News

Pittsburgh – September 18, 2026 -- PhaseWell Research has acquired Community Clinical Research (CCR), an Austin, Texas-based inpatient-capable CNS clinical trial site, in a deal advised exclusively by The Braff Group. The transaction gives PhaseWell, a Shore Capital Partners portfolio company headquartered in Nashville, its first inpatient neuropsychiatric research capability.

CCR brings a 20-bed psychiatric research unit staffed around the clock

The site operates a purpose-built, 24/7-staffed, 20-bed psychiatric research unit designed for complex central nervous system (CNS) studies requiring intensive patient monitoring. CCR's clinical team is led by Dr. Brown, with Dr. Samuel Collier serving as Principal Investigator, alongside Sub-Investigator Reid Luedecke, PMHNP-BC, and Mark Embry.

Houston – September 18, 2026 -- Vortex Companies has acquired CLH & Son, Inc., an Auburn, Maine-based infrastructure contractor, expanding its self-performed rehabilitation capabilities across the Northeast United States.

CLH brings four decades of sliplining and drainage expertise to Vortex's regional platform

Founded in 1979 by Calvin Hunter and now led by CEO Travis Stearns, CLH specializes in sliplining, concrete rehabilitation, excavation and drainage improvements. The contractor has built its client base among municipalities, state departments of transportation, utilities and other contractors throughout New England, focusing on aging storm and sewer systems.

Gary, Ind. – September 18, 2026 -- Indiana American Water has opened a $2.2 million training center in Gary, bringing the company's total infrastructure and workforce investment in the city to nearly $38 million.

New facility trains workers in real-world water infrastructure scenarios

The training center, located at 650 Madison Street near Borman Park, is designed as an outdoor "mini-city" where employees practice excavation and shoring, utility locating, traffic control, water main tapping, service line work, confined-space procedures, meter installation, and hydrant and water main repair before performing the work in live communities.

Amsterdam – September 18, 2026 -- OCI N.V. (Euronext: OCI) has published its formal Position Statement in response to a cash takeover offer from NNS Holding (Cyprus) Limited for all issued and outstanding shares in the company, as required under Section 18 of the Dutch Decree on public takeover bids.

NNS formally launched its cash offer on September 14, 2026

NNS announced the launch of the Offer via publication of its offer memorandum, prompting OCI to issue its required Position Statement the following day, September 15, 2026, under Section 18 paragraph 3 of the Besluit openbare biedingen Wft.

Mexico City – September 18, 2026 -- Ferrovalle, operator of one of Mexico's largest inland rail freight hubs, has selected INFORM's Syncrotess Optimization Plus software to power a Smart Yard automation initiative at its Mexico City terminal, with go-live targeted for June 2027. Ferrovalle's intermodal division handled around 550,000 TEUs in 2025, ranking it among Latin America's largest inland intermodal operations. The contract was signed in early September 2026.

Vancouver, BC – September 18, 2026 -- Purecore Metals Inc. (CSE: PURE) (FSE: J8Y) (OTCQB: PPURF) has commenced a comprehensive data compilation and technical review program at the Yurchison Uranium Property in the Athabasca Basin, northern Saskatchewan, a 35,029-hectare asset located approximately 75 kilometres south of Cameco Corporation's Rabbit Lake operation.

Purecore holds an option to earn up to 100% of the Skyharbour-optioned property

The Company holds an option to earn up to a 100% interest in Yurchison under a definitive agreement with Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (TSXV: SYH). The property comprises 22 claims and sits within the Wollaston Domain, underlain by Wollaston Supergroup metasedimentary gneisses adjacent to Archean granitic gneisses.

Pittsburgh – – September 18, 2026 -- A Staten Island, N.Y. inventor has filed a patent application for applecapz, a modified baseball cap designed to hold a smartphone hands-free for filming and streaming, according to InventHelp, the Pittsburgh-based invention-submission firm handling the design.

Design targets hands-free video capture for consumers and outdoor users

The cap integrates a phone-mount feature that lets wearers record or stream video without holding a device, InventHelp said. The company positions the product for cell phone owners, hikers, walkers and drivers seeking convenience during outdoor or mobile activities.

Prototype and technical drawings are available for manufacturer review

InventHelp confirmed a prototype model and technical drawings exist and can be requested by interested parties. The original submission was processed through InventHelp's Manhattan sales office before advancing to patent-pending status.

White Plains, N.Y. – September 18, 2026 -- Wings Air Helicopters has been selected to operate VIP helicopter transportation connecting Resorts World New York City at JFK and Resorts World Catskills, cutting a multi-hour ground trip to a 45-minute flight.

Seasonal service extended after summer launch

The program began as a seasonal summer offering and has since been extended, according to the companies. Wings Air Helicopters, an FAA-certified air carrier with nearly 25 years of operating history, runs the chartered flights from strategically located heliports in the New York area using its Airbus AS350 and AS355 helicopter fleet.

San Diego – September 18, 2026 -- Hospitality consultant Robert A. Rauch, CHA, has released "The Hotel Guru's Journey: A Guide to Excellence in the Hotel Industry," a 20-chapter operational guide drawn from more than 50 years in hotel management and over $1 billion in developed and managed hotel assets.

Rauch's career spans dishwasher to developer across major brands

Rauch began his career as a banquet dishwasher in 1974 and progressed through roles as server, restaurant manager, sales manager, food and beverage director, general manager, owner, developer, and consultant. He served as founding chairman of R.A. Rauch & Associates and RAR Hospitality, managing hotel assets under Hilton, Marriott, and Choice Hotels, as well as independent boutique properties.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – September 18, 2026 -- Omron Automation Americas has launched the NX-CT High-Speed Counter, a module capable of executing counter-match outputs within 1 microsecond, aiming to eliminate control delays tied to conventional PLC scan cycles.

New module targets timing gaps in high-speed manufacturing processes

The NX-CT joins Omron's NX Series Modular I/O platform and is built for applications where microsecond-level timing directly affects output quality, including liquid filling, dispensing, inspection triggering, and laser processing. Traditional control architectures often cannot process these time-sensitive events fast enough, creating variability in fill levels, inspection accuracy, and machine synchronization.