OBIC Products announced that Midwest Infrastructure Coatings (MIC) was awarded the 2025 Project of the Year award. The announcement was made during the 2026 OBICcon annual event, where representatives from the OBIC Certified Installer network and key vendors gathered to recognize excellence in infrastructure rehabilitation.
The Project of the Year award is the highest honor within the OBIC network, signifying a commitment to advancing the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure worldwide. This year, certified installers from across the globe submitted a diverse range of projects, spanning from standard manhole rehabilitations to complex, large-scale tank linings.
“This is the first time we've done this award,” said Lee Drugan, marketing manager for OBIC. “I think it exemplifies the point that when a good product like OBIC meets a good installer like MIC, we can help facilities rehab their infrastructure instead of completely replacing it. We want to send the message that replacement isn’t your only option.”
MIC earned the top spot for their exceptional work on the Pierce-Burch Water Treatment Plant 54” RCP Rehabilitation in Arlington, Texas.
Restoring critical infrastructure under pressure
The Pierce-Burch Water Treatment Plant, operated by Arlington Water Utilities, produces more than 18 billion gallons of drinking water annually. A critical 420-foot section of 54-inch reinforced concrete pipe (RCP)—used as a stormwater chemical injection conduit—was found to be in a state of severe degradation.
The project presented a daunting list of challenges:
- Severe Structural Issues: Significant joint spalling and a measurable 0.85-inch joint offset.
- Extreme Contamination: Calcium buildup of up to 6 inches and heavy sand accumulation.
- Confined Space: A restrictive 4.5-foot internal diameter that limited crew mobility.
- Tight Timeline: A critical December shutdown window required the project to be completed rapidly to restore plant operations.
Innovation and efficiency
While the city of Arlington provided a 30-day window for the rehabilitation, MIC set an aggressive internal goal of 14 days. Through meticulous surface preparation, which included the manual removal of over 130 five-gallon buckets of debris, and the expert application of OBIC’s lining system, the MIC team shattered expectations.
The project was successfully completed in just six days, finishing well ahead of schedule and ensuring the plant returned to full capacity faster than anticipated.
A partnership for the future
“This project exemplifies the core mission of the OBIC network,” said Dustin Schlachter, CVO at OBIC Products. “MIC took a failing piece of infrastructure and used OBIC’s 1100PW polyurea to provide a long-term solution under incredible time constraints. This type of project represents the gold standard for rehabilitation with polyurea.”
The city of Arlington expressed high satisfaction with the quality and delivery of the project. Due to the success of this phase, MIC has already been secured to rehabilitate the second half of the pipeline in December 2026.
