Physical Acoustics Corporation (PAC) turns 44 this month! The founding of PAC in June 1978 served as a launching pad for MISTRAS’ past, present, and future success. Now, we are celebrating the company’s long-standing achievements with a look at where we came from to where we are headed.

Over the last four decades, MISTRAS has evolved exponentially. Starting out initially as an already tech-forward company, MISTRAS has helped to mold the future of asset protection with new-age technology and groundbreaking innovations.

With the future squarely in focus and opportunities ripe for the picking, MISTRAS possesses the technology and data solutions to meet the market’s demand. Customer-facing solutions like OneSuite™, Plant Condition Management Software (PCMS^®), MISTRAS Digital^®, and more are helping to cement and strengthen MISTRAS’ position as an innovative industry leader. While these foundations were built in the past, they not only serve today, but set up our successes for tomorrow.

To learn more about our Data Solutions, keep reading this digest.

MISTRAS recently installed a new gutter and downspout system at a customer’s facility in Saskatchewan, Canada. This job was called into action due to ice build-up developing on the sides of the customer’s facility and on the roof of the furnace. The build-up created an increased overhead safety hazard to personnel and process equipment. MISTRAS’ technicians assessed the problem and installed new piping, electrical heat tracing, and insulation by way of rope access. This endeavor eliminated the risk of falling ice and helped the client save significantly by avoiding costly scaffolding construction. To learn more about MISTRAS’ rope access capabilities, click here.

MISTRAS’ Rope Access team in Canada, with help from other on-site personnel, worked at a customer’s plant to remove a feedwell. This massive undertaking, which involved maneuvering 40 tons of material in a 12-hour shift, was executed to allow a 660-ton crane to pull the feedwell out. Our team executed this project quickly and safely, with zero recordable incidents.

To learn more about our Rope Access solutions, click here.

According to our mechanical testing experts in Germany, the best way to understand how composites behave in low-temperature or cryogenic conditions is to destroy them using the acid test. However, instead of acid, the composite is tested in liquid nitrogen (-196°C) mimicking operational conditions in the future. MISTRAS subsidiary brand GMA provides solutions for evaluating material behavior in cryogenic conditions at atmospheric pressure. Performing mechanical tests in our in-house lab in Stade, Germany, they can measure material static response to compression, tension, or bending in a liquid nitrogen cryogenic environment. To learn more about our lab testing services, click here.

New Century Software by MISTRAS took to the stage at the ESRI Energy Resource GIS Conference to show off some exciting new capabilities. Led by Jeff Boyton, New Century's Director of Software Engineering, the team participated in a joint presentation entitled “Survey123 Integration with Pipeline Open Data Standard (PODS) Geographic Information System (GIS) at DCP Midstream.” The focus was centered around a new product New Century is building to take Survey123 field data and be able to store it into the PODS data of record. To learn more about New Century's pipeline data solutions, click here.

Major Noesis Update! This improved software version is loaded with new features, improvements, along with new product Noesis Essential for ModalAE. Improvements made to Noesis 14.0 include:

• Dynamic splitters inside any Noesis page
• Noesis Live-SPR – export data in real time and feed external system(s)
• Structure functionality enhancements
• Continuous monitoring support tools
• Optimization

To learn more, click here.

Released! The Noesis Technology Packages are now available for MISTRAS users tapping into Noesis 14.0. The packages include popular inspection and analysis software, including:

• Noesis TankPAC^®: Complete product for analysis and reporting following the TankPAC^® procedure.
• Noesis MonPAC: Complete product for analysis and reporting following the MonPAC or MonPAC Plus procedure.
• Noesis ModalAE: Special edition of Noesis supporting Modal AE Analysis offers special calculations for Composite Vessels, intended to support ISO 19106/DOT May, 2018/ASME X section 8.
• Noesis Internal for MG Users: Extension of the commercial Noesis Essential with special functions available only for MISTRAS users.

To learn more, click here.

MISTRAS' team in California, USA, celebrated a major milestone, as they reached 25 years without an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable illness or injury. This major achievement—which took place at PBF Energy – Martinez Refining Company (MRC)—goes to show just how important day-to-day oversight is. Great job to everyone involved, and here’s to another 25 years!

Back row- Jonathan Giles, Brian Mejia, Andrew Cocuzza, Phil la Duna, Aaron Randazzo, Justin Decker, Gannon Carr, Adrian Lopez, TJ Vargas, Donnie LaPointe, Dillon Fields, Kelly Moore, Cameron Kendall, Ruichi Aviles, Front row- Lloyd Roberson, Keith Lau, Larry Campbell, Ryan Doan, Raymond Mendoza, Jacob Becvar, Giovany Vidrio, Dylan Cusack, Aprel Miller, Joseph Schmidt

MISTRAS Group is pleased to announce that our Youngsville (Lafayette), LA – USA branch has been awarded a 2021 American Equity Underwriters (AEU) Safety Award.
AEU, a leading provider of workers’ compensation for waterfront employers, presents the AEU Safety Awards each year to its best performing members nationwide. MISTRAS received this recognition for demonstrating a strong commitment to safety and being placed in the top 25 out of more than 1,300 companies judged for their safety programs in the maritime industry.

