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Cortec^® CEO, Chairman, and Founder Boris Miksic recently announced his selection of Caleb Pheneger, COO, as the new President of Cortec^® Corporation. This represents a strategic expansion of Pheneger’s responsibilities as Chief Operating Officer over Cortec’s US and Canadian operations to now include full oversight of Cortec^® Corporation under the direction of Miksic. Given Pheneger’s stellar performance and multiple promotions over the last 13 years, this appointment promises to open a new chapter of excellence for Cortec^®, Bionetix^®, and their customers.

Miksic started Cortec^® in 1977 after immigrating to the US and continues leading with a forward-thinking spirit. Looking ahead to the company’s future, he noted that this promotion “signifies the generational change in our organization. After having been at the helm for 48 years, since [Cortec’s] inception in 1977, I felt that the time has come to give a chance to younger managers to take over and bring our Group to the next level.”

The move also encapsulates Miksic’s vision for internal promotion, growth, and innovation. Pheneger joined Cortec^® straight out of Michigan Technological University in 2012. He was hired as a contract-to-hire chemical engineer by the R&D arm of the company. During his first two years he provided technical service support, completed projects, and performed testing for Cortec Laboratories^®, Inc. He quickly rose to the position of Production Manager in 2014 and Director of Manufacturing in 2017. In 2022, Miksic created the role of Chief Operating Officer with Pheneger in mind, putting him in charge of operations at Cortec^® and Bionetix^®.

Referring to Pheneger’s new role as president, Miksic stated, “I’m excited with Caleb’s latest promotion . . . continuing on the path of ‘excellence and quality’ that is . . . engraved in Cortec’s logo, in all aspects of Cortec’s business model, new technologies, world class plants and laboratories, excellence in sales and marketing.”

Miksic will continue his role as CEO and Chairman, giving him the opportunity to coach Pheneger and his team while expanding market share for holdings in his homeland of Croatia. “As always I will be making investments in our people, processes, new plants, R&D and add . . . acquisitions as necessary to provide for future expansion with a goal towards having successful employees and happy customers globally,” he announced.

Please join Cortec^® in congratulating Pheneger on his new role as we start an exciting new chapter of Cortec^® history marked by increasing excellence and quality in corrosion control and biotechnology!

To learn more about Cortec^® Corporation and its corrosion solutions, please visit: https://www.cortecvci.com/.

Keywords: Cortec, Cortec president, Caleb Pheneger, corrosion industry news, corrosion control, personnel changes, business news, Bionetix, Boris Miksic, Cortec history

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Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), farms, and food processing facilities have the incredible opportunity of transforming waste materials into heat and energy through onsite biogas production. Many already take advantage of anaerobic digestion to convert manure, wastewater, and plant-based waste into methane used to heat and power their own facilities. Yet this local form of renewable energy comes with inherent efficiency challenges—challenges that can be effectively addressed through bioaugmentation and biostimulation. Bionetix^® International encourages biogas facilities to explore those options now so they can be ready for maximum heating efficiency when winter prompts them to turn up the thermostat.

Enhance Performance with Microbes and Nutrients

Sometimes all that biogas generators need to fix these problems is to call in microbial and nutritional reinforcements. Bioaugmentation is the addition of beneficial microbes, and biostimulation is the addition of select nutrients that promote healthy microbial activity. One anaerobic digestion supplement that fulfills both purposes is BCP12^™. BCP12^™ contains select microorganisms and nutrients that promote healthy hydrolysis, acidogenesis, and acetogenesis to boost conversion of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into methane formers. Moreover, BCP12^™ appears to work well even in the presence of inhibitors that are common in lignocellulosic biomass,* making it an excellent addition to anaerobic digesters at facilities that process waste from food, crops, or pulp and paper.

BCP12^™ showed promising benefits when applied during a trial at a wastewater facility that used excess methane to fuel the boilers that heated their own buildings and digestion process. The facility noticed an increase in biogas production that could significantly offset their need for natural gas at a fraction of the normal cost, so it was recommended that BCP12^™ be added daily to the digester during the heating season.

Another great addition to anaerobic digesters is BIOGAS BOOSTER 3^™, a special blend of three micronutrients specially chosen to stimulate microbial activity. These micronutrients are stable and bioavailable, ensuring easy microbial uptake. Laboratory testing conducted by York University, Ontario, in 2020 showed an increase in biogas production in just one week when BIOGAS BOOSTER 3^™ was used.* An increase like this in the field would mean that facilities could get more thermal energy and electricity, thereby increasing the energy recovery from digested substrates.

