Markham Company the Latest in Global Expansion Plans
Pressure Pipe Acquires Geographic Information Systems Leader
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada - February 5, 2002 - Hot on the heels of a major acquisition in Arizona, the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company announces another addition to its ranks. Markham-based Interactive Engineering, specializing in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), joined Pressure Pipe earlier this year.
The Mississauga company, the world leader in the evaluation of concrete pipes used in water supply systems, will use Interactive Engineering's expertise to strengthen its risk management capabilities and supply clients with more detailed geographic information about their water supply systems.
"Interactive Engineering is a leader in computerized information management systems," said Pressure Pipe President Brian Mergelas. "Using their technology, we can take several different types of information important to pipeline health and combine them. For example, our clients will now not only be able see a map of all the pipelines under their jurisdiction, but they will also get information about the soil around the pipelines, any areas that may need repair, the proximity of pipelines to schools, major roads, etc. It provides them with a better picture of their water supply systems."
Interactive Engineering, founded in 1995, is a Canadian engineering consulting firm that provides Asset Management and Technical Services to the Municipal and Utility industries that are also part of Pressure Pipe's client base. Paul Marsh, Principal Engineer at Interactive Engineering, will assume the position of Geomatics Engineer at Pressure Pipe. He will be responsible for the analysis of pipeline infrastructure.
"This provides us with a unique opportunity to use our skills on larger-scale projects," said Marsh. "By providing clients with more complete information about their water supply systems, we can help them reduce repair costs and avoid unnecessary expenditures."
Pressure Pipe has already saved municipal taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in repair and replacement costs by evaluating the condition of pipelines and pinpointing areas that need repair, rather than replacing whole lengths of pipe. The acquisition of Interactive Engineering is the latest in a string of successes for the company, which is expanding on a global level and has won nine awards in the past two years. Most recently, it received the 2001 Synergy Award from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and was named the Fourth Hottest Startup in Profit Magazine's 50 Hottest Startups this fall.
The Pressure Pipe Inspection Company Ltd. was founded in 1997. It has a unique and patented technology that uses electromagnetic waves to detect and quantify damaged sections of pipe, making it possible to avoid ruptures and unnecessary repairs. The company, which started with one employee, has grown to over 50 employees and continues to expand on a global level.
About PPIC
A world leader in large diameter water and wastewater pipeline condition assessment, the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company (PPIC) offers forward looking solutions to help customers address aging infrastructure challenges in a reliable and cost effective manner. Our innovative services pinpoint damaged sections of a pipeline to help optimize infrastructure investments, stop leaks, reduce risk and ensure compliance. PPIC has inspected over 6,000 miles of critical pipeline assets over the past decade. For more information, visit www.ppic.com.
For more information, contact:
Michael Stadnyckyj
the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company
+1 905-624-1040 x 301
mstad@ppic.com