November 2011 - ESCO Corporation

THE
CUSTOMER
designED
ESCO’s ProFill® dragline bucket achieves top
performance thanks to mine operator input
NOVEMBER 2011
– ESCO’s new CEO
– ESCO Kilgore
– Dealer spotlight
14
THE EDGE
The magazine of ESCO Corporation
ESCO CORPORATION
ESCO is an independent designer, developer and
manufacturer of highly engineered wear parts
and replacement products used in surface mining,
infrastructure development, power generation,
aerospace and industrial applications. We have
focused on product innovation throughout our
nearly 100-year history. We believe our expertise
in metallurgy, tribology (the science of wear),
design engineering, manufacturing processes, and
distribution are our core competencies.
The Edge is available online:
http://www.escocorp.com/about/media/edge_magazine.html
Update your mailing address:
[email protected]
Director of Corporate Communications
Kelley Egre
Editor
Jonathan Nelson
Contributing Writer
John Howard
Graphic Designer
Anthony Sheedy
Thank you to the following individuals
for their help on this issue: Nancy
Robbins, Jonathan Salinas, Aaron Lian, Jon
Owens, Doug Pierce, Steve Herbert, Mark
Mallory, Chris Carpenter, Tim Myers, Laura
Pietrok, Steve Pratt, Jeff Barnett, Joel Kershaw,
Danielle Carno, Carol Hubble, Eric Draper,
Jason Ormiston.
Comments and suggestions
are always welcome:
EDGE Magazine
ESCO Corporation
2141 NW 25th Avenue
Portland, Oregon USA 97210
e-mail: [email protected]
November
Volume 8 Issue 2
To our readers,
The year is rapidly coming to an end and with
that naturally comes a time to reflect on what
has transpired. For ESCO, 2011 represented
another year of tremendous global expansion.
By the end of the year, ESCO will have opened
more than eight new supply and service facilities
in Australia, Indonesia, Peru, Argentina, the U.S.
and South Africa. That expansion comes a year
after we opened eight ESCO facilities in places
like Australia, Brazil and Canada. In 2011, ESCO
also acquired Hydra Mining Tools International,
which is headquartered in the United Kingdom.
ESCO Hydra Mining Division enhances the company’s presence in the
underground mining industry with a proven line of products and skilled
employees to support the operation. We also announced a transition in our
executive team as ESCO CEO Steve Pratt and CFO Gene Huey ready for
retirement in the coming months. Change is a constant at any company
and the moves we’ve made at ESCO continue to position us to best
serve you, our customers.
IN THIS ISSUE
AROUND THE WORLD..................................4
ESCO READIES FOR NEW CEO ............6
Q&A WITH GENE HUEY...............................8
SUPPLY AND SERVICE EXPANDS..... 10
ESCO KILGORE ............................................12
PROFILL BEATS EXPECTATIONS........ 14
DEALER PROFILES...................................... 18
ESCO AT AIMEX............................................ 20
SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES.................... 22
You’ll also see change in the pages ahead as we make The Edge more
reflective of our growing organization. We’ve added a new feature, Around
The World, that highlights business developments across the globe. This
issue will also feature our Kilgore, Texas, supply and service facility, where
ESCO’s team transformed a decaying building into a critical hub for mine
operators. Also in Texas, mining companies continue to reap benefits by
®
using our ProFill dragline buckets. Hear how ESCO engineers teamed
with those companies to create an industry leading product.
6
12
Finally, we feature two long-time ESCO dealers who are key partners to
our success.
Enjoy,
Cal Collins
President and Chief Operating Officer
THE EDGE MISSION
Show the strengths and problem-solving
capabilities of ESCO’s business groups
Spotlight ESCO’s successes in the
diverse markets it serves
Communicate the values and traditions
that make ESCO unique
Help build lasting and mutually beneficial
relationships with customers
Printed in the USA on
100% recycled / 100%
post consumer waste paper
©2011 ESCO Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
CORRECTION:
David Miller, a patch and wrap helper at ESCO Syracuse, celebrated his 30th
anniversary with the company in December. The incorrect service anniversary
was given for Miller in the May edition of The Edge.
FROM THE EDITOR:
Welcome to the latest edition of ESCO’s The Edge magazine, the publication that
connects you with ESCO’s people, products and services. You will notice a new look
and feel to the magazine. It is our intent to better reflect the global nature of ESCO’s
business and our continual efforts to bring our people and products closer to you,
the customer. Feel free to contact me at [email protected] regarding
comments, suggestions and recommendations that you might have for future editions.
