Press Kit

Overview
Based in Newberg, Oregon, and Düren, Germany, Climax Portable Machine Tools, Inc. is a strategic world-class provider of comprehensive, on-site machining solutions. Climax pioneered the portable machine tools concept in 1966, and today its customers rely on Climax not only for the breadth of its machining solutions, but also for its expertise at solving maintenance challenges in a variety of industries. As the world’s largest supplier of portable machine tools, Climax offers standard and custom-built solutions and serves the domestic and international markets through its own international offices and licensed representatives in 36 countries. The company serves major worldwide corporations including General Electric, Siemens Power Generation, Bechtel, Caterpillar and Northrop Grumman, as well as service companies.

The company identifies the right machine tool for the job and provides:

  • Engineering consulting services to help customers maximize the productivity of their people, equipment, tools, and processes.
  • Customized tool production capability to develop and manufacture special on-site machine tools for your specific applications including CNC options.
  • Full line of for-purchase and rental portable machine tools to help customers solve repair challenges, optimize maintenance processes quickly and cost-effectively and maximize the “uptime” of their in-field equipment.
  • Customized classroom-based and hands-on training programs at The Portable Machining Training Institute, its training facility in Newberg, Ore., or at a customer’s site, to ensure maximum worker efficiency and productivity when using Climax tools.

Primary Markets
Climax draws on its pioneering innovation in portable machines and machining to provide solutions for companies in power generation (nuclear, wind, fossil fuel, hydro), shipbuilding, service & engineering and heavy construction market sectors worldwide. 

Company Snapshot
Executive Management Team
Geoff Gilmore Ph.D., President & Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Becker, Vice President, Strategic Business Development and Marketing
Randall Reed, Chief Financial Officer
Scott Simmons, Vice President, Operations
Brian Harris, Vice President, Sales
Phil Bauder, Vice President, International Sales
Lawrence Rentz, Vice President, Engineering
Joni George, Chief Culture Officer

Number of Employees: 121

Customer Success Stories
Climax’s industrial machining solutions help its customers worldwide to meet shorter construction and maintenance timelines, and improve efficiencies. Here are only a few examples of projects that were completed:

  • Nuclear Plants throughout the world have adopted Climax’s solution for milling and polishing MSIV valves; for repairing pipe cracks in inaccessible areas of Control Rod Drive Mechanism housing, to repair steam generator man-way opening seals, and to retrofit turbine housings for increased megawatt output.
  • Coal-Fired Plants have been converting their circulating pumps to mechanical seals to provide for easier maintenance of the pumps.  Preparing large circulating pumps for this conversion can be challenging because of the size of the pumps, space restrictions, or sometimes impossible due to the extent of the repairs that may be required beforehand if the pipe has severe corrosion. A field service company used a Climax BB5000 portable boring bar and was able to overcome these challenges by making the repair on site. The tool is developed for precision, power, and ability to work in restricted spaces.
  • Wind Tower manufacturers were having a challenging time meeting the stringent flatness specifications for flanges set by wind turbine manufacturers until they began using portable circular mills from Climax. The circular mills not only cut in half the time it took to machine the flanges compared to other methods they were using, but easily exceeded even the most stringent specs. Climax circular mills have become the de facto tool worldwide for efficiently machining flanges both in the field and on the assembly line.
  • Hoover Dam’s repair team counted on Climax’s Boring Machine 6000 to quickly and effectively repair the bearings on 24 wicket gates to better control the flow of water through the turbines.
  • Golden Gate Bridge contractors depended on Climax’s engineering expertise and Boring Machine 5000 system to perform a major seismic upgrade, resulting in the job being completed in fewer than four days, half the time originally allocated to the task.
  • General Dynamics Electric Boat, which provides design, construction and lifecycle support of submarines for the U.S. Navy, used a modified Climax standard valve machine to cut the process of grinding weld build-up from submarine valve seats to within a .001-inch tolerance.  The tool also reduced repair time from 3,000 man-hours to 8 hours. 
  • Northrop Grumman Newport News, a designer, builder and re-fueler of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, relied on Climax to develop a “train the trainer session” to help the company’s machinists learn to use Climax tools more accurately and efficiently. 

History at a Glance
Key milestones and accomplishments for Climax to date include:

1966

  • Climax Portable Machine Tools is founded and establishes world headquarters in Newberg, Ore.

1975

  • Climax builds a training facility to train customers on its equipment.

1998

  • Climax purchased by Texas-based Team Industrial Services to become part of a $225 Million Worldwide Corporation. 

1999

  • Geoff Gilmore, Ph.D. joins Climax as President and CEO.  He initiates a new Corporate Focus on International Sales and successfully leads the company with expanded products and services, and increases revenues

2003

  • Climax establishes The Portable Machining Training Institute and expands training facilities to increase classroom capabilities in response to a growing need for more highly trained workers. 
  • Climax expands its machining solutions for the worldwide power generation, shipbuilding, and service and engineering markets by creating focused, strategic business units for these industries.
  • Climax introduces its new line of automated on-site welders designed to decrease weld time and improve productivity for machinists in the shipbuilding, construction, mining, and service sectors.

2004

  • Climax announces its overseas expansion into shipbuilding and repair, and nuclear power generation markets to better serve the needs of its international customers. 
  • Climax is awarded an Export Achievement Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce in honor of its successful entry into the Australian export market.

2005

  • Climax introduces the BB4500 Boring Machine and Digital Bore Measuring Tool.

2006

  • Climax introduces the LM6000 Portable Linear Mill.
  • Joni George, Chief Culture Officer is awarded the Mary Pearmine Workforce Leadership Award for her commitment to workforce training and the partnerships she has built with private and public organizations to increase workers' skills.
  • Climax expands European headquarters facility to meet growing demand for new construction, on-site repair and maintenance.

2007

  • Climax hires Brian Harris as Vice President, Sales, and lean manufacturing expert, Scott Simmons as Vice President, Operations.
  • Thomas R. Liebermann elected as Chairman of the Board.
  • Climax received SEDCOR Innovative Product Award for developing a new product/process which is on the “cutting edge” and advances the industry and the economy through its development.
  • Climax breaks ground on expanded facility in Newberg

2008

  • Climax opens new rental facilities in Mexico.
  • Climax named to Inc.’s 2008 List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies.
  • Climax develops CM6000 Portable Circular Mill for machining wind tower flanges. Milling machine becomes the standard tool in the industry for machining wind tower flanges to spec.

2009

  • Lawrence Rentz, VP of Engineering, is appointed to Oregon Innovation Council serving as Technical Advisor.
  • Climax develops Internship Program that it believes will become a model for training the workforce of the future; offers program outline to other organizations.
  • Joni George becomes an advisor to Portland Community College workforce training.
  • Climax receives contract from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers  for specialized linear mill to repair Markland Locks and Dams; project awarded under ARRA Stimulus Plan
  • Climax launches newly re-designed website; enables easier access to information about its services and products. Features customer stories and videos of tools in action.

 

Press Contact:

Marion Margiotta
Grady Britton
1-503-228-4118
marionm@gradybritton.com