Seshadri Ramkumar, Professor, Texas Tech University, USA
Cotton-based oil absorbent wipe proves its oil absorption capability in a thermal energy plant. On November 2nd, as a response to a minor oil spill incident in a National Thermal Energy Corporation (NTEC) plant, a public sector undertaking in Vallur, 20 Kms. away from Chennai city in Tamilnadu, India, Nambi Srinivasan, vice president for marketing for the Chennai-based WellGro United proved the effectiveness of TowelieTM wipe.
“TowelieTM wipe instantaneously absorbed heavy furnace oil and light crude oil and we immediately responded to the call to do a demo on Saturday,” stated Nambi Srinivasan.
TowelieTM evolved out an idea by this scribe and the commercial product was developed out of INDO-United States’ collaboration. Lubbock-based E Innovate, LLC markets it globally for oil spill remediation in oil, natural gas, automobile and manufacturing sectors. The recent successful field trial at the thermal energy plant in India has proven that the cotton-based wipe is penetrating into multiple sectors such as energy, manufacturing, etc.
Irwindale, California-based Davis Wire, LLC is using TowelieTM in their manufacturing operation to clean-up oil spills during manufacturing of products like metal fences, which has enhanced its production efficiency at the same time reducing plastic wastes. “TowelieTM has been widely accepted by companies in the oil & gas, auto mechanic, manufacturing and marine industries who care about reducing their impact on the environment,” stated Ronald Kendall, Jr., president of E Innovate, LLC.
TowelieTM is a good example of translation of a laboratory idea into market place, which involved inputs from manufacturing and marketing entities like WellGro United and E Innovate, LLC. INDO-United States’ partnership has clearly paved the way for a sustainable product to protect environment, enhance manufacturing and save human lives. “There is an unparalleled ease to INDO-USA collaboration when it comes to bringing affordable and innovative textile products to market,” added Kendall, Jr.
