NEWS
EVENTS
MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
AW-Lake & KEM Flow Measurement
Announce Merger
July 28
Xylem
to Acquire Cornell Pump & Roper Pump
August 11
Dodge Industrial
Acquires PSC Couplings
August 11
MFG Chemical
Acquires AP Tech
August 12
Valmet
to Sell Pump Business to Metso
August 26
NEW HIRES
Drew Taggart
Danos
GRAY, La. – Danos named Drew Taggart general counsel, strengthening the company’s legal leadership as it continues to grow across the energy and industrial sectors. In this role, Taggart will provide strategic legal counsel across the organization, supporting business operations, growth initiatives and risk management while helping advance Danos’ long-term objectives.
Tomas Dobrovolskis
LAI, Ltd.
ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. – LAI, Ltd., a Vessco Water company, hired Tomas Dobrovolskis as outside sales consultant, strengthening the company’s regional leadership and technical expertise across municipal water and wastewater treatment applications. Prior to joining LAI, Ltd., Dobrovolskis served as the vice president of Hidrostal North America, where he managed corporate strategic direction, regional growth and product profitability across various fluid-handling sectors. He brings more than two decades of deep engineering and municipal pump application experience to the company.
Ben Smith & Austin Benes
BinMaster Sensors and Technologies, LLC
LINCOLN, Neb. – BinMaster Sensors and Technologies (BST) announced the addition of Ben Smith to its sales team as regional sales manager for the western United States and Canada. With previous experience in field sales, day-to-day operations and sales management, Smith brings a fresh perspective to the inventory management market. His new role will drive further adaptation and awareness of BinMaster’s level sensing, flow detection and aeration devices, in addition to its software options for remote and on-premise bulk material monitoring.
Additionally, Austin Benes joined the BST sales team as senior vice president of sales, supporting the BinMaster, Senix and BinTrac brands of inventory management systems, bulk material sensors, cloud software and monitoring technologies for industrial and agricultural operations. A Nebraska native, Benes joins BST with over 20 years of sales and marketing experience in the agronomy and agriculture automation markets. In his new position, Benes will play a key role in introducing new products, expanding into new markets and integrating future acquisitions into the BST product line.
James Brown
NETZSCH Pumps USA
EXTON, Pa. – NETZSCH Pumps USA announced James Brown joined NETZSCH as lease automatic custody transfer (LACT) pipeline territory sales manager. In his new role, Brown will provide technical and commercial support to distributors and partners in the region, with a focus on LACT manufacturers, midstream companies and engineering, procurement and construction (EPCs) involved in pipeline projects. He will be responsible for selling NETZSCH pumps, spare parts and service to meet or exceed regional sales revenue plans established by NETZSCH Pumps management, with a strong focus on LACT pumps.
INDUSTRY UPDATES
EPA Announces $11.75 Million to Help Protect Drinking Water From Cyberattacks & Extreme Weather Events
WASHINGTON – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $11.75 million in grant funding for midsize and large drinking water systems to help protect them from cybersecurity threats and improve resiliency against extreme weather events. This funding, through the Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability grant program, will support 10 projects and affirms EPA’s commitment to ensuring all Americans have access to clean and safe drinking water.
The Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Grant Program supports building resilience against cyberattacks and natural hazards to strengthen vital water infrastructure across the country. Cyberattacks on critical water infrastructure have increased significantly, including high-profile attacks this year targeting more than 100 drinking water and wastewater systems across 12 states. At the same time, water infrastructure must have built-in resiliency to withstand natural hazards so it can continue to deliver safe water to the communities it serves.
Award receipients for this funding include public water systems that serve a population of 10,000 people or more, and the funding was competed through a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). EPA anticipates awarding federal grants to these recipients after legal and administrative requirements are satisfied.
This funding is another way EPA is partnering with federal agencies, states and the water sector to strengthen cybersecurity in the water sector. In 2025, EPA proactively identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities at 277 water systems and worked to fix the issues with individualized solutions ranging from authentication protocols to enforcing strict access controls along with other technical updates and restrictions. The agency also released new and updated planning tools that water systems across the country can use to help prevent and respond to cybersecurity incidents. EPA provides free cybersecurity technical assistance, assessments, training and tools to help systems improve their cyber defenses. These resources are readily accessible at epa.gov/cyberwater.
In This Issue
