Sterling, Virginia, July 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Impact Robotics (AIR), developers of a solution for the in-service inspection and maintenance of Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs), announces the appointment of Jim Nyquist to its Board of Directors. Mr. Nyquist brings decades of experience in industrial software and process automation, and a deep understanding of advanced digital transformation tools including cloud engineering, virtualization, workflow automation, and real-time analytics that combine to drive both capital project certainty and operational safety and efficiency. He will serve as an independent director at AIR.
“We are very fortunate that Jim has chosen to join our Board of Directors and I am very excited to have him as a part of our team,” said Fred Briggs, President & CEO of AIR. “I firmly believe that Jim’s expertise will be a critical component in our ability to transition from the R&D process into a commercialized robotics solution.”
Mr. Nyquist recently retired as Chairman of Emerson Systems and Software, a multibillion-dollar unit of Emerson’s $11Bn Automation Solutions business. Prior to assuming his current role, Mr. Nyquist served as Group President of Emerson Systems and Software for 11 years where he dramatically broadened their global software and engineering portfolio through acquisitions and organic growth. During that time, he led the acquisition and integration of 15 companies, nine of those in the past two years. The most recent and largest acquisition, Open Systems International Inc. (OSII), a leader in electrical transmission and distribution software, was a $1.6Bn acquisition completed Oct 1, 2020.
“I am delighted to join the Board of Applied Impact Robotics and bring another diverse perspective to the team. AIR’s innovation effort applies robotics and software to solve an industry problem that will improve both the safety and productivity of the oil storage and terminal industry.”
AIR is developing a robotic solution capable of inspecting a crude oil tank floor while the tank remains in-service. By starting with a clean slate and using biomimicry, our solution is unique in its ability to reduce viscosity of the sludge in a localized way. We leverage this reduced viscosity for penetration and maneuvering directly through the sludge and sediment to position sensors for floor scanning. By keeping the tank in-service during the scan, AIR significantly reduces the number of man hours required for confined space entry and at an average out-of-service turnaround cost of $2M/tank, the opportunity and value for an in-service solution is significant.
About Applied Impact Robotics
Applied Impact Robotics was formed in 2019 after winning the Chrysalix PETRONAS Incentive Challenge to develop a safe and economically viable solution to inspect the tank bottoms of Aboveground Storage Tanks (ASTs) without any interruption in service and requiring no human entry. The company is developing innovative ways to reduce the viscosity of sludge and sediment in order to maneuver robotic solutions through the complex and challenging environments found within ASTs. The team has a strong background in product development and robotic solutions and is headquartered in Washington DC. For more information visit appliedimpactrobotics.com or contact Fred Briggs.