Turn Up the Heat Next Winter

If your facility needs to discard large amounts of wastewater, manure, or food scraps, don’t miss your opportunity to convert waste into valuable biogas and help cut your facility heating and energy bill next winter. Then, go one step farther to optimize efficiency with bioaugmentation and biostimulation so you don’t have to feel guilty next time you turn up the thermostat! Need additional help? Contact Bionetix^® International for further assistance maximizing your biogas efficiency.

*York University NSERC Engage Project Report, “Novel Bacterial Blend to Enhance Biomethanation of Municipal Sewage Sludge,” 11 December 2020. Prepared by Prof. Brar’s Team: Dr. Bikash Tiwari, Rahul Saini, and Mona Chaali.

Keywords: biogas, how to cut winter heating costs, anaerobic digestion challenges, biogas challenges, bioaugmentation, manure handling tips, Bionetix, wastewater treatment plant heating options, renewable energy, what to do with pulp and paper waste

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Bad odors and excess sludge are two signs of potential septic tank problems. Summer heat only makes those odors worse, signaling that something must be done to foster a healthy microbiome in the tank. Before those smells ripen into full “bloom,” why not tackle the problem by giving your septic tank a healthy boost of beneficial bacteria? Bionetix^® International explains why and how that can be an easy way to tame your septic tank smells this summer.

Why Does My Septic Tank Smell So Bad?

Bad smells in septic tanks often indicate that the microorganisms responsible for waste biodegradation are not functioning efficiently. Here are several possible reasons your microbiome may not be flourishing:

• A high influx of FOG (fats, oils, or greases) or other waste from heavy use (e.g., open houses or other summer gatherings) has left behind too much organic loading for the current microbial population to keep up with.
• Harsh cleaning chemicals or root killers have killed off a large share of the microbial population.
• Existing microbes without enough oxygen to carry out aerobic waste digestion have flipped the switch to anaerobic digestion, which creates strong septic odors from gases such as hydrogen sulfide.

How Can I Get My Septic Tank Microbiome Back on Track?

The best plan of action is to stop the problem before it starts by adding a regular maintenance dose of beneficial bacteria. At other times, a shock dose of microorganisms or an oxygen boost will be needed. Treatment scenarios may include the following:

• Flush an ECO-SEPT^™ pouch down the toilet once a month. Each pouch contains 1.5 billion CFU per gram of beneficial bacteria selected for their ability to degrade common organic waste like grease, proteins, and starches, plus biological nutrients and stimulants to keep the microbial population thriving.
• Add FIZZY-TAB^™ to the septic tank monthly if a higher dose of 5 billion CFU per gram is warranted (more CFUs mean more bacteria working faster to restore the system).
• Restore the microbial population with a shock dose of BIOBOOSTER 1T^™ (a tablet containing one trillion beneficial bacteria) in worst case scenarios when the system has experienced extreme die-off (e.g., after chemical disruptions or system overloads).
• Add AEROBOOSTER-O2^™ as a slow-release source of oxygen to help aerobic bacteria recover if the underlying cause of sluggish microbial activity and bad odors is a lack of oxygen (oxygen helps good bacteria work efficiently; low oxygen leads to slower, smellier breakdown)

In addition to reducing smells, better microbial action can also cut down on sludge and reduce pumping frequency and costs by accelerating the biodegradation of solid waste, reducing how much sludge stays in the tank.

Now Is the Time to Tame Bad Odors!

Bad odors coming from septic tanks are not something you have to live with. They are something that can and should be resolved. One important step toward doing so is making sure your septic tank has the microflora and oxygen it needs to carry out waste digestion processes efficiently. Be sure to contact Bionetix^® International for help selecting the correct treatments and dosages that make sense to keep your septic system in top working order. Then regularly check odors, sludge level, or system flow to make sure the system is on track. Don’t wait for summer smells to get out of hand. Take time now to tame them with proper microbial maintenance.

Keywords: septic tank smells, septic tank maintenance, bad odors coming from septic tank, bioaugmentation, Bionetix, why does my septic tank smell so bad, septic tank problems, oxygen booster, how to reduce sludge pumping frequency, ECO-SEPT 

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