Making an industry greener

*Above | APG-Neuros’ production facility in Plattsburgh, New York

Blowers are an essential part of a variety of industrial as well as water and wastewater treatment applications requiring processed air. Municipal organisations use blowers primarily for aeration in secondary treatment of wastewater, which accounts for up to 70% of the total energy consumption at a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), making energy efficiency a priority for end-users when selecting blowers.

For almost 20 years there was little technological advancement in the blower industry until the single stage APG-Neuros turbo blower was introduced in 2005, which was initially received with hesitation and scepticism by the wastewater treatment market. The product has optimised and made aeration more energy efficient in wastewater treatment plants where most blowers are installed, bringing a much-needed change to the ageing technology in the blower market.

“The technology for blowers in industry has been stagnating for a long time, as there has not been any significant technological progress since the mid-1980s. Blowers are considered inefficient and not environmentally friendly,” says Omar Hammoud, President and CEO of APG-Neuros.

“In 2005, we took our technology to the engineering companies and end users, i.e. municipalities in the US and demonstrated its benefits and how it can improve wastewater processing. Initially, there was a lot of resistance – this was exacerbated by municipal bidding; when looking for solutions to wastewater problems or new technologies, the local governments would always take the lowest bid. In fact, this has been driving down the industry for many years. We had to literally show the government departments how this technology can help them. It has taken a long time – educating the market is a slow process, but it is worth it in the long run,” he adds.

Driving the industry forward

Today, APG-Neuros has over 70 employees and is a privately owned company with headquarters in Quebec, Canada and a production facility in Plattsburgh, New York. Engineers and owners recognise the company as the force behind the successful market introduction of the high-speed turbo blower (HSTB) technology in the wastewater treatment market. APG-Neuros is an award-winning company that strives for continuous technological developments and innovations. It owns its technological foundation, conducting in-house R&D programmes to keep innovating and improving its products and services. Since 2005, APG-Neuros has followed a focused approach, based on aerospace models, for product introduction. The company’s approach highlights its technical competency, proven design, high quality components, and UL & CSA certification.

This approach has led to the success of its products and the wide acceptance of HSTB in the wastewater treatment and industrial sectors in North America. APG-Neuros has achieved over 1,000% growth in sales revenue, exceeding $200m in cumulative sales between 2006 and 2018. Its HSTBs currently have the highest installed base of any HSTB manufacturer, with over 1,200 units installed and more than 100 units on order in North America and Europe. Combined with deliveries from its partner Neuros, worldwide installations exceeded 4,300 units as of November 2018 (1,300 turbo blowers in North America, Europe and the Middle East and a further 3,000 worldwide).

Industry-leading experts and thinktanks have recognised APG-Neuros’ achievements on numerous occasions. In 2011 and 2012, APG-Neuros received the Artemis Project and APEX awards which recognised companies in the water industry for applying innovative and sustainable products to address water industry challenges. In 2012, the company also received the “Product Innovation Award” from Frost & Sullivan in the aeration technology market in North America. Frost & Sullivan evaluated APG-Neuros blowers against key competitors based on criteria, such as the innovative element of the product that leverages leading-edge technologies, the value-added features, customer benefits of the product, the increased customer Return on Investment leading to decision on acquisition.

In 2013, 2015, and 2016 PROFIT 500 magazine listed APG-Neuros on the top 500 of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies. In July 2016, the company was honoured by the Canadian Business Executive with 2016 “Best of Canada’’ award. Finally, in July 2017 APG-Neuros CEO was awarded as “Best Turbo Blower Manufacturer CEO – North America” by CEO Monthly. However, satisfied customers always provide the most accurate mark of a company’s success, and Tim Thomas, manager of the South Cary, North Carolina Water Reclamation Facility, had this to say:

“APG-Neuros has exceeded my expectations in service and reliability! I have never had a better experience with blower equipment in my 25 years in the wastewater industry! I will highly recommend APG-Neuros to my peers as a company with high standards and a strong commitment to their customers.”

Further information
www.apg-neuros.com