MINNEAPOLIS, June 2, 2011—Tennant Company and its Orbio Technologies Group today announced the acquisition of Water Star, Inc. (WSI), a Newbury, Ohio-based firm specializing in electrochemistry. This acquisition is consistent with Tennant Company’s strategy to expand its intellectual property in support of the company’s long-term vision to deliver sustainable, breakthrough innovations that help create a cleaner, safer, healthier world.
“Tennant Company and Orbio are thrilled to join forces with Water Star,” commented Karla Leis, General Manager for Orbio Technologies Group, based in St. Louis Park, Minn. “Water Star principals Marilyn and Andy Niksa bring the proprietary knowledge and specialized expertise in the area of electrochemical systems that we believe will open new opportunities and accelerate our pursuit of sustainable cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting solutions,” Leis noted.
Orbio Technologies Group is the sustainable cleaning technology arm of Tennant Company, a world leader in the manufacture, design and marketing of cleaning equipment. Established in 2009 to execute Tennant Company’s vision of becoming a global leader in chemical-free and other sustainable cleaning technologies, Orbio Technologies Group is dedicated to developing and marketing environmentally friendly technologies under the brand name of Orbio that will set the standard for sustainable cleaning around the world.
“Water Star is committed to using electrochemistry to develop innovative applications in a variety of industries,” said Marilyn Niksa, President. “We believe we have found the right partner to continue a mission of innovation and environmental stewardship, while providing effective business solutions.”
Orbio Technologies Group, in conjunction with Tennant Company, already has a portfolio of water-based cleaning technologies including Orbio Blended Stream (marketed as ec-H2O™ on Tennant autoscrubbers), Orbio Split Stream and Orbio Electroporation technology. Orbio Electroporation technology has the capability to inactivate the H1N1 virus and kill more than 99.9% of harmful bacteria and has been licensed to Activeion Cleaning Solutions, LLC, for use on its hand-held spray devices marketed under the names ionatorEXP™ and ionatorHOM™.
About Orbio Technologies Group
Orbio Technologies Group is the sustainable cleaning technology arm of Tennant Company. Established in 2009 to execute Tennant Company’s vision of becoming a global leader in chemical-free and other sustainable cleaning technologies, Orbio Technologies Group is dedicated to developing and marketing environmentally friendly technologies under the brand name of Orbio that will set the standard for sustainable cleaning around the world. Orbio Technologies Group will continue to create and deliver sustainable cleaning solutions to Tennant’s existing markets and new markets.
About Tennant Company
Minneapolis-based Tennant Company (NYSE: TNC) is a world leader in designing, manufacturing and marketing solutions that help create a cleaner, safer, healthier world. Its products include equipment for maintaining surfaces in industrial, commercial and outdoor environments; chemical-free and other sustainable cleaning technologies; and specialty surface coatings for protecting, repairing and upgrading floors. Tennant's global field service network is the most extensive in the industry. Tennant has manufacturing operations in Minneapolis, Minn.; Holland, Mich.; Louisville, Ky; Uden, The Netherlands; the United Kingdom; São Paulo, Brazil; and Shanghai, China; and sells products directly in 15 countries and through distributors in more than 80 countries. For more information, visit www.tennantco.com.
About Water Star, Inc.
Newbury, Ohio-based Water Star is dedicated to using electrochemistry to develop products that are technologically effective yet cause no harm to the environment. Water Star offers improved components and systems that are used in cleaning, disinfecting water and surfaces, and making ultra pure water. Through its consulting services activities, Water Star helps customers design state-of-the-art electrochemical-based products that have found broad acceptance in the marketplace.
