Contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Milling Machine to Repair Ohio River Locks and Dams

Infrastructure Project Awarded Under ARRA Stimulus Plan  

Newberg, Ore. – July 29, 2009 – Climax Portable Machine Tools announces the award of a $1.5 million contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Climax received the contract due to the company’s ability to provide the best technical- and cost effective solution for refurbishing the Markland Locks on the Ohio River within a stringent timeframe. The award will be funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which earmarked money for the Army Corps of Engineers for construction projects.  According to Climax, this contract will save and/or create 30 jobs in Oregon.

More than $11.6 billion dollars a year of commerce pass through the Markland Locks and Dams on the Ohio River. When the locks needed to be refurnished, the Army Corps of Engineers began looking for a solution that would not disrupt the flow of shipping and that could replace its current repair process which was costly and time consuming.

The Ohio River Project calls for refurbishing the lock doors and door quoins, which are the sealing surfaces between the lock wall and the steel lock doors. Over time, frequent repairs to the gates had left surfaces uneven. Climax won the contract to design, fabricate and fully test two large scale, custom-made vertical milling machines capable of traveling up to 70 feet in height in a single pass, removing up to 1.5-inches of materials over multiple passes and that could also drill and tap. This milling machine not only will enable machinists to smooth the structures’ surfaces so they will operate better and not leak, but also to complete the repairs on site within the 17-day timeframe required by the Corps. The machine is scheduled to be delivered in March 2010; testing and repairs on the quoins will be completed by May 2010.

Repairing our nation’s ageing infrastructure and funding those projects that create jobs are key objectives of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Stimulus Plan.  Part of these funds provided money to the Army Corps of Engineers including $2 billion for construction projects such as dam repairs and flood control. 

“Investing in repairing our nation’s road, bridges and dams will not only improve the flow of commerce but also create meaningful work, paying dividends for years to come,” said Geoff Gilmore, president and CEO of Climax Portable Machine Tools.  “This award by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers not only underscores our ability to understand our customers’ needs and to provide the most cost-effective solutions for repair challenges, but will also allow us to help the Corps revolutionize the way these kinds of maintenance and repair operations are done.”

About Climax Portable Machine Tools, Inc.

Based in Oregon and Germany, Climax Portable Machine Tools, Inc. is a strategic world-class provider of comprehensive, on-site machining solutions. The company offers specialized engineering consulting services, customized training programs and a full line of portable machine tools for sale and rent, enabling customers to efficiently perform on-site machining for applications in the power generation, shipbuilding, heavy construction and mining, as well as service and engineering sectors. Climax Portable Machine Tools pioneered the portable machine tools concept over 40 years ago, and as the world’s largest supplier of portable machine tools, offers standard and custom-built solutions. It holds 21 issues patents with 4 pending. Climax serves domestic and international markets through its own international offices and licensed representatives in 26 countries. More information about the company is available at www.cpmt.com.