- Jonathan Nelson
18
AROUND THE WORLD
France
ESCO’s Turbine Technologies was
showcased this June during the Paris Air
Show at the le Bourget Airport. Airbus
and Boeing displayed new powerful
and more fuel efficient engines slated
for their next generation of planes that
featured ESCO TT ingenuity.
United Kingdom
ESCO completed its acquisition of Hydra
Mining Tools International in July. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, Hydra Mining
Tools supports ESCO’s global operations
and, at the same time, provides a new range
of products for underground mining markets.
North America
ESCO made its debut in September as an
exhibitor at the Oil Sands Trade Show and
Conference in Alberta, Canada, where 400
companies attended the event.
Australia
ESCO Perth in Western Australia and
ESCO Rutherford in New South Wales
recently opened, for a total of six supply
and service facilities in Australia. ESCO
also signed a new dealer in Hobart,
Tasmania.
Peru
In Cajamarca, Peru, a new service
and maintenance operation is under
development to support existing and
future mine projects.
South Africa
Brazil
ESCO supply and service in Carajas, Brazil,
which recently opened, has signed a major
repair and maintenance contract with the
Sossego (Vale) copper mine.
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Argentina
ESCO is developing a sales office with
a service and maintenance operation
in San Juan, Argentina. This new operation will focus on growing ESCO’s
mining and construction presence
in Argentina.
ESCO continues to build the
local team in Johannesburg
after taking over direct sales
responsibility for South Africa,
Namibia and Botswana in April.
Indonesia
In Indonesia, ESCO is opening
ESCO Balikpapan, one of the first
supply and service facilites for
area mines.
THE EDGE – NOVEMBER 2011
5
esco’s newest ceo
collins leads company into exciting era
Cal Collins becomes only ESCO’s sixth CEO when he assumes the new role in January.
As a partner with a Portland boutique
law firm, Cal Collins had a unique
insight into one of his clients – ESCO
Corporation. Collins, in a sense, grew
up at ESCO. His father, Nick Collins,
spent his entire career with the company,
retiring as CEO in 1995.
In January, Cal Collins will be promoted to CEO, only the sixth person to hold
that mantle in ESCO’s almost 100-year
history. Collins inherits a company that
has the same strong brand and commitment to excellence and innovation that
was present during Nick Collins’ tenure.
But the ESCO Cal Collins will oversee
has a much different footprint.
“We’ve gone from being a historically
North American business to truly a global company,” Collins said.
Collins takes the helm as the company
undergoes its greatest push into foreign
markets and truly embraces its global
presence. Additional production, sales
and service facilities have opened and are
opening in Australia, South Africa, Peru,
Canada, the U.S. and Indonesia to get
closer to customers and capitalize on an
expanding mining industry.
A new foundry in Chile is scheduled
to open in 2012 and is just one piece in
a larger puzzle to meet customer de66
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mands. Collins and the rest of the ESCO
leadership are implementing a companywide strategy to increase foundry capacity. ESCO’s two foundries in China
are undergoing significant expansion.
The company also acquired foundries
in Northgate, Australia and Dunedin,
New Zealand.
“Increasing the capacity of our foundries and the availability of ESCO products is a top priority for us,” Collins said.
Perhaps the biggest different between
the ESCO Collins will lead and his father’s
version is how the company is structured.
ESCO filed an initial public offering with
the Securities and Exchange Commission
in May. The milestone means the quiet,
privately-held company now faces a more
public future.
So much change comes with an element of uncertainty, but Collins and his
executive team have confidence in the
path they are taking ESCO. That comes
partially from Collins’ demeanor. At 52,
Collins retains a youthful appearance
matched with a thoughtful personality.
He answers questions only after giving
the response careful consideration, a trait
that combines his penchant for examining an issue and his professional background. Collins’ personality, in a way,
reflects ESCO’s reputation as a company
that moves methodically. Case in point
is ESCO’s legacy of long-range planning.
Steve Pratt, the outgoing CEO who retires in January after 40 years with ESCO,
said the strategy to find his replacement
was five years in the making.
“Succession planning is the biggest responsibility that the Board of Directors
and I have,” Pratt said. “Cal is an excellent
strategic thinker and has demonstrated
abilities of putting a team together, developing a long-range plan that includes
measurements of success, and then methodically executing on the plan without
letting the organization stray off of the
path once it is set.”
Collins’ initiation to ESCO came
in 1977, immediately following high
school when he worked at ESCO as a
flogger and grinder.
