NW Ohio firs win technology award

Eleven small, technology-oriented Ohio companies were recently recognized with Emerging Technology Awards, including two from the area: Gateway Defender, Inc. of Toledo and Surface Combustion, Inc. of Maumee. The awards recognize valuable progress in either advancing existing technologies or pursuing

"This year's winners are building upon Ohio's role as a worldwide leader in innovation," Governor Bob Taft stated. "These businesses have demonstrated a strong commitment to product development and job creation in Ohio, paving the way to a stronger, brighter future for Ohioans and the world at large. I commend these companies on their outstanding achievements."

"In an increasingly competitive and technology-based economy, the success of our award winners proves that Ohio has the right business climate to help companies develop and commercialize new products," stated state development director Bruce Johnson, who helped present the awards. "From world-class research institutes to a highly trained workforce, Ohio has what it takes to help emerging technology companies succeed."

The criteria were that the company has made significant progress in advancing an existing technology and/or introduced a new technology. More than fifty companies were considered for this award. The Emerging Technology Award specifically honors companies that have utilized technology to impact not only their own operation, but also the quality of life in their community, in the state of Ohio and around the world.

Surface Combustion, Inc.

Surface Combustion, Inc. (SCI) is a developer, designer, and, manufacturer of thermal process-equipment (industrial furnaces) used in the processing of ferrous and nonferrous metals, glass, and ceramics, and in the destruction of toxic and hazardous materials. The company has over 250,000 thermal systems and other equipment installed worldwide and more than 635 patents, 40 registered trademarks, and 20 trademarks.

SCI was founded in 1916 by two scientist/engineers with the objective to use natural gas, which was considered an undesirable byproduct of oil drilling, to provide energy for industrial furnace applications such as glassmaking. The firm moved to Toledo in the 1920s to capitalize on the area's abundance of natural gas and its growing automobile and glass industries.

Industry trends have formed the foundation for research and development spending in the last five years at SCI. The main areas of highest expenditures include modularization of one-row carburizing systems and expansion and new product introduction in the vacuum market.

Modularization of multi-chamber vacuum, gas vacuum, multi-bar equipment, and vacuum carburizing are all separate projects where significant effort and spending has been focused on expansion of SCI market position with vacuum furnace equipment. SCI is implementing strategic and unique designs to significantly improve its vacuum sales position in this increasing market, where new and innovative designs are required to successfully compete.

GatewayDefender, Inc.

GatewayDefender is an information technology company, providing web-hosted, managed services for identifying, isolating, quarantining, and eliminating email threat interdiction.

GatewayDefender qualified under both criteria - making significant progress in advancing an existing technology and introducing a new technology - with a new and more comprehensive approach to the elimination of electronic messaging threats (EMT): interdiction. Interdiction is the process of identifying, isolating, quarantining, and eliminating all know forms of EMT before they enter the corporate firewall, much less the message server or the desktop.

"We are proud to be Ohioans and are pleased that we have been able to bring high technology jobs to the state," stated Jim DelVerne, CEO, GatewayDefender.

GatewayDefender serves clients throughout the world. Its interdiction services are provided online through a set-up and administration process that does not require hardware/software purchase commitments. This method of interdiction allows clients to control their own email systems, while providing an identification and filtering system that aids in identifying, quarantining, and refusing spam and viruses before they reach the client's network.

"We are highly successful in stopping spam," DelVerne said. "This line of defense alleviates bandwidth and server problems due to escalating volumes of email by stopping spam on its servers. And this service is low cost and extremely customizable. We are excited about what we are doing here at GatewayDefender and we are ready to take our success to higher levels."

Other 2004 Emerging Technology award winners include: A&P Technology, Inc., Cincinnati; Barco Simulation, Xenia; Excera Materials Group, Inc., Columbus; Five Star Technologies, Cleveland; LSP Technologies, Inc., Dublin; MetaMateria Partners LLC, Columbus; Nanofilm, Valley View; Rite Track, Inc., West Chester; and Saleationships LLC, Youngstown.

Taft also presented the Edison Award to Cincinnati-based Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., a developer of advanced instruments used in both minimally invasive and traditional surgery, as well as in the diagnosis of illnesses. Given annually to a single entity, the Edison Award recognizes an organization's global leadership in fostering or implementing innovation and in positively utilizing technology to impact its operation and the community.