A pair of MISTRAS technicians used their quick thinking to help avoid a potentially serious situation. While performing UT thickness readings and walking down piping on the ground, they noticed a leak coming from the weld of a nozzle located at an ammonia receiver. These employees immediately alerted operations, who quickly got the situation under control. This is a prime example of how to embrace and execute MISTRAS’ safety program.

Mindfulness has been shown to help people stress less, increase focus, and sleep more soundly. Meditation helps you to be more mindful – and Headspace is your personal guide, with hundreds of meditations and exercises for sleep, focus, and movement. Effective 6/1/22, all U.S. MISTRAS benefit eligible employees will have access to a FREE membership with Headspace.

Click to learn how the Headspace app helps put you in the right frame of mind.

Anxiety — we all deal with it from time to time. It can make you feel nervous, worried or sick to your stomach. Over time, feeling that way can affect your health and well‑being. The good news? There are things you can do to help you manage it.

Sensoria™ made the rounds both virtually and in person at a pair of wind energy events. Serving as a headline partner with Blades Global, and exhibiting at CLEANPOWER, Sensoria™ stood tall. The 24/7/365 wind blade monitor was featured as a new innovation, helping customers achieve their wind energy goals in an ever-changing world.

MISTRAS has spanned the globe, attending important events to make our solutions and capabilities well known across the industrial landscape. This includes stops at the International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE) Symposium in Prague; JEC World, the leading international composites show held in Paris, France; and StocExpo, the largest and longest running international bulk liquid storage event that took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

MISTRAS’ Products & System crew in Princeton Junction, NJ – USA is bringing a little slice of home to the office. The team recently introduced the MISTRAS Pet Gallery. What better way to get through the day than with pictures of their favorite canines, felines, and feathered friends nearby? “The inspiration comes from us loving animals,” said Carmen Strauss, MISTRAS’ Production Technician. She added, “we all love our animals and we feel proud of them.”

Be sure to check out this beautiful bunch or to add a picture of your lovable pet to the gallery, click here.

MISTRAS virtually presented at the American Advanced Technical Academy (AATA) graduation ceremony for Army military personnel and students training in Italy. These nine graduating students were introduced to MISTRAS and learned about employment opportunities in the United States West Coast and Mountain regions. The AATA is a non-profit organization that helps empower Los Angeles-based men, women, and veterans with free non-destructive testing (NDT) training. Congratulations graduates!

MISTRAS presented at a trio of web events hosted by Hydrocarbon Engineering, Oil & Gas Journal, and Inspectioneering Journal. Two of the events focused on how through-valve leak detection solutions help plants achieve their environmental initiatives, while the Inspectioneering webinar highlighted how integrated mechanical integrity programs drive value for oil & gas processors.

Click to replay the webinars:

• Gas Flaring
• Mechanical Integrity

MISTRAS hit the links to help kick-off a pair of exciting golf events in 2022. These outings included the 22nd annual charity golf tournament hosted by TC Energy in Daniels, WV – USA (where MISTRAS served as a Gold-level sponsor) and the 9th annual Motor City Classic in Detroit, MI – USA. Both events provided great food, fun in the sun, and valuable business opportunities.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and that means there is no better time to pause and assess our own mental well-being. Daily stressors and the grind of life can affect our mental fitness. Through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and ComPsych, MISTRAS employees can seek help for a variety of life’s challenges. If you feel stuck mentally or emotionally, here are a few simple tips to help you break through, along with a challenge worksheet.

• Take media breaks
• Take care of your body
• Make time to unwind
• Connect with others

Most importantly, if you feel overwhelmed, reach out to someone for support. The HR Department is dedicated to providing the necessary tools and resources to all employees in their times of need. To learn more about the EAP, please consult the Employee Benefits Booklet or you can reach ComPsych directly at +1-877-595-5284.

MISTRAS released its financial earnings for 2022 Q1. Our executive management team, led by MISTRAS President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dennis Bertolotti, held a conference call with investor analysts to discuss the results and hold a question and answer session.

Other MISTRAS management team members included Edward Prajzner, Executive Vice President, Chief Executive Officer and Treasurer and Jonathan Wolk, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer.

To listen to a recording of the call, please click here.

The Marketing Department launched a new website representing our operations in the United Kingdom:

The new website is a sub-site of the global MISTRAS Group parent website, strategically designed to support our UK operations’ specific capabilities and audiences, while maintaining consistent branding and messaging.

Features of the sub-site include:

• Customizable UK-specific homepage, highlighting important solutions and industries relevant for the UK audience
• Individual webpages for each branch, with request forms, specialties, accreditations, supported industries, and more
• UK-specific recruiting portal, enabling prospective candidates to apply to job openings or submit their applications for future consideration
• Ability to easily add newly-published pages from the parent website
• Relevant marketing literature and videos on the Knowledge Center

You can follow the official MISTRAS social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to stay up-to-date on the latest company happenings.

*as of June 6th