“I gained an appreciation for the work
that’s done on the shop floor,” he said.
“Those are very difficult conditions.”
“Increasing the
capacity of our
foundries… is a top
priority for us.”
Collins graduated from Brigham Young
University with a degree in University
Studies with an emphasis on philosophy
and English in 1983 and a law degree in
1986. Collins said he was drawn to that
educational tract because of its emphasis
on logic, the framework of discipline it
involves and the analytical reasoning.
He moved to Phoenix after graduation
and spent several years with a large law
firm, focusing on mergers and acquisitions and transactional matters. He returned to Portland and joined Newcomb,
Sabin, Schwartz & Landsverk, later becoming a partner.
In 2000, Collins learned ESCO was
looking for a successor for its general
counsel. An in-house counsel position is
coveted by many lawyers, he said, and the
fact that it was ESCO dangling that prize
made it even more desirable. He was
hired by ESCO in the fall of 2000.
Collins shifted roles in 2007 when he
moved to the operational side of the business as group vice president for North
America operations. The move coincided
with a restructuring of the engineered
products business team. Rather than
having oversight of global operations
from the Portland office, executives were
dispatched to live in regions outside of
North America, becoming true resident
experts.
The new framework particularly fits
with what Collins describes as his collaborative leadership style. He wants collective input and a constant flow of communications from others throughout the
organization. He can then use that information to analyze the situation and reach
a logical conclusion.
Collins’ analytical style matches ESCO’s DNA. After all, the backbone of the
company is innovation, which is driven
largely by a strong team of engineers
responsible for numerous patents and
industry-leading products. It also has
earned the company the reputation of being conservative, which makes the recent
changes seem jarring to some.
However, Collins said the growth and
decision to go public have been anything
but sudden. Recent acquisitions were
made only after careful study and analysis concluded the deals were in line with
the company’s strategy and furthered the
goal of better serving its customers.
The IPO decision comes after more
than a decade of planning and building
ESCO’s corporate governance, reporting
standards and business systems.
“We’ve been operating like a public
company for many years,” Collins said.
Collins views the company’s current
growth as being aligned with its philosophy of continuous improvement and
strengthening the fabric of ESCO’s culture. To Collins, striving to improve requires empowering employees at all levels of the company to be involved, to have
their input considered and to be integral
partners in ESCO’s success.
“Continuous improvement shows respect for people,” Collins said. “It involves
those who are closest to processes. They
play an active role in problem solving.
Management is saying that they can’t
solve problems alone. We need you.”
Collins’ hectic schedule leaves little
time away from ESCO, but when he does
find time for himself and family he enjoys
playing an occasional round of golf or
reading. The youngest of his four daughters, who range in age from 19 to 28, left
for college this year, making Collins and
Stephanie, his wife, empty nesters. This
new chapter in his life coincides with
ESCO’s.
“Change inherently involves challenges
and opportunities,” he said. “I’m excited
about the future because we have the people to meet our challenges and capitalize
on the opportunities.”
Steve Pratt
readies for
retirment
Steve Pratt, ESCO’s board
chairman and chief executive officer, once said, “I never aspired
to the position of chairman, but
I always wanted to run a company. From the start, I felt that
ESCO was a good fit for me
and … it was a company that
I could run someday.”
That someday came in 1995
for Pratt and for the last 16
years he’s guided ESCO
through a period of extraordinary
global growth coupled with a
company-wide commitment
to innovation and continuous
improvement in delivering value
to ESCO’s customers. Pratt
announced in June that he is
retiring in January after 40 years
with the company. He will remain as chairman of ESCO’s
board of directors.
“I have always admired the way
Steve conducts himself,” said
Hank Swigert, a director and
principal owner of ESCO. “He
has shown that he embraces
ESCO’s values. He is easy to
work with because he is so
open and direct. Steve’s a very
capable CEO - the right man
for the time.”
A full profile of Pratt’s
career will be featured in
the next issue of The Edge.
Cal Collins, left, and Pat Fonner, Group Vice President at
ESCO, met with customers during the BAUMA trade show
held in 2010 in Munich, Germany.
THE EDGE – NOVEMBER 2011
7
Q&A
uted greatly to our success. In addition,
ESCO has invested in the tools that have
enabled us to grow. The decision in 199697 to go with Oracle across the company,
for example, was a very significant one. It
was a big investment in time and money,
but it provided the information technology foundation that has allowed us to grow
and connect globally.
