While in Canada we received word that one of the largest pipeline operators in North America has decided to switch to our pencil brushes. Our Canadian distributor told me that they have been notified to be prepared for the switch. Another exiting opportunity and a great win for the Galaxy team.

We have a booth at the Pigging Conference so stop by to see the new Galaxy Pencil Brush product line we are introducing and say hello!

We’re excited about the potential for this significant Middle Eastern relationship and sharing this success with other ADNOC subsidiaries.

I concluded the trip with a stop in Saudi Arabia where I was invited to make two Pencil Brush presentations to Saudi Aramco.

A great trip all the way around.

I was fortunate to have my daughter join me for the Cairo trip - a 5 day whirlwind that began with stops in Amsterdam and Germany for meetings.  Cairo will always be a great memory for us - we visited the Pyramids, walked along the Nile, spent time at the Cairo Museum and simply enjoyed the sights, sounds and people of this wonderful city.

My travels also included formal speaking opportunities at various Pipeline conferences. I spoke in Bahrain, Houston, Pittsburgh and Monaco.

The Galaxy team is really excited about 2010.  We start the year with members of our leadership team going in different directions for a series of important planning meetings in both the Middle East and Canada.  We will get back together for discussions with our investors and advisory board before hitting the road again for my presentation at DOT 2010 February 3^rd in Houston.  We have also been invited to present this year in Saudi Arabia, Libya, France and the UK.

Our New Year’s resolution (one of them anyways) is to keep you more informed of all the Galaxy goings on through our blog.  Stop back and visit.

All the best for the coming year. Doug

While in Bahrain, I had the opportunity to travel out into the desert to visit a gas plant to discuss how we can help solve some problems. The best part was to see an area where people were living in tents. While that may seem primitive to us, it is a cultural custom to live in the tents during the winter time. I saw luxury cars and satellite dishes outside of the tents. One tent I saw was open on one side and there was a family sitting on the ground on beautiful rugs. It matched almost perfectly a painting I have hanging in my home that I bought on a previous trip to Bahrain.  It was very cool to see that in person.

Back in Dubai, I spent the weekend (Friday and Saturday) at the home of Shyam, our agent in the region, and Poonam, his very gracious wife. They do the same things we do; hang out, take a nap, talk, work some and eat. The food, Indian, was great.  Shyam and Poonam were great hosts. Poonam said I was like a father to her. I asked to be downgraded to just big brother……

On the working side of things, we drove to Abu Dhabi on most days for meetings. One trip was to the Emirate of Sharjah for a meeting at Crystal Plaza, one of the most beautiful building complexes I have seen anywhere. It’s worth a look using Google.

My trip home was made even better by my stop in Rotterdam. It didn’t get light there until well after 8am. Love the train system over there. It’s so easy, once you figure it out. My meeting went well there in Rotterdam and before long, I was headed home.

Since I got back, a large oil company in Abu Dhabi liked the paper I presented in Bahrain and asked permission to publish it in their internal magazine. Hmmm, I think I need to return soon!

-Doug

Doug did a presentation in October in Prague. After that presentation he was asked to give the same presentation at the Houston show this year. What a great opportunity for us to give a presentation on pipeline brushes at a show attended by most of the North American pipeline pigging people and many of the pipeline owners as well as people from all over the world.

I love attending this show but this year I am more exited than ever. The word is spreading about our pencil brushes and the successes our customers are having with them. This success is making us more and more popular at these shows. We already have many meetings set up and most of them are at our customer’s request.

There was a time we sat by ourselves trying to get someone to talk to us but not anymore. It’s a great time for us right now.

-Lee

The next few weeks will be very exciting for me. I’m leaving for my 5^th Middle Eastern trip on January 16. I’ll arrive in Dubai on the 17^th where I will stay at the home of our agent and his wife, a wonderful Indian couple.  On the 19^th, I’ll fly to the Kingdom of Bahrain to present a paper I authored entitled “Pipeline Brushes: Critical Components of Infrastructure Maintenance” at the Oil & Gas Maintenance Technology Conference. With an estimated 1500 delegates in attendance, it is an excellent opportunity to showcase Galaxy’s brushes to an audience from more than 50 countries.

It will also be a time of renewing acquaintances and furthering friendships. I find the Middle East an amazing place. The people of that area are warm and cordial and I enjoy myself immensely visiting the entire area. After three days in Bahrain, I’ll return to Dubai for a week of meetings there and in Abu Dhabi. Dubai is like New York City on steroids. A drive up Sheik Zayed Road, lined on both sides with skyscrapers through what is called The Canyon; you will see no two buildings alike, each one as beautiful as it is unique.

On the way home from Dubai, a planned 6-1/2 hour layover in Amsterdam allows me to jump on a train in the lower level of Schiphol Airport for a 25 minute ride through the beautiful Dutch countryside to Rotterdam for a quick meeting and lunch with a friend and customer.  (I have a pretty cool job).

–Doug