Technology Briefs - July 12 - July 18
The Latest Headlines:
- EPA Grants Fla. Fuel Waivers in Wake of Dennis
- Eaton Buys Specialty Manufacturer for $54 Mln.
- S.C. Dedicates Longest Cable-Suspension Bridge
- UCN Signs Pact With US Truck Accessories Warehouse
- Eaton Buys Specialty Manufacturer for $54 Mln.
EPA Grants Fla. Fuel Waivers in Wake of Dennis
To help ensure motorists and truckers have enough fuel in the aftermath of Hurricane Dennis, the Environmental Protection Agency granted temporary waivers from federal clean air requirements for gasoline and diesel fuel sold in some counties in Florida, Reuters reported.PA said it would allow diesel fuel with high-sulfur content to be sold in 10 counties west of the Apalachicola River in the Florida Panhandle, including the cities of Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach and Panama City, Reuters reported.
In addition, the agency said gasoline that does not meet summer clean air requirements can be sold in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties in central west Florida, which includes the cities of Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg.
Eaton Buys Specialty Manufacturer for $54 Mln.
Vehicle parts maker Eaton Corp. said late Friday it had reached agreement to purchase Tractech Holdings, a manufacturer of specialized differentials and clutch components for commercial vehicle markets, for $54 million.Eaton said it expected the transaction is expected to close by the end of August.
Tractech had 2004 sales of $43 million and employs about 170 people. Headquartered in Madison Heights, Mich., the company has manufacturing operations in Sligo, Ireland.
The company is owned by a shareholder group led by Edgewater Capital Partners L.P., private equity group based in Cleveland.
Tractech designs and manufactures highly specialized traction-modifying differentials and centrifugal clutches for the agricultural, construction, medium and heavy-duty truck, military and specialty vehicle markets. Tractech also sells to the aftermarket of these segments. Transport Topics
S.C. Dedicates Longest Cable-Suspension Bridge
South Carolina officials on Saturday dedicated the new, $632-million Ravenel Bridge over the Cooper River, the longest cable-stayed span in North America, the Associated Press reported.The bridge, which took four years to build, carries U.S. 17 between Charleston and Mount Pleasant, S.C., along with pedestrian and bicycle lanes. The main span is about 200 feet above the water and will allow larger cargo ships to enter the port, AP said.
The main span is 20 feet longer than the Alex Fraser Bridge in Vancouver, Canada, which had been the longest on the continent.
The eight-lane bridge's 1,546-foot main span is supported by cables stretching from the tops of a pair of diamond-shaped, 570-foot-tall towers. Unlike suspension bridges such as San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, where the deck is suspended beneath two main cables that connect the towers in a lengthy curve, the Ravenel cables extend directly from the towers to the deck.
It is after for former state senator and U.S. congressman Arthur Ravenel Jr., AP reported. Transport Topics
UCN Signs Pact With US Truck Accessories Warehouse
UCN Inc., a provider of on-demand contact-handling software and business telecommunication services, said Monday that US Truck Accessories Warehouse implemented the UCN’s inContact call-handling suite of applications to handle all inbound customer service calls.USTAW is an online business selling after-market truck accessories and offers more than 50,000 items to truck and SUV owners.
It handles 200 to 300 orders per month, with products drop-shipped from one of 20 different warehouses affiliated with USTAW.
The two did not put a dollar value on the deal. Transport Topics
