energy (DE) science and systems
development.
This new interdisciplinary hub brings
together faculty and researchers from
Penn State’s College of Engineering,
Applied Research Lab (ARL), and
Materials Research Institute (MRI). The
announcement was made at a kickoff
meeting in April, where the news and
the CEDE leadership team’s vision
was shared with the larger research
community.
To support the center, Penn State has
invested in facilities for directed energy
fabrication and testing, 4D material
characterization, and high-performance
computing. The university also plans to
make strategic faculty hires and graduate
fellowships in DE-focused disciplines. The
center will occupy new lab space within
the Engineering Collaborative Research
and Education (ECoRE) building, shared
with the Computational Electromagnetics
and Antennas Research Lab (CEARL).
Additional resources will be provided by
ARL and MRI partners.
The center’s leadership includes CEDE
Director Douglas Werner—who is also
Penn State’s John L. and Genevieve H.
McCain Chair Professor of Electrical
Engineering—with Kristoffer Greenert,
division head of advanced science and
technology at ARL, and Bed Poudel,
research professor of materials science
and engineering, serving as associate
directors.
The center aligns with the mission
of Penn State’s new National Security
Institute, which is aimed at enhancing
scientific contributions to defense and
national security, as well as the university’s
broader research mission, including part-
nerships with government and industry
stakeholders.
GIATEC PARTNERS
WITH SIKA TO
SUPPORT GLOBAL
CONSTRUCTION
DIGITALIZATION
On 4 June, Ottawa-based Giatec
(Ontario, Canada), a global provider of
digital concrete technology platforms,
announced a strategic minority invest-
ment from Sika AG, a specialty chemicals
company with a global presence in the
construction sector.
The partnership supports Giatec’s
mission to revolutionize concrete
construction through smart testing
technologies and real-time collection
and analysis of concrete data—from
production to placement. The invest-
ment is expected to help expand the
use of Giatec’s digital solutions, aimed
at improving concrete quality, durability,
and sustainability.
“With Sika’s global reach and deep
industry expertise, this partnership
will enable us to expand further into
European and international markets,
Penn State PhD students in the school’s Center of Excellence in Directed Energy (CEDE) discuss
simulation results while holding a prototype.
ASNT 2025
OPENING KEYNOTE
ANNOUNCED
Lisa Ryan will be the opening keynote
presenter for this year’s Annual
Conference. Before speaking on stages
across the country, Ryan spent 13 years
in industrial sales, including seven years
in the welding industry. She knows
firsthand what it’s like to work in high-
stakes, hands-on environments—and she
brings that real-world experience to the
strategies she shares today.
Her keynote, sponsored by
Carestream NDT and titled “Unlocking
a Workforce That Stays, Performs, and
Believes,” will deliver proven retention
strategies rooted in her background in
the welding and industrial sectors. Ryan
believes that as the industry evolves
and depopulation accelerates, the
challenge isn’t just hiring—it’s building
a culture that makes the next genera-
tion want to stay. She will share a blend
of research-backed retention strategies
and practical tools to help strengthen
workplace culture and leadership across
technical and industrial teams.
ASNT 2025 will take place at
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in
Orlando, Florida, from 6–9 October.
Learn more and register at asnt.org/
events.
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SOCIETYNOTES
A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 • M AT E R I A L S E V A L U AT I O N 11
CREDIT:
GALESTAN
MACKERTICH-SENGERDY/PENN
STATE

empowering more concrete producers
and contractors with the data-driven
insights needed to improve efficiency
and reduce the industry’s carbon foot-
print,” said Pouria Ghods, CEO and
cofounder of Giatec.
“This partnership is a significant step
toward the future of smart construction,”
added Sika’s Head of Construction Ivo
Schaedler. “Together, we are shaping an
intelligent approach to modern construc-
tion, driving efficiency while reducing
material waste.”
Giatec previously received its first
strategic investment from Heidelberg
Materials in 2022. Together, these partner-
ships mark a broader effort to scale digital
transformation in the concrete industry.
PREVIAN ANNOUNCES
STRATEGIC SPLIT OF
EDDYFI TECHNOLOGIES
AND NDT GLOBAL
On 5 June, Previan announced
a strategic realignment involving
Eddyfi Technologies and NDT Global
operating as two independent, auton-
omous companies. The move aims to
support each business’s unique growth
path and better align operations with
their distinct markets and models.
Over the past decade, Previan has built
a strong industrial technology platform in
nondestructive testing (NDT) and integ-
rity management. With both Eddyfi and
NDT Global holding leading positions
in their fields, the separation is intended
to enable each company to pursue its
own strategy with dedicated leadership,
focused resources, and streamlined
operations.
As part of the transition, Novacap will
increase its investment to become the
lead shareholder of NDT Global while
maintaining its stake in Eddyfi. CDPQ,
along with Previan’s founders and execu-
tives, will continue to hold shares in both
companies. Most of Previan’s corporate
staff will transfer to one of the two enti-
ties, which are expected to be fully inde-
pendent by the end of 2025.
MSI VIKING SIGNS
CHANNEL PARTNER
AGREEMENT WITH
WAYGATE
MSI Viking signed a commercial agree-
ment on 4 June to be an official channel
partner of Waygate Technologies, a
Baker Hughes business specializing in
nondestructive testing (NDT) solutions for
industrial inspection. Through the part-
nership, MSI Viking will offer Waygate’s
industrial computed tomography (CT)
systems in the US market, expanding its
portfolio of advanced metrology and
inspection solutions.
This collaboration enables MSI Viking
to address a range of industrial needs,
including lightweight casting inspection,
composite material analysis, battery cell
defect detection, and high-precision
medical component validation. As a
metrology-focused provider, MSI Viking
will integrate Waygate’s industrial X-ray
and CT technologies into systems
that enhance dimensional control and
product integrity.
“While dimensional control is at the
core of this partnership, we will also
leverage the breadth of NDT product
offerings for other critical applications,
such as defect analysis and material
integrity assessment,” said Eric Luzier,
Senior Director of Engineering and
Solution Strategy at MSI Viking.
EXTENDE
ACHIEVES ISO19443
CERTIFICATION
EXTENDE announced in May that it is
now ISO 19443 certified. ISO 19443 is
an extension of the international stan-
dard ISO 9001 for organizations in the
supply chain of the nuclear energy
sector supplying products and services
important to nuclear safety. EXTENDE
has extended its Quality Management
System to include the specific require-
ments of ISO 19443 for its consulting
activity in the nuclear sector.
ACUREN UPLISTS
TO NYSE
Acuren Corp., a provider of critical asset
integrity services, announced its approval
to uplist from the NYSE American to the
New York Stock Exchange. The compa-
ny’s common stock stopped trading
on the NYSE American at the close of
markets on 16 May 2025 and began
trading on the NYSE on 19 May 2025. Its
ticker symbol “TIC” remains unchanged.
The move marks a significant milestone
for Acuren as it continues to expand its
presence in the public markets.
MFE GAINS FAA
APPROVAL FOR REMOTE
DRONE OPERATIONS
MFE Inspection Solutions has received
a wide-reaching US Federal Aviation
SCANNER
|
INDUSTRYNEWS
Eddyfi Technologies and NDT Global will reportedly have separate balance sheets and
streamlined operations, as part of a strategic realignment initiative that will result in the two
companies operating as independent and autonomous entities.
12
M AT E R I A L S E V A L U AT I O N • A U G U S T 2 0 2 5
CREDIT:
COURTESY
PREVIAN