Ecolab, the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services, was presented with a 2015 Tekne Award from the Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA) during the association’s annual awards program Nov. 18 in Minneapolis. The Tekne Awards recognize companies, innovations and individuals that have a positive impact on Minnesota’s diverse tech-based economy.

Ecolab’s Global Food & Beverage business received a Tekne award in the Food and Agriculture category for its Dairy Quality Enhancement Program, which addresses production quality issues caused by equipment contaminated with biofilms (a thin and encased layer of microorganisms that can form on surfaces). This innovative cleaning and sanitation program helps control biofilms, resulting in high-quality and safe dairy products while improving the operational efficiency of the manufacturing process.

“Our Dairy Quality Enhancement Program is an example of how we are solving our customers’ toughest operational challenges,” said Dr. Larry Berger, Ecolab executive vice president and chief technical officer. “Innovation that supports the success of our customers is a key driver of our long-term growth.”

A list of 2015 Tekne Award recipients and finalists is available at www.tekneawards.org.

About Ecolab
A trusted partner at more than one million customer locations, Ecolab (ECL) is the global leader in water, hygiene and energy technologies and services that protect people and vital resources. With 2014 sales of $14 billion and 47,000 associates, Ecolab delivers comprehensive solutions and on-site service to promote safe food, maintain clean environments, optimize water and energy use and improve operational efficiencies for customers in the food, healthcare, energy, hospitality and industrial markets in more than 170 countries around the world. For more news and information, visit www.ecolab.com.

Follow us on Twitter @ecolab or Facebook at facebook.com/ecolab.

About Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA)
MHTA is an innovation and technology association united in fueling Minnesota’s prosperity. We help bring together the people of Minnesota’s technology ecosystem and lead the charge in directing technology issues to Minnesota’s state capitol. MHTA is the only membership organization that represents Minnesota’s entire technology-based economy. MHTA members include organizations of every size − involved in virtually every aspect of technology creation, production, application and education in Minnesota. Find out more online at www.mhta.org or follow MHTA on Twitter at twitter.com/MHTA.

(ECL-P)