Brownsville-Haywood gets Lowe's distribution center

A new Lowe's Cos. Inc. distribution center opened in October at the Brownsville-Haywood County Industrial Park.

The grand opening for the $12.5 million center was held in mid December.

More than 120 Lowe's retail stores will be serviced by the 186,000-sq.-ft. distribution center. The center receives 50 trainloads a week and sends out more than 200 trucks a week.

The center will also serve as a reloading facility where certain products can be brought in on railcars and shipped out on flatbed trucks.

The center should employ about 40 to 45.

Turner to build $30 million addition to Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga

Turner Universal, a subsidiary of Turner Construction, has been awarded a contract to build a $30 million addition to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Turner is the construction manager on the project. The architect is Chermayeff, Sollogub and Poole Inc. of Boston, Mass. The three principal architects of the firm designed the original aquarium, which was also built by Turner Universal in 1992.

The 60,000-sq.-ft. addition will be constructed on the east side of the existing aquarium and will showcase a 450,000-gallon saltwater tank with three levels. This sea floor of the Gulf exhibit is unique among aquariums and mimics the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico, where coral formations unlike any others in the world occur. Dense schools of tropical fish, stingrays, turtles and sharks will be featured in the main exhibit.

Completion is scheduled for December 2004.

Turner Universal offers resources throughout the Southeast and provides a full range of construction services across all market segments including healthcare, education, industrial, aviation, food and beverage, automotive, commercial, sports and entertainment.

AEM elects Memphis firm as member

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) recently elected 11 companies to membership in the international trade group for companies that manufacture and market agriculture and construction-related equipment and services.

Included among the companies was EPG Insurance Inc. of Memphis, Tenn. The firm is a service provider of extended warranty coverage.

RSES spotlights awards given at 2003 conference

The Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) recently held its Annual Awards Luncheon during the 66th RSES Annual Conference in Nashville, Tenn.

The following RSES members passed the CM exam in August and were awarded CM status: Jimmy G. Abernathy, CM, of the Middle Tennessee Chapter, Nashville, Tenn.; and David P. Lynn, CM, of the Middle Tennessee Chapter, Nashville, Tenn.

RSES also presented the Paul B. Reed Award, which recognizes RSES chapters with exceptional educational programs, to the Middle Tennessee Chapter of Nashville, Tenn.

The "To Make Life Worthwhile" Award recognizes individuals and groups who provide nonsectarian, nonpolitical community service and was presented to Middle Tennessee Auxiliary in the chapter category.

RSES is a leading education, training and certification association for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration professionals.