INTERVIEW with
GENE HUEY
FORMER ESCO CFO RETIRING AT YEAR’S END
During Gene Huey’s 40-year tenure at
ESCO, calculators went from cutting edge
technology to being obsolete, rotary telephones gave way to BlackBerry phones
and the company’s marketplace truly became global. Gene joined ESCO’s accounting department in 1970 and for the next
40 years advanced to his current position
as Chief Financial Officer. Born in China,
Gene was five years old when his family
immigrated to the United States. He attended Cleveland High School in Portland,
Oregon and earned a degree in business
administration and accounting from Oregon State University.
Gene took some time recently to reflect on
his front-row seat to ESCO’s growth, his
role in the company and what the future
holds for him.
John Howard: Gene, tell us about your decision to join ESCO 40 years ago.
Gene: While at Portland State University, an advisor recommended I look at
a growing company called ESCO, which
was expanding its finance and accounting team. I was hired by Herb Johnson
and the next 40 years were so enjoyable
and challenging that they went by in the
blink of an eye. I quickly came to recognize ESCO as a fine, small company with
big company opportunities. When I was
promoted to vice president of finance in
1983 at age 35, I was the youngest senior
executive, and I was very proud of that.
Now I’m the most senior executive in
terms of years with the company.
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ESCO has grown and changed tremendously over the last four decades. Describe
the changes that have taken place in your
area of expertise.
Although accounting is at the foundation
of a CFO’s job, our team got involved in
financial and information systems development, process development in business strategy, mergers and acquisitions,
and financial planning. We evolved from
the days of mainframe computers to networked personal computers, to the Oracle system, to today’s Blackberries and
boundless Internet access to information.
The financial markets, regulatory requirements and taxation have constantly
evolved on a global basis. There was never a dull moment; it never got stale.
Please describe what a CFO does.
It depends on how the CEO wants to operate. At ESCO, the CEOs I worked for
- Nick Collins and Steve Pratt - wanted
the CFO to be an integral part of the decision-making process. My role as CFO
was to oversee the company’s financial
stability, assure that ESCO met stringent
accounting standards, provide financial
information to help support good decision-making, and to perform the role
of a strategic advisor to the CEO and
senior management. I brought information, analysis and a financial framework
for thinking. I was both a devil’s advocate
and an angel’s advocate when we were
assessing risk and opportunity. A CFO
needs a broad business perspective and
the resources to get information critical
to sound decision making.
Who were your mentors?
I tried to learn from everybody in experienced roles. When you’re new to the company, you’re a blank slate. I would spend
time with people in sales, marketing and
manufacturing to learn more about the
business. I remember spending time with
technical experts like Leroy Finch in our
lab to learn some of the secrets of heat
treating and how our manufacturing processes enable our products to resist wear
and impact. I learned from dozens of
people, but if I had to name a few, I would
put Hank (Swigert) on that short list. He
was and is a role model for fair dealing,
trust and integrity - principles that distinguish ESCO. Bill Weber was another
mentor. He was a profit-oriented businessman to the core. He was excellent in
terms of communication. And Nick Collins, he knew how to lead and motivate
with both the carrot and the stick. Even
when he was prodding you with the stick,
you felt encouraged by his leadership.
Reflect, if you will, on ESCO’s ability to
grow from a local foundry to a successful
global company over these many years.
Any company here today that was around
40, 50, and especially 98 years ago has
had to become much more focused and
efficient. I believe in the discipline of the
marketplace. Competition has made us
better and stronger. We have gotten more
efficient at offering our customers better
products and services. And to achieve
that, our people around the globe have become so much more capable and knowledgeable. They understand the company’s
focus and what creates value. ESCO’s
employee empowerment and process
improvement orientation has contrib-
You have served as a director on a number
of boards for ESCO’s subsidiaries. What
did you see as your role on those boards?
Yes, I served on most of them - Turbine
Technologies, ESCO Ltd. in Canada, and
ESCO Europe. The board of directors for
a subsidiary serves a different purpose
since there is only one shareholder, the
parent company. I saw my role as providing oversight and finding out what help
the parent company, ESCO Corporation,
might provide to help them meet their
goals.
How has ESCO and its markets changed?
There has been a great deal of globalization and consolidation. Today, our markets are measured in billions of dollars,
not millions. Growth and consolidation
have enabled many, our competitors,
our customers and ourselves, to marshal
more resources and operate with greater
strength and efficiency. Another factor
is expanded localization. As the saying
goes, think globally and act locally. We
now have bricks and mortar and people
in key regions of the world in order to be
responsive locally and meet our customers’ needs. We have to continually offer
expert knowledge, products and local
services that will draw customers to us,
not our competitors.
