It may seem that climate goals were pushed aside during the past year as several global disruptions evolved. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine fomented a global energy crisis, meanwhile we also saw a disheartening continuation of global supply chain challenges. However, some industries still kept their eye on the mitigation of the climate crisis through the development of environmental solutions.
Long Beach, CA-based Ship & Shore Environmental, Inc. (S&SE), a pioneer of clean air technologies, wrapped up another productive year destined for the record books. This solutions-oriented business grew its operations, rooting itself into new markets and contributing further to imperative community outreach initiatives.
Every life form wins in the clean air industry. S&SE’s essential work provides innovative air pollution control solutions which make that possible through ingenuity in design and engineering, allowing everyone to breathe cleaner air. In 2022, S&SE had a 15% revenue growth compared to 2021.
A Year of Growth: Business Milestones
In a year when many industries began to downsize in anticipation of a recession, S&SE expanded the industries it serves as more regulations and controls came online, but equally as adoption of new technologies expanded. For example, S&SE developed stronger ties with the automotive industry, specifically in the electric vehicle and car battery market. Various management systems were developed by S&SE to help mitigate the diverse impact from the EPS (expanded polystyrene) industry. The packaging sector also continued with strong growth in 2022, and S&SE assisted nearly a dozen clients in this essential industry with their growth, from project conception to completion.
Further, over 2022, S&SE brought the strength of its full portfolio in many areas of expertise—chemicals, waste remediation, petroleum lubricants, port pollution, and aluminum extrusions to name just a few—to an array of new projects. Engineering, permitting, and of course designing custom state-of-the-art equipment for several new EPS plants illuminated our calendar year as we saw new clients seeking alignment with regulatory bodies and pollution limits. We see our work in implementing these technologies as an act of environmental stewardship, keeping an eye toward long-term efficacy for both us and our clients—this is self-evident as many of the systems we’ve put in place are still operating even after 25 years.
The Engineering Mentorship Program S&SE established in 2019 continued during 2022. This program–which is meant to develop new generations of chemical, environmental, and mechanical engineers, specifically in grades K-12 and at university levels—garnered attention when a high school age intern at S&SE developed a scaled-down variation of our Korozon system. This student’s more cost-effective version combined water and activated oxygen to produce a mist capable of sterilizing indoor surfaces without producing harmful byproducts.
S&SE plans to continue to work with all universities and schools while providing interns valuable hands-on experiences across various corporate channels including sales, marketing, data collection, and engineering. In addition to these community building avenues, CEO Anoosheh Oskouian is also a frequent lecturer at a few Southern California universities.
Expanding Our Services
As a multinational environmental pollution abatement and energy solutions firm, our innovations have shaped the EPS industry, which has allowed the industry to continue by remaining in alignment with increasing regulations. Our executives enjoy the recognition of being some of the initial architects in engineering abatement solutions for EPS manufacturers. Through innovative and proprietary designs S&SE’s systems are all uniquely designed to mitigate pollutants and meet environmental regulations. Two of our most noted designs are the Steam Generating Thermal Oxidizers (SGTO) and Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers (RTOs), which are commonly implemented in the industry and can potentially qualify for “green” manufacturing incentives. Approximately 90% of EPS air pollution control systems throughout the U.S. have been engineered, installed, and maintained by S&SE.
S&SE continues to expand and increase the services we provide as demands on production grow, but also as what various industries offer expands.
“The EPS market is booming again, much like in the ’90s,” says S&SE CEO Anoosheh Oskouian. “We are seeing companies emerge building homes from EPS block molds, as well as utilization of EPS in road construction. We are getting ahead of the curve and driving down our client’s expenses. Boilers use natural gas, but our SGTO design cuts gas consumption to minimize cost and generate energy in the form of steam from the pollution that is collected.”
This expansion in EPS is a step in the right direction, because it relates to improved building techniques and green initiatives across the construction industry.
Looking Toward the Future
“S&SE’s work in combating pollution impacts businesses, yes, but it also directly contributes to a better, greener society at large,” says S&SE President and CEO Anoosheh Oskouian. “The ability to create new products and improve on solutions is part of human ingenuity and growth as a civilization. There is always a cost to growth and invention, and the work that S&SE does is meant to alleviate the negative byproducts of product and materials creation. Everyone benefits from responsible stewardship.”
With these core values and central goals as driving motivations, S&SE plans to sail into 2023 with further expansion in mind. Our sights are specifically set on the electric vehicle market as well as ocean biomes where we’re seeking new and innovative ways to mitigate port pollution by developing better systems and stronger responses to the demands placed on our ports.
Another area we’re excited about is the biogas arena, which we hope to return to after a slower year for that industry. Biogas converts organic waste into energy. However, that conversion process entails the creation of carbon dioxide, methane, and other environmentally deleterious compounds. In 2021, S&SE’s RTOs, our Direct-Fired Thermal Oxidizers (DFTOs), and several of our other systems transformed the biogas landscape through a combination of our work in education, marketing, and municipal cooperation. Overall through 2020 and 2021, we saw revenue increases in that space across multiple projects. The past year saw less growth, but we expect that to change over the next calendar year.
Air quality improvements and pollutant control impacts everyone, and at S&SE we are proud to have helped companies in their aims to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
