships with employees and communities. The award is given annually to companies that have demonstrated a deep commitment to initiatives that not only empower employees and communities, but also advance strategic business interests.