logo
Azuria Water Solutions Announces the Acquisition of BLD Services, LLC

Azuria Water Solutions Announces the Acquisition of BLD Services, LLC

Business Upturn16-06-2025
ST. LOUIS, June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Azuria Water Solutions, a leader in technology-enabled water solutions, today announced the acquisition of BLD Services, LLC, a national pipeline rehabilitation service provider headquartered in Kenner, Louisiana.
Founded in 2001, BLD Services is the nation's largest manufacturer and installer of cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lateral liners, operating throughout the Central and Eastern U.S. In addition, the company's underground utilities group is one of the largest water pipeline service providers on the Louisiana Gulf Coast.
BLD fabricates Service Connection Seal + Lateral (SCS+L) from its manufacturing facility in Nashville, Tennessee, under the strictest safety and quality standards. The company is a trusted vendor of Purchasing Cooperative of America, a national purchasing cooperative, and it holds a contract with COSTARS™ that can be utilized by agencies in Pennsylvania.
BLD will operate independently with the support of Azuria's resources. President Dan Wager and Vice President Jacob Trapani, Sr. will continue to run the business.
'BLD's reputation is unmatched, and its teams include top industry talent,' said Rob Tullman, President & CEO, Azuria Water Solutions. 'The company brings several important capabilities to Azuria's growing list of services.'
Azuria welcomes BLD to the family.
About Azuria Water Solutions
Azuria is the leading provider of technology-enabled solutions for the water industry. Since 1971, the company has remained at the forefront of sustainable, cost-effective products and technologies to address aging water pipeline infrastructure. Today, Azuria can deliver more than 700 products and services across the globe. Learn more at Azuria.com.
Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same.
Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Why Lateral Career Moves Still Feel Risky—And What Leaders Can Do
Why Lateral Career Moves Still Feel Risky—And What Leaders Can Do

Forbes

time08-08-2025

  • Forbes

Why Lateral Career Moves Still Feel Risky—And What Leaders Can Do

Career growth inside companies still follows a narrow script—progress often defined by vertical movement alone. Lateral career moves—shifts across functions, divisions or geographies—rarely carry the same weight as upward ones, even when they build more range. That perception keeps many employees from considering them, even when the move might offer the most learning and the broadest exposure. Gallup's Q4 2024 research reveals the gap: while nearly 70% of employees are looking for a new role within their organization, only 28% would consider a lateral one. Those who do make such moves report lower clarity, less alignment with their strengths and less frequent recognition. The long-term benefits are real, but the short-term experience is often discouraging. To understand the deeper dynamics at play, I spoke with Michael Waldman, professor of management and economics at Cornell University, and Matthew Bidwell, professor of management at Wharton. Both have studied internal labor markets, mobility and career progression for years. Their research underscores a simple but often missed truth: access isn't enough. Without clarity, support and cultural reinforcement, even the best-designed mobility programs stall. Why Talent Marketplaces Alone Aren't Enough Internal talent marketplaces promised a new era—matching employees to opportunities in real time, breaking down silos and reducing reliance on personal networks. But the reality is more complicated. Waldman explained why: 'The manager doesn't want to lose their better worker because that hurts their bonus—and firms don't usually give bonuses for workers who are promoted out of your division and do well. If they did, it could change those incentives.' He also pointed to the signaling challenge. 'Promotions signal ability. Giving someone more responsibility without a title change doesn't send a clear signal to others that they've developed.' Bidwell added, 'Managers aren't rewarded for being net contributors to the broader company. They're rewarded for getting their team's work done, not for releasing talent into the system.' And yet, Waldman's research shows a clear upside: workers who are laterally moved are more likely to be promoted and experience greater wage growth over time. The path exists, but too few are supported to take it. 'Most lateral moves still happen through informal networks,' Bidwell said. 'If that's the only route, a lot of people get missed.' The Ladder Reflex In most leadership conversations I've been part of, career development still starts with a vertical frame. Talent reviews focus on 'next steps,' usually defined as the next level up. Growth is still most often defined as moving upward. I've watched org charts become templates for potential. Candidates plotted, 'ready now' or 'ready soon' labels attached, and the expectation set: wait your turn, move higher. But the best organizations interrupt this pattern. They begin talent reviews by asking who moved across the business. They look for transitions that added capability across functions, not just within them. Some lateral moves come with more responsibility but no support—what Dr. Laurence J. Peter called pseudo-promotions. They keep talent in the company but do little to help them grow. Waldman points out that without context, new teams often don't know what an internal hire brings, forcing them to prove themselves all over again. And in a world where AI is reshaping roles, skills and teams, clinging to vertical models only narrows future options. Consider Priya, a high-performing marketing lead who transitioned into product strategy. The move looked smart on paper. In practice, there was no onboarding, unclear expectations and no acknowledgment of her prior success. Six months in, she was gaining traction—but the rough start left her questioning whether her company truly supported internal mobility or just talked about it. Priya's experience reflects a broader issue: lateral moves are often treated as individual experiments rather than shared commitments. Now take David, a finance manager who moved into operations. His company had built a clear internal mobility system: a regularly updated skills inventory, a dedicated career advisor and a playbook for onboarding internal hires. His first month was structured around learning, with clear milestones reviewed by both his former and current managers. A year later, he'd led a cost-reduction initiative that drew on both his finance background and new operational insights. That move positioned him for an executive role the following year. David's success wasn't just about his ability. It was shaped by the system around him. What Great Companies Do Making lateral moves work requires more than a platform. It takes visibility, structural support and shared accountability. As Waldman noted, 'There are lots of things firms can do to avoid talent hoarding, but those things are costly—so sometimes they don't happen.' Bidwell emphasized that preparation matters just as much as the move itself: 'Often a lot of the process happens before the move—building skills, offering short‑term opportunities to prepare someone for the shift.' He also pointed to what kind of lateral moves tend to matter most: 'People who seemed to be benefiting were the ones moving to a different function. Getting broader functional experience, learning more about how the business operates—that was more valuable than doing the same thing somewhere else.' So what does it take? Here are six strategies to help lateral career movement become a growth engine, not a sideline. Six Ways to Make Lateral Moves Work Share stories of lateral moves in company updates—not as policy footnotes but as real growth journeys. Celebrate them with the same energy as promotions. They signal momentum. Internal movers need a reintroduction. That means a thoughtful onboarding plan, context around their past wins and the same level of support you'd give an external hire. Don't just show vertical paths. Highlight real examples of lateral steps that unlocked broader roles later. Show that sideways can lead forward. Reward leaders who grow and release talent. During talent reviews, ask: who developed across the business this year? What enabled those moves? Create roles or programs that help employees explore new functions, assess transferable skills and prepare for moves. Layer in learning pathways built specifically for internal transitions. Make it part of the culture—not just the scorecard—to celebrate leaders known for developing and moving talent. And track who never does. Hoarding is a systems issue, not just a personal one. Building A System Around The Lateral Move When lateral career moves are overlooked or unsupported, companies don't just stall talent. They stall possibility. Innovation slows. Succession pipelines shrink. Employees grow disengaged when the only visible path doesn't match their skills. Lateral movement shouldn't be a gamble or a test of perseverance. It should be one of the ways organizations build range, depth and future leadership. As Bidwell put it, 'If talent mobility is invisible, it doesn't feel like a real option to the employee or the manager.' Movement alone doesn't shape careers. It's what surrounds the move—support, visibility, and context—that defines its impact.

