Due to continued demand for its products and services, Innovative is in the process of adding 40,000 square feet to the manufacturing plant. The additional space will allow Innovative to increase equipment packaging and manufacturing production. Completion date is slated for December 2011.

“We are fortunate to be in this position,” said John Stoklosa, Vice President of Engineering, Innovative. “This is due in large part to the dedication of our staff and our reputation of providing state-of-the-art equipment and service. Our expanded production area will allow us to continue to grow and  continue to provide superior equipment to sites across the continent.”

The training, which will take place the morning of Saturday, September 10^th, will involve the city of Waynesboro Fire Department, Staunton Fire Rescue, and the Wilson Volunteer Fire Company, allowing them to train for response to a hazmat scenario. The drill will begin with a hazardous material ‘alarm’ at the Fishersville Fire Station, where a de-briefing about the potential situation will be held, physical health of responders will be checked, and roles assigned.

Once the regional hazmat team arrives at the scene, responders in Level III personal protective gear will make multiple team entries, set up a command station and a large decontamination area that will include showers, brushes and solutions, rinse stations, and medical monitoring. The simulated response will be monitored by Fire Department officials for post-event evaluation.

 “While at Innovative to train their staff on emergency response, we determined that this would be an ideal place to hold our annual hazmat certification training. By using an industrial site such as this one we are able to simulate all risk associated with hazard materials which is paramount for our team members,” said Captain Nathan Ramsey, Special Operations.

“We jumped at the opportunity to let them use our facility to prepare for an actual Hazardous Material response,” said Mike J. McGinnis, P.E., President, Innovative. “In addition to helping prepare local fire departments and insure the safety of our community, this will also help us train our customers to protect their employees and their facilities.”

In an economically challenging environment, Florida Institute of Technology students value even more the intangible advantages their school affords them.  Recently, Mike McGinnis, Florida Tech Alumnus and Galaxy/Ad Astra Society Member, Class of 88, BS in Mechanical Engineering and owner of Innovative Refrigeration Systems in Lyndhurst, VA, escorted four members of the Florida Tech Student Chapter of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers) at the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration National Conference (IIAR) in Orlando, Florida.

Nick Avery, inaugural winner of the Marvin Yarosh and Jack Wiles Endowed Scholarship (created jointly by Spacecoast ASHRAE and the Canaveral Section of ASME), Jim Susini, Matt Wills and Jennifer Stephens were honored and impressed with the IIAR convention & expo and spoke appreciatively.

Nick said, “Mike McGinnis was very interested in our career paths. We talked to a lot of company reps, each who noted that the refrigeration industry is economically stable, and that they are always looking to hire.  We had a good introduction to the advantages and dangers of ammonia systems too.”

Mike McGinnis echoed that sentiment, “The students were very excited to be at the convention and I enjoyed meeting all of them.  Meeting the gang from FIT brought back great memories of my personal experiences and the benefits of the amazing education that Florida Institute of Technology provided me in ’88 and is obviously still providing today!”

Danfoss, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-efficiency electronic and mechanical components and controls for air-conditioning, heating, refrigeration and motion systems, recently celebrated the production of the 15,000th Danfoss ICF valve station.

“The many benefits that the ICF delivers and the proven technology behind 15,000 units has made the Danfoss valve station a technology of choice among industrial refrigeration installers,” said Jim Hower, national sales manager, Danfoss North America.

Mike McGinnis, president, Innovative Refrigeration Systems, Inc., Lyndhurst, Va., accepted delivery of the 15,000 unit. “We’ve probably installed close to 500 ICF valves in the past four to five years,” he said. “I appreciate the many benefits the valve offers, beginning with reduced leaks thanks to the absence of flange gaskets. And for companies that build the valves in the field, the ICF valve station offers significant labor savings, because it requires fewer welds.”

The Danfoss ICF valve train requires just two welds during installation, saving as much as 80 percent in installation time when compared to conventional valve trains that require up to 12 welds. Fewer welds also reduce the number of gaskets and associated opportunities for leaks, while eliminating the need for disassembly. Servicing time is also reduced — by as much as 50 percent — thanks to quick and efficient evacuation, and a low internal volume ensures minimal refrigerant loss during maintenance.

The ICF’s single one-piece body provides ports for up to six function device modules that are configured specifically for a customer’s application and shipped to a jobsite as a complete subassembly. Each valve station features generous-sized strainers, industry-leading ICM/ICAD motorized valves and standard side ports that can accommodate purge valves, sight glasses, pressure transmitters and hot gas feed lines to gas-powered suction valves.

In addition, zinc chromate corrosion protection and the absence of wear surfaces ensure the Danfoss ICF valve station lasts the lifetime of the system.

“It’s very easy to talk about the features and benefits of the ICF, many of which are unique to the Danfoss product,” said Hower. “However, the real story is in the number of these units that have been installed around the world. 15,000 valve stations are a real testament to the success of the unit and speak to the confidence customers continue to place in the ICF and the benefits it consistently delivers.”