JLG awarded $4 million in contracts from Navy

April 05, 2010|By KATE S. ALEXANDER

McCONNELLSBURG, PA. -- JLG Industries Inc. in Fulton County will produce a special telehandling vehicle designed exclusively for the U.S. Navy, adding another $4 million in military contracts to its portfolio.

The U.S. Navy ordered 26 Engine Installation and Removal Vehicles (EIRV) from JLG to assist with repair and replacement of engines on its aircraft, said Jeff Ford, JLG spokesman.

Despite securing about $55 million in military contracts for the McConnellsburg plant in the past two weeks, JLG has no plans to increase jobs in Fulton County, Ford said.

Existing employees will be used to manufacture the EIRVs, he said.

However, Ford said both contracts indicate positive growth for the company.

JLG and its parent company, Oshkosh Corp. of Wisconsin, have struggled since 2008 to maintain profitability.

Military contracts are "bridging the gap" between the private sector success the company enjoyed prior to the recession and where the company is today, Ford said.

The U.S. Navy contract shows that JLG is capable of adapting existing designs to meet new needs, he said.

JLG's telehandler forklifts were the basis for the new EIRVs.

The EIRV can lift up to 6,000 pounds, according to a company press release.

It has a horizontal reach of 29 feet and a vertical extension of up to 41 feet.

"The JLG EIRV is the newest addition to a stellar line of combat proven access solutions," said Denny Buterbaugh, JLG's vice president of government products and programs.

Buterbaugh said the EIRV's hydraulic system allows it to place and remove engines on a wide variety of aircraft. Like most JLG telehandler, the EIRV can be used on almost any terrain, he said.

The U.S. Navy sought a solution for lifting engines to and from many of its large aircraft including the P-3, C-2, E-2, and C-130 planes, Ford said.

As of Monday, no timeline has been set for production, he said.

Ford said it is unclear where the Navy plans to use the vehicles.

Many JLG telehandlers are in use in Afghanistan.

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