Bobcat installs stationary fuel cells at two facilities
Bobcat Co. enhanced two of its North Dakota manufacturing facilities with the installation of 14 stationary, natural gas-powered fuel cells from HyAxiom, a leading global fuel cell and hydrogen solutions provider. These units will operate in parallel with the commercial power grid while carving a pathway to decarbonization by producing clean energy for the facility’s operations.
“We are proud to be at the forefront of sustainable energy solutions with the installation of these new stationary fuel cells,” said Mike Ballweber, president, Doosan Bobcat North America. “This is just one example of our commitment to advancing our facilities today for a better tomorrow.”
The recently commissioned fuel cells allow Bobcat to diversify its energy sources by supplying a majority of the annual power and heat needs of the Bismarck facility and about half the needs of the Gwinner facility.
“HyAxiom’s stationary fuel cell solutions provide efficient combined heat and power that will help Bobcat improve its operations and continue innovating for the smart job site of the future,” said David Alonso, chief commercial officer at HyAxiom.
Utilized in a wide range of applications, HyAxiom’s PureCell M400 is a proprietary phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) that can use natural gas, hydrogen, LPG or a blend of fuels to produce rapidly deployable baseload electricity and heat that are also resilient, sustainable and affordable.
In Bismarck, Bobcat is able to provide power back to the grid as a registered power producer. This reduces the demand on Bismarck energy providers and ensures there is enough power on the grid. Thanks to the useable heat produced by the fuel cells, Bobcat has also been able to reduce its overall energy use by eliminating two boilers previously required to produce heat on its paint line.
2024 Dewalt Trades Scholarship recipients revealed
Dewalt, a Stanley Black & Decker brand, named the recipients of its 2024 Dewalt Trades Scholarship. This year, the program awarded $200,000 in scholarships to 40 students across the U.S. and Canada to support trades education in fields ranging from electrical to carpentry.
The annual scholarship program is part of Dewalt’s Grow The Trades initiative, a $30 million commitment over five years to close the skilled trades gap in the U.S. To date, the company has awarded more than $850,000 in scholarships.
“This year’s scholarship recipients are leading the way for the next generation to launch rewarding careers in the trades,” said Frank Mannarino, general manager, Dewalt. “At Dewalt, we applaud high school seniors and those at various points in their career journey who have selected the trades, and we encourage our future tradespeople to announce their decision with pride. We are committed to empowering the professionals of tomorrow and providing them the resources they need to excel in their training and on the job site.”
The 2024-2025 scholarship winners represent 23 states and two provinces. Students pursuing fifteen different fields including electrical, carpentry, construction, HVAC, and welding.
Caterpillar invests $90 million in Texas
Caterpillar made a $90 million investment to prepare its facilities in Schertz and Seguin, Texas, to produce the all-new Cat C13D industrial engine. The investment will create 25 jobs at Schertz starting in 2026.
“We appreciate the support from the local community as we prepare our Seguin and Schertz facilities to produce the C13D engine,” said Mark Stratton, vice president and general manager of Caterpillar’s industrial power systems – large engines. “The Caterpillar team in Texas will produce the quality parts and engines we need for our customers as we help them build a better, more sustainable world.”
The C13D is a new 13-liter diesel engine platform designed to achieve best-in-class power, density and fuel efficiency. The engine optimizes the performance of heavy-duty off-highway applications such as material handling, construction and more.
The investment includes new equipment installations at both facilities, $70 million in Schertz to make C13D engine components and $20 million in Seguin to assemble the engines. C13D engine production is slated to start in 2026.
Weed Man sets sights on Seattle
Weed Man, the No. 10 ranked company on the 2023 LM150 list, revealed plans to bring 25 new single territories and 12 double territories to the Seattle market over the next 5-7 years.
Weed Man is currently seeking qualified, single-unit and multi-unit partners to take advantage of this opportunity to own a Weed Man franchise in the King County, Snohomish County and Pierce County area. The initial investment to open a Weed Man ranges from $80,535 for a single territory to $107,785 for a double territory.
“We have been expanding our footprint at a quick pace over the past few years,” said Jennifer Lemcke, CEO of Weed Man. “Given Seattle’s unique weather and lawn care needs, it’s a natural fit for our services. We are confident that once we identify suitable partners, our expansion into the area will flourish.”
Each owner is equipped by the franchisor with all aspects of business operations, including administration, technical, marketing, business planning and budgeting. As an additional layer of local support, every Weed Man franchisee is supported by a regional franchisor who serves as a personal consultant and mentor, providing experience, guidance and encouragement.
