Winter 2020 News

Kryton International Inc., has acquired an interest in a Danish technology company producing wireless concrete monitoring sensors.  

Kryton, the Vancouver-based company best known for its line of integral crystalline waterproofing, now owns a 30% stake in Sensohive Technologies ApS of Odense, Denmark. The acquisition makes Kryton Sensohive’s largest shareholder. 

Kryton will also be the exclusive North American distributor of Sensohive’s award-winning Maturix technology, which uses advanced sensors and software enabling contractors and engineers to wirelessly monitor the concrete hardening process in real time from virtually any internet-connected device.

“This acquisition is consistent with Kryton’s goal of helping contractors build faster and smarter through innovation. It’s also an important addition to our Smart Concrete brand,” said Kryton’s president and CEO, Kari Yuers. 

“Sensohive’s Maturix technology represents a significant leap forward in construction efficiency and productivity,” she says. “The ability to monitor concrete strength in real time from remote locations helps expedite faster construction schedules, optimizing efficiencies, reducing costs and improving safety.”

Casper Harlev, CEO of Sensohive Technologies, says, “We are very excited to be partnering with a global brand like Kryton. [They] have a long history of success and a well-earned reputation for quality and trust in the global construction industry. We value their substantial experience in bringing innovative and valuable technologies to the concrete construction market.”

Conventional single-use concrete sensors on the market today collect data through Bluetooth NFC transmitted to a phone or device or through a wireless gateway. This typically requires a person to visit the jobsite and be near the sensor to take the Bluetooth reading and send updates.  This new technology allows sensors to be embedded in the concrete. Data is automatically collected every ten minutes and transmitted wirelessly to “the cloud,” providing real-time remote monitoring of concrete maturity and strength via sensor batteries that last up to 10 years. Harlev claims no other concrete sensor can claim such a long life, reliability, reusability and be completely wireless.

“Smart buildings are not going to be built without smart sensors,” says Yuers. “And any major structure or project being built today starts with concrete.”

In November, USL Group announced that it has acquired Logiball Inc., a leading manufacturer of trenchless pipe rehabilitation equipment headquartered in Quebec, Canada. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in the early 1980s, Logiball holds a leading position in the manufacture and supply of inflatable pipe plugs and test-and-seal injection packers for the maintenance and trenchless rehabilitation of collection systems and gravity pipes compromised by groundwater intrusion—a sizable segment of the general infrastructure sector known as the Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) market.

USL Group is the parent company of Prime Resins, a manufacturer of chemical grouts, foams, adhesives and coatings for infrastructure repair and protection. 

Logiball’s main product range is test-and-seal injection packers, which are used to confine and apply grouts for the repair of points of water ingress and egress from pipes, such as leaking joints or cracks. Logiball is the primary producer of these specialized products, which has allowed the company to forge a strong position in the niche of the I&I market.

“This acquisition provides channel synergies for both Logiball and our Prime Resins business, which makes chemical grouts,”said John Taylor, Director at USL Group. “It will enable both companies to expand their reach in the growing I&I market space by leveraging their joint reputations and product offerings”  

He continues, “Prime Resins has actively pursued growth in this market space, and the clear synergies with Logiball will lead to product improvement and expansion of use that will benefit the trenchless rehabilitation industry as a whole”.

Tamko Building Products  is celebrating its sustainability accomplishments, which include using more than one billion pounds of recycled materials in manufacturing its products since 2013. For 75 years, Tamko has taken a proactive approach to continuous improvement, including sustainable practices that are both good for the environment and make great business sense. 

Since 2013, Tamko has used 1.1 billion pounds of recycled paper, cardboard, sawdust, plastic and other materials to manufacture its products. Additionally, 549 million pounds of materials that could not be reused were sent to other recyclers rather than to a landfill. 

“We are proud to use recycled materials and incorporate sustainable practices that benefit our business, customers, employees and communities,” says Tamko president and CEO David Humphreys. “We care about the health and safety of our communities because our people live and work here too.”

Dörken Systems’ Delta-Vent SA has received Passive House component certification from the Passive House Institute (PHI).

Passive House buildings are designed to minimize energy costs. To achieve this level of energy efficiency, the quality of the components used must meet stringent requirements.

“At Dörken, we support the advancement of energy-efficient, high-performance building, and are committed to the highest standards,” explained Marcus Jablonka, vice president of operations and marketing at Dörken Systems Inc.

Products that carry the Certified Passive House Component seal have been tested according to PHI criteria, and are two to three times more efficient than the corresponding commonly used products.

Delta-Vent SA is a high-performance, three-layer air- and water-resistive barrier. Highly permeable, watertight, and aggressively self-adhering, the product ensures proper air tightness and moisture protection.

Jablonka says Delta-Vent SA is the only air barrier to have PHI approval.