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Educational2021-03-15T14:11:10-04:00

Educational

Exterior Manhole Chimney Rehabilitation Featured in Midwest Journal of Trenchless Technology

Exterior Manhole Chimney Rehabilitation Featured in Midwest Journal of Trenchless Technology We're very proud to be featured in the article "Protecting Infrastructure Inside & Out" in the most recent Midwest Journal of Trenchless Technology, the publication of the Midwest Society for Trenchless Technology (MSTT).  The publication advances MSTT efforts to promote greater understanding and use of trenchless technology methods throughout the Midwest. The article highlighted a unique project that Midwest Infrastructure Coatings, one of our certified installers with a service territory of Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas, began for the city of Independence, Missouri.  The city has

March 1st, 2024|Educational|

OBIC Launches Polyurethane Grouting Sealant Line and E-Commerce Store

OBIC Launches Polyurethane Grouting Sealant Line and E-Commerce Store At OBIC, we have earned a reputation for our industry-leading lining system that prevents leaks from occurring.  What is not so well known is that our lining system will not adhere to running water, so we first had to become experts in the science of stopping leaks. The OBIC line of hand-injected and pump-injected polyurethane grouts is uniquely designed to stop even the toughest leaks.  Not only do we use them in all of our water and wastewater rehabilitation projects, but they are also available for customers to

February 6th, 2024|Educational|

OBIC Announces Internal Promotions for 2024

OBIC Announces Internal Promotions for 2024 OBIC is pleased to announced that Michael (Mike) Hoffmaster has been promoted to Vice President of Business Development, and Trey Hesselschwardt has been promoted to Director of Corporate Training. Dustin Schlachter, CEO and Chief Visionary Officer of OBIC, said, "Mike has helped to expand our market and network of certified installers and has spent nearly four decades in the construction industry." Serving previously as Director of Business Development, Mike's industry connections and knowledge in the trenchless industry are invaluable.  "It has been exciting to be part of the OBIC team and experience

January 29th, 2024|Educational|

What is Microbially Induced Corrosion (MIC) of Concrete?

What is Microbially Induced Corrosion (MIC) of Concrete? In a previous blog, “What are the Main Causes of Manhole Deterioration”, we highlighted various problem areas existing in manhole structures, and we mentioned Microbially induced corrosion (MIC) in passing. So, what is MIC and where does it come from? Microbially induced corrosion (MIC) can be defined as the process by which live microorganisms cause changes in the physical properties of a structural material. You may have also heard it referred to as microbially influenced corrosion, biocorrosion, or just microbial corrosion. In the case of concrete, a common material

January 19th, 2024|Educational|

Celebrate National Trivia Day With Some Sewer System Trivia!

Celebrate National Trivia Day With Some Sewer System Trivia! Trivia nights are a wintertime staple activity throughout the country.  National Trivia Day is January 4th, and in honor of this day, we wanted to do an online "trivia night" blog that features - what else? - sewer system trivia!Let's test your sewer system knowledge!Q: What city in Texas has 6,000 miles of sanitary sewer piping and 120,000 manholes?A: HoustonQ: What city in Alabama has 566 miles of sanitary sewer piping and 11,629 manholes? A: TuscaloosaQ: According to USEPA estimates, how many billions of gallons of wastewater are treated

January 2nd, 2024|Educational|

Experts in the Field are a Part of OBIC’s Commitment to Highly Trained, High-Quality People

Experts in the Field are a Part of OBIC's Commitment to Highly Trained, High-Quality People Trey Hesselschwardt is the Chief Training Officer with OBIC and has been with the company since its founding.  What does a Chief Training Officer do?  First, he helps new applicators come on board with equipment training and OBIC's process methodology.  Second, he answers questions via phone calls on a daily basis.  Third, he travels around the world to visit installers in-person, walks through situations they've never experienced before, and navigates through that with the best OBIC product choices.  He makes 2 or

November 9th, 2023|Educational, Installer Spotlight|

How to Stop a Leak in a Manhole – The OBIC Way

How to Stop a Leak in a Manhole - The OBIC Way "Good morning, welcome to the first day of your OBIC Applicator Training.  This morning we are going to learn about our manhole leak stopping procedure." OBIC-certified applicators around the world are fully trained and prepared through our Certified Installer Program that involves classroom time and on-site training.  One of the most important skills an OBIC applicator will learn during the program is how to stop structure leaks.  As we have discussed in previous blogs, groundwater infiltration from collection system cracks, hole, joint failures, mortar joints

October 3rd, 2023|Educational|

Join OBIC in Celebrating World Trenchless Day on September 28!

Join OBIC in Celebrating World Trenchless Day on September 28! Celebrated on the fourth Thursday of September, World Trenchless Day serves as a global celebration that shines a spotlight on the many benefits of trenchless technology in underground infrastructure. Here are just some of trenchless technology's benefits: 1. Safety Trenchless methodology is a substantial advantage versus open-cut construction methods.  Although OSHA regulations assure trench protection and fall arrest systems, the absence of excavation eliminates those issues altogether.  Another safety item that benefits from trenchless methods is the potential for traffic accidents, especially accidents from workers performing their

September 20th, 2023|Educational|

What’s the Best Way to Prep a Wastewater Structure for Rehabilitation?

What's the Best Way to Prep a Wastewater Structure for Rehabilitation? Proper surface preparation is the absolute key to any successful coating/lining project.  Depending upon the substrate surface, as much as 40% of the project cost can be the surface prep.  Because of this, many contractors will cut corners on the preparation portion resulting in potential long-term failure.  When it comes to wastewater infrastructure work, you should be looking at the long game, which is why OBIC goes above and beyond to extend the life of your structure for up to 50 years with a faster return

September 6th, 2023|Educational|

What is a Stress Skin Panel in Wastewater Structure Coating?

What is a Stress Skin Panel in Wastewater Structure Coating? We regularly refer to the OBIC Armor three-layer system for wastewater structures as a stress skin panel.  During a recent conversation with a public works director, he asked for a more thorough explanation.  A brief summary of that explanation around what a stress skin panel in wastewater structure coating is follows, and we're sure there are more people who would benefit from this information as well! The OBIC Armor liner system is a sandwich-structured composite.  It consists of an inner and outer layer of flexible polyurea with

August 28th, 2023|Educational|
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