Brix-Berg Company History

Dr. Lloyd Berg, Head of the Chemical Engineering Department of Montana State University started work in the field of extractive and azeotropic distillation in the 1970’s and early 1980’s.   At first the work was done to provide contact with industry and to support projects for master and PhD candidates in chemical engineering.

In 1989-1990, a former Berg student Terry Brix came back to Montana State University with technical separation questions around industrial glycol mixes.   This mutual interest resulted in the formation of Brix-Berg in the late 1980’s.   Since 1990 the majority of our efforts have been directed at developing solutions to industrial separation problems.    This concerted work has resulted in Brix-Berg receiving 20-25 patents per year.   The total patent portfolio exceeds 300.    

In 1997, the laboratory was moved from the university to a dedicated Brix-Berg industrial laboratory which has served as an R&D center.    From 1996 Brix-Berg has not only worked with Fortune 500 domestic and international firms conducting funded and co-funded laboratory work, but has started developing complete separation processes for targeted mixed materials available worldwide.    As part of this activity Brix-Berg is leading in the organization of several commercial projects with supply, utility and customer partners internationally.  

In 1997 Brix-Berg started working in Iceland to develop a completely ‘green’ geothermal steam and power based separation pilot plant and has constructed a pilot unit in South Africa with the capability of separating high boiling oxygenated organics.   Both these projects serve to support research and pilot plant needs of partner/clients.