Tell us about the “Three Cs”, the relationship you, as CFO, had with CEO Steve Pratt
and retired COO Larry Huget.
What made the three of us successful
was the ability to complement each other
and make effective decisions. I always
admired what Steve brought to the process: fair dealing, good judgment, and a
willingness and courage to be the final
decision maker. He is the pilot with his
hands on the steering wheel, the one responsible for flying us through blue skies
as well as turbulence. Larry always asked,
“How much time will it take, how much
will it cost and how are we going to execute that?” He was the one responsible
for aligning the workforce to achieve our
goals. He was very persistent and, ultimately, very successful at moving the ball
forward. I was sort of like the radar man,
providing crucial information to the pilot and co-pilot. As I said before, I served
as both an angel’s and devil’s advocate,
making sure we looked at all sides of decisions in order to create value for our
stakeholders.
“I was both a
devil’s advocate
and an angel’s
advocate.”
The three of us held periodic formal
meetings, but we mostly communicated
when needed. Each of us had a briefcase
in our head and often thinking about
ESCO 16/7 - 16 hours a day, seven days
a week. It was a free-flowing process.
In 2012, a new executive team will lead
ESCO. What advice do you have for them?
Every team has to create its own path.
What they have to work with is an excellent foundation of knowledgeable people,
brand equity, and a culture of innovation
and customer service. I’m confident that
Cal Collins (who becomes CEO in January 2012), Ray Verlinich (CFO) and the
entire ESCO organization are going to accomplish even more as they meet global
challenges and seize growth opportunities. Every succeeding generation raises
the bar.
What will you miss?
I’ll miss the dynamics of business. For
more than 40 years, ESCO has provoked
thought and kept me engaged. I’ll miss
that stimulation. And, of course, I’ll
miss the people, dozens of names inside
and outside of ESCO, but obviously the
senior people I worked closest with and
the board members. These 40 years have
been a great ride. There have been twists
and turns and hair-pin curves. We may
have driven close to the edge of the road
once or twice. But all those bumps and
curves in the road brought us here, and
here is a very good place.
What are your plans for retirement?
My feeling is that retirement will find me.
I really look forward to spending meaningful time with my two grandchildren,
ages 10 and six. I’d like them to benefit
from my experience and aged wisdom,
to share life lessons with them. Intellectual capacity is a foundation for success
in life. It is part of Chinese culture for
the grandparents to be engaged in raising
the grandchildren. Barbara (Gene’s wife)
currently has them four days a week and
I look forward to being much more involved in that relationship.
ESCO CEO Steve Pratt, left, and Gene Huey, ESCO’s outgoing CFO, worked closely together to guide the company.
THE EDGE – NOVEMBER 2011
9
GLOBAL REACH,
LOCAL SERVICE
canada
argentina
esco continues to grow its
presence across the globe
A
growing network of ESCO
supply and service facilities
is providing direct support
to customers in key mining
areas in North America, Latin America,
Indonesia and the expanding Australian
market.
Although no two branches are exactly
the same, they all stock ESCO wear parts
and provide various services tailored to
the needs of local customers.
“With only one or two exceptions, all
the branches are located near mining
clusters and provide prompt and convenient local service,” said John Ollech,
general manager of the ESCO supply and
service division for North America.
Some branches in North America such
as Phoenix, Arizona and Billings, Montana have fabrication capabilities that offer bucket and rigging repair and rebuild
services. Outlets in Australia and Brazil
are developing mobile maintenance and
repair services so technicians can support repairs on site, thereby reducing
the downtime and cost for customers. In
China, an office in Chengu continues to
meet with customers as the outlet refines
the type of services the region needs.
Independent dealers remain critical
to ESCO’s global distribution and
sales strategy, said Ollech. The ESCO
ESCO Mackay, clockwise from top left, and ESCO Kilgore are just two of the new supply and service facilities that have recently opened. At ESCO
Kingaroy, employees are capable of handling a variety of work for customers, including fabrication of ESCO truck bodies and fulfilling repair orders.
10
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supply and service branches fill customer
needs in areas where a strong dealer is
not present.
The concept of getting close to customers isn’t new to ESCO. In the 1920s,
ESCO opened a series of retail stores
that lasted until the early 1940s when
the company shifted to a business model that relied almost exclusively on independent dealers to sell and service
ESCO products.
