OBIC Products Expands Its Global Footprint Global Leader in the Development and Manufacturing of Coatings and Linings for the Rehabilitation and Life Extension of Wastewater Utility, Commercial and Industrial Infrastructure Now Operating In India OBIC LLC (Bryan, Ohio USA), is pleased to announce the expansion of its global presence with the establishment of its new sister company, OBIC Solutions, Pvt. Ltd. based in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. OBIC decided to enter the Indian market as they saw a need for high quality waterproofing, rehabilitative and protective coating and lining solutions in one of the fastest growing economies in the world. “We wanted to be a partner in rehabilitating and rescuing aging infrastructure, protecting it for the long term and defending it against costly failures,” shares Dustin Schlachter, CEO and Founder of OBIC LLC. The firm will be collaborating with other key Indian entities and noteworthy innovators in the field of infrastructure and polymers. TUIT Infratech of Bangalore, KA, and its business development and marketing team, will be assisting OBIC Solutions with market education, promotion and sales. Annand Khanna, PhD, Professor Emeritus of IIT Bombay will be OBIC’s technical advisor, helping the firm with product innovation, developing new products

The Rest of the Story: OBIC sewer lining repair and rehabilitation At OBIC, we are passionate about our products. Some might even call us obsessive. We share product information on our website, give real-world application examples in our emails, and our sales team diligently discusses these benefits over the phone in a race to share OBIC products with our customers. Okay, that last part may be a slight exaggeration, but we really are excited to share the OBIC product advantage with everyone interested in water and wastewater system rehabilitation. That being said, our products are only the beginning. The rest of the story starts with our team of chemists and ends with our certified OBIC installers. Sewer lining repair solutions manufactured in an ISO 9001-2015 facility OBIC specializes in manufacturing products that provide a cost-effective approach to repairing sewer system inflow/infiltration and corrosion issues commonly found in holding systems, manholes, treatment facilities, vaults and other structures. Yes, we realize that we are talking about our products again, but it is the manufacturing process that we want to focus on. Most OBIC sewer lining/coating products are manufactured in an ISO 9001-2015 certified facility. What does this mean?

Installer Spotlight: Pleasants Construction, Inc. OBIC is excited to introduce Pleasants Construction, Inc. as the newest member of our installer network. Based in Clarksburg, Maryland, their service area includes Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC and Delaware. Expanding water and wastewater rehabilitation services Pleasants Construction is a full-service, turnkey construction company with an underground rehabilitation service division. “We have been in the manhole and vertical structure lining business for several years,” said Michael Hoffmaster, sales and marketing manager at Pleasants Construction, Inc. “With OBIC we have already been able to start rehabilitating large diameter pipes and are looking forward to expanding our tank and potable water services as well.” Pleasants Construction, Inc. has previous experience working with polyurea multi-layer systems and was first drawn to OBIC because of the high-quality product options. “We feel that the OBIC line of products offers us a variety of solutions to address our client’s needs,” said Hoffmaster. The fact that OBIC multi-layer is backed by a 10-year warranty and priced competitively helped solidify the decision to become an OBIC installer. First-class customer support With over 55 years of experience in the industry, Pleasants Construction, Inc. has built a proud tradition

Work Hard. Dream Big. The Schlachter family has always believed that success means working hard and dreaming big. In 1999, those big dreams began to take form when they established their first family-owned business, S&S Directional Boring. Over the next 19 years, that one business became three with the addition of Advanced Rehabilitation Technology in 2007 and OBIC in 2018. Today, these businesses have been awarded Large Business of the Year by Bryan Area Chamber of Commerce, and have grown into a brand new 24,000 square foot facility. To help encourage others in the community to dream big, an additional 24,000 square foot space was built to serve as an incubator for new business. Read more about our history and DRIVEN philosophy.

OBIC grout stops even the toughest leaks Manhole rehabilitation projects often involve brick and concrete structures that have cracks, missing or mortar deteriorated gaskets, pipe protrusions or other pathways allowing groundwater to enter. This is a common problem that occurs in manholes across the world, but one that causes a unique problem for OBIC installers. Although OBIC products are scientifically designed to stop sewer system inflow and infiltration issues, they will not adhere to running water. Specifically designed to stop leaks in water and wastewater structures Fortunately, OBIC offers a complete line of grout materials specifically designed for stopping leaks that occur in water and wastewater structures. The most common material used by OBIC installers for stopping leaks is polyurethane chemical grout. Polyurethane chemical grouts are usually injected under pressure as a liquid resin into or in the vicinity of the leak. Once the resin contacts water, a chemical reaction occurs. Depending on the material formulation, the grout/water combination forms an expansive closed-cell foam. The foam created can be flexible and resilient (hydrophilic) or rigid (hydrophobic). More on that later. In most manhole leak scenarios, the leak can be used to pull the grout into the structure.