New Mountain Considers $1 Billion Secondary Fund for Azuria Water
New Mountain Considers $1 Billion Secondary Fund for Azuria Water

Bloomberg

time04-08-2025

  • Bloomberg

New Mountain Considers $1 Billion Secondary Fund for Azuria Water

New Mountain Capital is considering tapping the secondary market for its Azuria Water Solutions, the latest private equity firm trying to extend its hold on a portfolio company in a tough dealmaking environment. The continuation fund for Azuria, a water infrastructure firm, could top $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations aren't public. The plans could change, and New Mountain may sell a stake of Azuria to another firm, the people said.

Azuria Water Solutions Announces the Acquisition of Guildner Pipeline Maintenance, Inc.
Azuria Water Solutions Announces the Acquisition of Guildner Pipeline Maintenance, Inc.

Yahoo

time19-06-2025

  • Yahoo

Azuria Water Solutions Announces the Acquisition of Guildner Pipeline Maintenance, Inc.

Leader in Technology-Enabled Water Solutions Continues Westward Expansion of Service Capabilities ST. LOUIS, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Azuria Water Solutions, a leader in technology-enabled water solutions, today announced the acquisition of Guildner Pipeline Maintenance Inc., a sewer and underground infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation service provider in Commerce City, Colorado. Founded in 1976, Guildner Pipeline Maintenance is a full-service maintenance and rehabilitation company specializing in stormwater and wastewater collection systems. In addition to CCTV clean and inspection, the company performs manhole rehabilitation, traffic control and spot repairs. Jerry Guildner and Jake Guildner will remain in place to continue managing the business. Azuria welcomes Guildner Pipeline Maintenance to the family. About Azuria Water SolutionsAzuria is the leading provider of technology-enabled solutions for the water industry. Since 1971, the company has remained at the forefront of sustainable, cost-effective products and technologies to address aging water pipeline infrastructure. Today, Azuria can deliver more than 700 products and services across the globe. Learn more at For more information, contact:Beth Kerley | Vice President, CommunicationsAzuria Water Solutionsbkerley@

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store