Uddcomb Engineering AB Announce Partnership

Companies to work together to upgrade, maintain nuclear reactor pressure nozzles.

NEWBERG, Oregon. February 16, 2005 — Building on the success of its recent launch into global nuclear markets, Climax Portable Machine Tools, Inc. jointly announced a strategic partnership with Uddcomb Engineering. The two companies signed an agreement in connection with maintenance work at the Forsmark nuclear power facility in Sweden.

Under the terms of the agreement, in April Climax will deliver a custom designed tool known as the BWR Shell J-Groove Weld Prep machine, or "J-Groove." The J-Groove is specially designed to work on reactor pressure vessel nozzles to remove old weld material. The procedure prepares the nozzles for dye penetrant inspection, re-welding, and subsequent blending of newly welded areas to the shell contour and nozzle exit radius. Uddcomb will use the J-Groove in more than 20 areas with nozzle connections within each of three reactors.

Used in conjunction with a special cofferdam designed by Uddcomb, the machine selfcontains all scrap weld to eliminate contamination risk. The work will be repeated at all three reactors at the Forsmark facility, and is part of the maintenance coordinated by Uddcomb.

"We are very pleased to announce this partnership with Uddcomb," said Geoff Gilmore, CEO of Climax Portable Machine Tools. "The two company cultures are well matched and our work together last summer proved it. We’re impressed with Uddcomb’s commitment to quality and professionalism as well as its established reputation within power generation service markets throughout the world." The agreement comes on the heels of a successful partnership between Uddcomb and Climax for a project at another nuclear facility in Sweden. Completed last summer, that work was part of a larger maintenance project designed to enable the plant to maintain its high technical standards.

"When we look for partners for things we do not produce ourselves, we look for the best that can be found within the market," said Leif Bosson, Deputy Managing Director of Uddcomb Engineering. "Climax offers a high degree of engineering skills, high standards and superior quality assurance. Climax’s responsiveness and years of experience in the machine tool industry combine to give us an added confidence in our maintenance program."

Uddcomb chose to work with Climax engineers because of the company’s excellent reputation within the portable machine tools industry and their shared culture. Both companies strive toward high quality standards and provide complete service packages. About Climax® Portable Machine Tools, Inc.

Based in Oregon, 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 enabling customers to efficiently perform on-site machining for applications in the shipbuilding, power generation, and service and engineering sectors. Climax Portable Machine Tools pioneered the portable machine tools concept. As the world’s largest supplier of portable machine tools, it offers standard and custom-built solutions and serves the domestic and international markets through its own international offices and licensed representatives in 23 countries. More information about the company is available at www.cpmt.com.