Manhole Rehabilitation: Brick Manholes The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that there are approximately 26 million manholes in the U.S. The majority of these structures are precast concrete manholes, cast in place concrete manholes and concrete block manholes, however, clay fired brick was a popular material used in the construction of manholes prior to the 1950s. A quick history lesson on precast concrete manholes In the post-World War II suburbia, young families in search of homes created a housing boom. Along with new homes, the rapid growth of communities began to make infrastructure a priority. Schools, community centers, churches, supermarkets, office buildings, industrial plants and shopping centers all required proper water and wastewater systems. In 1954, the Precast Concrete Institute was formed and precast manhole structures became the most cost-effective method for manhole construction. The high cost of labor and installation for brick manholes quickly made them a thing of the past. Not entirely obsolete, brick manholes were still installed in remote locations and industrial sewer systems where the discharge is highly corrosive. An aging infrastructure leads to manhole rehabilitation priorities For discussion purposes, let’s say that 1/3 of all manholes in the

Installer Spotlight: Midwest Infrastructure Coatings LLC OBIC is excited to introduce Midwest Infrastructure Coatings LLC as the newest member of our installer network. Based in Missouri, their service area includes Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas.A family-owned business, Midwest Infrastructure Coatings is owned and operated by Bryon Baker and his son Kolby. “We are a small, grassroots company that started from nothing more than a truck, a wheelbarrow and a bucket of tools,” said Bryon. “As we have grown, we have established a solid reputation with our customers. They know that we are committed to offering the highest level of products and services on every job.”That commitment to quality and customer service is what drew them to OBIC. “We are working on infrastructure, and it is essential that we have a long-lasting product that can withstand the harsh environment of wastewater systems,” said Bryon. “The 10-year warranty offered on OBIC products shows that they are confident in their product and reinforces our confidence as OBIC installers.” Sewer lining repair vital with aging infrastructuresAging sewer infrastructure is a problem that is affecting nations across the world, and Midwest Infrastructure Coatings’ service area is no exception. Systems put in place

Causes of Corrosion The need for polymer sewer lining coating When OBIC was founded, it was with the mission of providing a long-lasting, cost-effective barrier of protection for water and wastewater structures. Polymer coatings and lining systems have proven time and time again that they offer the best combination of price and performance for addressing sewer system inflow and infiltration issues. Our website and blog posts are filled with data and information to support this. If you are wondering why polymer sewer lining coatings are necessary in the first place, you have come to the right blog post. The following paragraphs give an overview of what causes sewer inflow and infiltration issues and why polymer coatings are needed in the first place. Most common issues that make sewer lining repairs necessary The two most common problems affecting sanitary sewer structures are groundwater infiltration and deterioration caused by corrosion. Infiltration is relatively easy to understand.  Corrosion, on the other hand, is slightly more complicated. Ultimately, there are two main culprits to corrosion. The first one is hydrogen-sulfide; the second one is microbially induced corrosion (MIC). Hydrogen-sulfide corrosion (H2S) will always be a problem Hydrogen-sulfide

Save Energy and Money Energy Efficiency in Water and Wastewater Facilities Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, water and wastewater treatment facilities are humming with the sound of pumps and motors working to provide the community with clean water. Wastewater plants and drinking water systems can account for up to one-third of a municipality’s total energy bill (EPA 2009). These facilities represent a significant portion of controllable energy usage and offer opportunities for cost-effective investments in energy-efficient technologies. Energy efficiency measures in water and wastewater facilities can deal with the installation of energy-efficient equipment and also the adoption of improved processes. Pumping requires much of the energy used for treating and delivering drinking water and for transporting wastewater to and through the treatment plant. Installing a new, more efficient pumping system and adding new controls and sensors that improve automation can produce energy savings by approximately 20 percent. Energy is embedded not only in the water and wastewater treatment plants but throughout the pipe systems as well. For example, leaking pipes for drinking water require more energy in order to deliver water to the end-user. Likewise, manholes and sewer pipes that are leaking groundwater into

Polymer Misconceptions The Facts About Polymers and Wastewater Structure Rehabilitation At OBIC, we don’t hesitate to share the benefits of polymer lining systems for wastewater structure rehabilitation. As a matter of fact, you might say that we have made it our mission. Over the years, we have seen the good, bad and ugly of everything from manhole rehab projects to sewer lining repair, and we can say without a doubt that manholes, lift stations, treatment plant facilities and stormwater structures have all benefitted by coating or rehabilitating with a polymer lining system. These systems are installed with minimal service interruptions and can increase the life of the structure by 50+ years, making polymer lining systems an ideal solution when your priority is saving time and money. A few additional benefits that may interest you include: Prevention of corrosion to the structure Protection from chemical attacks the structure Resistance to abrasion Quick curing that results in a faster return to service 10-year warranty included 50-year design life Clearing up a few misconceptions With that list of proven benefits, what’s not to like about polymer lining systems? Unfortunately, there are a few misconceptions out there that cause some in