Oshkosh Truck Corporation [NYSE: OSK] has received bid awards to deliver six Striker® Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles and two H-Series snow removal vehicles to Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China. The ARFF vehicles will be available to support the 2008 Summer Olympics being hosted in the Chinese capital. The USD $5M ARFF and $1M snow removal bid awards come on the heels of a visit by Chinese Ambassador Wenzhong Zhou and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle to Oshkosh Truck’s facilities in Appleton, Wis., U.S.
“The confidence the Chinese government has shown in these state-of-the-art vehicles is truly appreciated,” said Desmond Soh, president, Asia Operations for Oshkosh Truck. “We will continue to earn this confidence through the performance of the vehicles and the support provided by our Beijing office.”
The bid award calls for two Striker 1500 and four Striker 3000 ARFF all-wheel-drive trucks. The models have capacities of 1500 and 3000 gallons, respectively, and all are equipped with Oshkosh’s patented TAK-4® independent suspension. Combined with a myriad of industry-leading technologies, the Oshkosh Striker ARFF vehicle provides superior quality, unparalleled on- and off-pavement mobility, and a design that emphasizes driver safety, vehicle performance, and state-of-the-art fire protection.
The Beijing tender follows a series of similar commitments from airports around China including Shanghai Pudong Airport, Hangzhou Airport, Quzhou Airport and Ningbo Airport. While Oshkosh has been successfully marketing their ARFF vehicles in China since 1982, company officials believe the recent surge is no coincidence. “Oshkosh is firmly committed to not only selling its products but being a partner in the continuing development of the airport fire fighting industry in China,” said Soh. “This is evidenced by the sizeable investment Oshkosh has made within China through its permanent office in Beijing and network of support personnel throughout the country.”
The Striker vehicle is available in 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 configurations to carry up to 4,500 gallons (17,034 liters) of water and additional fire suppression agent. It combines a smooth, stable ride and exceptional mobility. The visibility is unmatched with almost 80 square feet of glass. The static side slope stability for all models is at least 30 degrees.
In addition to the six ARFF vehicles, the Beijing Capital International Airport bid award included two H-Series multi-purpose snow removal vehicles. The airport-specific snow removal vehicles are based on Oshkosh’s latest H-Series design and can accommodate a wide variety of snow removal applications. The cab is designed with driver safety, performance and comfort as its focus.
About Oshkosh Truck Corporation
Oshkosh Truck Corporation is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of a broad range of specialty access equipment, commercial, fire and emergency and military vehicles and vehicle bodies. Oshkosh's products are valued worldwide by rental companies, fire and emergency units, defense forces, municipal and airport support services, and concrete placement and refuse businesses where high quality, superior performance, rugged reliability and long-term value are paramount. For more information, log on to www.oshkoshtruckcorporation.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that the company believes are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding the company's future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital spending and debt levels, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as "expects," "intends," "estimates," "anticipates," or "believes" and similar expressions are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond the company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include the cyclical nature of the company’s markets, the company’s ability to successfully integrate the JLG acquisition, the consequences of financial leverage associated with the JLG acquisition, risks related to reductions in government expenditures, the uncertainty of government contracts and the company’s ability to turnaround its Geesink Norba Group business. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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