GEARGRID, specialists in wire forming and fabrication of custom retail POP display and OEM components, as well as its propriety line of GearGrid gear-storage systems for fire and rescue, athletic and equine markets, has received the 2012 Governor’s International Trade Award from Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Trade Office. The company is based in Forest Lake.
One of 10 recipients honored with this year’s award, GearGrid was recognized for showing exceptional progress and success in its export initiatives. The award was presented as part of the 27th Annual International Trade Awards and Export Initiative, developed to spotlight the positive effect that exports and trade have on the state’s economy. GearGrid Director of Sales and Marketing Bob Foht accepted on behalf of the company.
“Minnesota’s global footprint continues to expand, and we’re honored to have our accomplishments recognized,” said GearGrid CEO Don DeMorett. “The GearGrid story is a true public-private collaboration success story, as we couldn't have come this far without the great people and resources at the Minnesota Trade Office. We're grateful for that support and recommend it highly to any firm considering export markets.”
Founded as a contract manufacturing firm, GearGrid originally focused exclusively on designing and building custom retail displays and wire forms for retail and OEM markets. In 1997, the company began the development of its proprietary, specialized systems for fire and rescue PPE storage and other equipment and apparatus storage and transport systems.
ROSENBAUER AMERICA has appointed Horrocks Fire & Rescue Apparatus of Collegeville, PA, as its eastern Pennsylvania authorized sales and service dealer. For more than 45 years, Horrocks Fire & Rescue Apparatus has been family owned and operated, providing sales and service of fire and rescue apparatus.
“Our sales team has been finding solutions for our customers’ apparatus needs for over four decades,” the company’s president, Brian Horrocks, said. “In partnering with Rosenbauer, we can expand our product offering to have a fit in every community in eastern Pennsylvania. Rosenbauer’s experience and understanding of this diverse market allows for a mutual commitment to superior customer service and providing first-class emergency vehicles.”
METAL SHARK BOATS has named Tom Koch as Northeast regional sales representative, focusing on fire-rescue, law enforcement and commercial markets.
“We are very pleased to have Tom joining our team,” said Dean Jones, national sales manager. “His outstanding technical background and experience in the marine industry make him a quality-driven sales engineer who I am confident will contribute significantly to Metal Sharks’ continued growth in North America.”
PIERCE MANUFACTURING has received an order for three Pierce Ultimate Configuration (PUC) pumpers and one air/rehabilitation vehicle from the Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View (SBM) Fire Department in Minnesota. The new front-line pumpers are built on Pierce Saber custom chassis and will be placed into service this summer.
“We didn’t believe our budget would allow for custom vehicles, so we initially looked at commercial chassis with rear-mounted pumps,” said Lt. Dan Anderson, chair of the truck committee at SBM Fire Department. “Through the specifications and purchase process, we came to realize that the Pierce PUC design not only fit within our budget, but enabled us to decrease the overall vehicle length – without sacrificing storage space or room inside the cab.”
“This purchase, from a progressive and highly regarded fire department in Minnesota, is an excellent case study on how the PUC design offers significant advantages for fire departments and the communities they serve,” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corp. executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency.
The PUC eliminates the need for a bulky pumphouse and features a simplified, two-step pump shift operation. The entire pump system is located above the frame for easier and quicker service and maintenance. The SBM pumpers are each equipped with a 450-hp engine, 1,500-gpm single stage PUC pump, 500-gallon water tank, Husky 3 foam system, 20-gallon foam tank, LED lighting package and Weldon V-MUX electrical system. The air/rehab vehicle features an air cascade system with a capacity of 80 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) bottles, health-monitoring equipment, core-cooling chairs and other rehab equipment.
5.11 TACTICAL has appointed Guy Burgstahler as chief marketing officer.
“We continue to invest in the 5.11 Tactical brand with the creation of the Chief Marketing Officer role,” CEO Tom Davin said. “Guy Burgstahler will further enhance our efforts to better serve public safety and military professionals around the world.”
Burgstahler’s previous positions include director of marketing at Circuit City, vice president of marketing at Pet Smart, vice president of marketing at Dick’s Sporting Goods and vice president of marketing at Tractor Supply Co.
FERRARA FIRE APPARATUS INC. has been awarded a contract by the FDNY for 13 additional 100-foot rear-mount aerial ladders. With this latest order, a total of 54 of FDNY aerials will carry the Ferrara nameplate.
“Of course, the only way we could actually prove our product was by putting them into service,” President and CEO Chris Ferrara said. “The feedback we’ve been getting from the department as a whole, along with the crews who work on these aerials, couldn’t be better. These aerial trucks meet all the standards FDNY has set for us: Tough, heavy-duty, dependable and easy for the firefighters to work with.”
HANGAR 14 SOLUTIONS, which produces StreetWise CADlink tablet-based response information software, has announced a strategic partnership with CodeMESSAGING.net, providers of text messaging dispatch services for fire departments.
“Our company has a great tablet solution for emergency responders, but it depends on fast and accurate transfer of information from a client’s dispatch center,” said Philip Kouwe, president of Hangar 14 Solutions. “CodeMESSAGING.net excels in providing solutions for CAD messaging export. For many of our clients, we’ll be leveraging their expertise to ensure the best operation of our software.”
CodeMessaging.net President Dewey Thomas said, “Now, first-responders are able to receive and map the alert on their mobile device, monitor the status of other responders in the station, and use that same information in the apparatus enroute to the call via StreetWise CADlink seamlessly and in real-time.”
The agreement includes cooperative marketing efforts and will also let both companies offer discounts to each other’s clients.
SEAGRAVE FIRE APPARATUS has received an order for a dive-rescue unit from the Louisville Fire Department/Jefferson County Metro Government in Kentucky.
The Louisville Fire Department is situated on the Ohio River and protects many businesses, a large number of commercial and pleasure craft and the McAlpine Locks and Dam. The department uses a “task force” concept with an aerial ladder and pumper to respond with the rescue truck to water-related emergencies. The single-axle apparatus will be built on a Marauder II chassis with a 500-hp Cummins ISX engine. Delivery will take place in spring 2012.
OSHKOSH AIRPORT PRODUCTS GROUP has sold 10 new-generation Oshkosh Striker aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicles to Aena Aeropuertos S.A. of Madrid, Spain. The apparatus will be placed into service at Madrid Barajas International and other major airports throughout the country. Delivery will begin in September 2012.
