IET From the Beginning
From a single vision in 1998 to a national market leader with 14 patents, 3,500+ projects, and technology licenses no other contractor holds — the full story of Innovative Environmental Technologies, Inc.
The IET Story
In 1998, Michael Scalzi launched Innovative Environmental Technologies, Inc. from Pipersville, Pennsylvania with a clear and specific mission: to provide environmental consulting firms with a field execution partner capable of implementing the most advanced in-situ remediation technologies available. At the time, the environmental industry was dominated by large general contractors who offered broad capabilities but lacked the technical depth and specialized equipment needed for complex subsurface treatment work.
IET filled that gap. From the beginning, Scalzi positioned IET not as a competitor to consulting firms but as their most capable subcontractor — the company that could actually put chemistry into the ground correctly, operate complex delivery systems, and drill in conditions that standard contractors avoided. That positioning proved prescient.
What followed was nearly three decades of sustained technical innovation, geographic expansion, patent development, and project execution at a scale that few environmental contractors have achieved. IET grew from a single-office operation into a six-office national network with more than 3,000 completed projects, a fleet of over 50 specialized drilling rigs, and a patent portfolio covering some of the most important advances in in-situ remediation chemistry and delivery technology.
Timeline of Key Milestones
U.S. Patent Portfolio
IET's 14+ U.S. patents span delivery systems, bioremediation substrates, chemical oxidation processes, methane inhibition, and heavy metal stabilization — all invented by Michael Scalzi and IET's technical team.
ISGS Technology — Evonik Corporation
IET holds an exclusive North American license from Evonik Corporation for ISGS (In-Situ Geochemical Stabilization) — a proprietary modified permanganate-based technology designed for NAPL source zone treatment at MGP, creosote, and coal tar sites. No other contractor in North America can offer this technology.
EZVI Technology — Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron
Originally developed by NASA, EZVI combines nanoscale zero-valent iron within a biodegradable emulsion to directly contact and destroy DNAPL chlorinated solvents in-situ. IET is one of the few contractors with the field experience and licensing to deploy EZVI effectively at scale.
IET's Market Position
IET is not an environmental consulting firm — it is the field contractor that consulting firms rely on. This distinction has allowed IET to build deep, long-term relationships with hundreds of consulting engineering companies nationwide without competing with its own client base.
While most drilling contractors offer commodity services, IET's patent portfolio and exclusive technology licenses mean clients gain access to treatment approaches that are literally unavailable from competitors. This IP moat is a durable competitive advantage built over 28+ years.
With 50+ rigs, 6 regional offices, and 3,500+ completed projects, IET has the logistical depth to mobilize to virtually any site in the eastern United States quickly. Yet the company's culture has preserved the technical rigor and client responsiveness of a specialized boutique firm.
Work With IET on Your Project
28+ years of innovation, field execution, and technical excellence are available to your next project. Contact IET or explore our services.