College Station, Texas, USA
May 20, 2005
Heat Transfer Research, Inc. (HTRI), an international research and development consortium, today broke ground on a new multimillion dollar center for engineering technology development and research. Participating in the ceremony were representatives of consortium member companies such as KBR, Eastman Chemical, and S&B Engineering as well as officials and dignitaries from the city of Navasota, Texas and Grimes County.
“For over 40 years, HTRI’s testing facilities have been leased property,” said Larry G. Hackemesser, Chair of HTRI’s Board of Directors. “Taking this step to own the facility is evidence of HTRI’s commitment to the importance of continued research for our members.” Bill G. Ashenhart, Chair of HTRI’s Technical Committee added, “HTRI’s customers, whose needs guide the direction of the research that will be conducted at this facility, will benefit from the tools and data that research will provide. In terms of customer focus, HTRI has been ahead of the curve since 1962.”
Claudette D. Beyer, HTRI President and CEO, said, “This groundbreaking marks the beginning of a new era for HTRI; our new Research & Technology Center will advance the state of the art for industrially-relevant research in the field of process heat transfer. Our members, whose products affect the lives of millions of people around the world, will receive bottom line value from this facility through increasingly accurate data and new technological breakthroughs.”
In addition to providing a permanent home for HTRI’s research program, the world’s longest-running proprietary program of its kind, the new center will allow the company to provide enhanced proprietary contract research, testing, and product evaluation services. Thomas G. Lestina, Director of Engineering Services, is working with companies to leverage the advantages this new facility will provide.
R. Stanley Kistler, HTRI’s Vice President for Research and Software Development said of the new capabilities, “This facility will be unmatched anywhere in the world in terms of our ability to conduct research that is relevant and directly usable by the energy and processing industries. Whether conducting research for the HTRI consortium, or providing confidential product evaluation and testing on a contract basis, this new center will redefine the state of the art.”
Beyer closed the ceremony saying, “We are proud to share this day with the city of Navasota and with Grimes County. Their pro-business attitude and enthusiasm for this project reinforces their forward-looking vision for positive growth in the region. As the anchor tenant of the Navasota Business and Industrial Park, we pledge to be good stewards of this new Park and look forward to a positive and mutually-beneficial relationship over the coming decades.”
About HTRI
Heat Transfer Research, Inc. (HTRI) is the global leader in process heat transfer and heat exchanger technology. Founded in 1962, our industrial research and development consortium serves the engineering needs of over 1000 corporate member sites. Our staff conducts application-oriented research and testing on industrially relevant equipment at our state-of-the-art facility; we use these proprietary data to develop methods and software for the thermal design and analysis of heat exchangers and fired heaters. We provide technical support to all members and offer training, consulting, and contract services to both members and non-members. Our dedication to excellence assures customers of a distinct competitive advantage and a high level of operating confidence in equipment designed with HTRI technology.
For additional information, contact
Fernando J. Aguirre, PhD, PE
Vice President, Sales & Business Development
Heat Transfer Research, Inc.
150 Venture Drive
College Station, Texas, USA
+1.979.690.5050 office
+1.979.690.3250 fax
fja@htri.net