CASE AWARDED $15.5 MILLION CONTRACT TO RESET MORE THAN 200 FORKLIFTS TO MISSION-CAPABLE CONDITION

In its sixth U.S. Military contract in recent months, Case Construction Equipment has been selected by the U.S. Army TACOM (Tank, Automotive and Armaments Command) to reset more than 200 Forklifts to mission-capable condition. The contract, which will be fulfilled over a three-year period, is valued at $15.5 million.

Deployed with the U.S. Army since the 1980s, these Case Model M4K Rough-Terrain Forklifts have been used by U.S. forces to handle materials and supplies around the globe. "The Case M4K is unique in its ability to stack pallets two high and four wide, inside military shipping containers," said Bill Thompson, manager, Defense Products Group, Case Construction Equipment.

Thompson explained that "reset" is a military term that defines a level of refurbishing designed to restore older equipment to provide renewed performance. The reset process involves the complete disassembly; inspection and repair or replacement of damaged components; reassembly, and testing to ensure the equipment meets original performance specifications. "This provides the benefits of new equipment to our troops at a very favorable cost," he said.

During the past two years, Case has earned contracts with the U.S. Military valued at more than $100 million. Current Case contracts with the U.S. Military include the remanufacture of nearly 400 front-end wheel loaders for the National Guard, reset of an additional 125 wheel loaders for U.S. Army TACOM and supply of 500 engine re-power kits for Case forklifts like those being RESET in the current program. Additionally, in 2005, Case was also awarded a contract to deliver more than 500 new backhoe loaders to U.S. Army forces around the globe.

As with several previous Case contracts with the military, this work is being completed at the Case Remanufacturing Center in Fort McCoy, Wis., using Case and contract employees, many of whom are current or retired members of the U.S. Army National Guard and Army Reserve.