Union Engineering Acquires Airco DIET

Source from:  tr.itsmyiq.com Nov 13, 2007 11/14/2007

Union Engineering a/s, of Denmark, announced today that it had acquired Airco DIET, the supplier of tobacco expansion plants. Union Engineering has been Airco's supplier of all DIET cold end equipment throughout the 25 years that Airco has been offering DIET systems. A new subsidiary of Union Engineering, Airco DIET a/s, headquartered in Fredericia, Denmark, will run the DIET business for Union Engineering. But 'a number' of former Airco DIET employees will be located in Union Engineering's US office in New Jersey, where they will continue to work on DIET projects, as well as other Union Engineering projects. Asbjørn Schwert and Keld Laigaard, both directors and shareholders in Airco DIET a/s, were quoted as saying that it was important for the company to maintain "continuity and excellence". In a press note, Union Engineering, which described itself as a global market leader in CO2 plants, said that Airco DIET was the world leader in tobacco expansion with more than 50 DIET (Dry Ice Expanded Tobacco) plants built worldwide during its 25 years of operation. Thirty of these plants had been built during the past 10 years, a level of production that had enabled the company to engage in continuous product development. 'The constant commitment to innovation within Airco DIET has led to the introduction and commercialization of the "C" Tower in the DIET Plant Hot End, which provides highly improved heat transfer during the drying process, with much higher product yield and significantly less degradation of the expanded tobacco product,' the press note said. Other recent improvements, Union Engineering said, had included the addition of a third stage CO2 recovery unit to minimize CO2 usage and to provide for a more environment friendly operation. And there was now under development a new standardized modular Mini DIET plant, which would involve much lower capital and installation costs. Enditem