In the late 1990s, that the company
developed a limited retail distribution
channel. Today, that global network includes 25 locations. Employees at each
site continually assess customer needs to
tailor services to those requirements.
For instance, in Farmington, New Mexico, a rigging maintenance program was
developed in response to customer needs.
Working with mine operators, ESCO created a product and service package that
stored parts on site so repairs can be
made in the field. The arrangement reduces downtime for machines and allows
mine workers to concentrate on other
tasks, rather than handling maintenance
issues on machines.
“Our goal is to provide a consistent
message, philosophy and experience
at ESCO supply and service branches
throughout the world,” Ollech said.
“Our goal is to
provide a consistent
message, philosophy
and experience…
throughout
the world.”
JOHN OLLECH
GENERAL MANAGER,
ESCO SUPPLY AND SERVICE DIVISION
(NORTH AMERICA)
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THE EDGE – NOVEMBER 2011
11
“i don’t want
to let my
customers down.
I enjoy solving
problems.”
Jason Ormiston
DISTRICT MANAGER,
ESCO KILGORE
ESCO KILGORE
Texas SUPPLY AND SERVICE facility tailors work to local customerS
Despite the stucco façade that was
cracked and faded after years of baking
in the Texas sun, Grant Kleckner, ESCO’s general manager for Western North
America, saw promise in the building.
It had what he and Eric Draper, branch
manager for ESCO Kilgore, considered
“good bones.” A spacious yard with ample
room to carry ESCO products requested
by customers and an 8,400-square-foot
shop made up for the haggard appearance. Even more important than the
building was the location, East Texas
where a gap existed in ESCO’s growing
supply and service facilities, which numbers 14 to date.
Kleckner and Draper viewed the
Kilgore location as critical to getting ESCO’s products and services closer to mining and industrial customers in the region. Draper has spent the past year since
opening the location slowly building a
customer base as he readies the space and
workforce to meet the needs of mine operators in the area.
“It’s kind of a chicken and egg situation,” Draper said. “Do you seek customers first or do you get the products and
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services in place first to best serve them?”
Draper emphasized the services and
products route. He’s installed heavy duty
racking to complement two 7 1/2-ton
bridge cranes and drive-through bay
doors. Specialized areas were created
for welding and carbide overlay jobs. A
truck has been outfitted with a tungsten
carbide overlay machine so Kilgore’s
technicians can perform repairs and
other work in the field to reduce a customer’s downtime. A welding trailer is
coming to increase the number and size
of welding jobs the crew can perform
on job sites.
Kilgore follows ESCO’s supply and
service model, which outfits each location
with the people, services and products
that best fits customers in that region.
Kilgore sits amidst a cluster of 14 surface
coal mines, a market that includes several
mines operated by Luminant Mining and
the North American Coal Corporation,
and stretches from east Texas to Louisiana
and Mississippi. These companies utilize
29 walking dragline machines, equipped
with 45 dragline buckets, many of which
carry the ESCO logo. The service area is
also rich with oil and gas reserves.
That territory and type of mining
means Kilgore is particularly focused on
repairing and rebuilding dragline rigging
and chains. Draper is also introducing
a six-year service contract where ESCO
will handle the service and products
for dragline rigging for a monthly fee.
Draper said the offer not only saves operators on rigging repair costs and downtime, but frees up their employees for
other projects.
Draper is also focused on his team.
Larry Cox, a certified welding inspector, was hired as shop supervisor. Jason
Ormiston, who has spent five years serving area mines, was hired last January as
district manager.
“I don’t want to let my customers
down,” Ormiston said.
Bob Meadows, who was handling the
Luminant Mining account out of ESCO’s
Portland office, accepted a transfer to
Kilgore to be the office manager.
“The guys that I’ve hired are specialists,” Draper said. “They know the customers and the industry.”
“Each of these
men came to ESCO
Kilgore with a
specialty and a
great deal of
experience.”
ERIC DRAPER
BRANCH MANAGER,
ESCO KILGORE
Jason Ormiston, district manager for ESCO Kilgore, brings years of mining experience to the job, helping him match the best tools for a cusomter’s needs.
THE EDGE – NOVEMBER 2011
13
ProFill carves niche in Texas coal fields
®
“All four of
our operators
love it”
Durability of
ProFill bucket
impresses mine
HALLSVILLE, TEXAS - The thermometer climbed steadily in
August, surpassing the 100-degree mark for the 40th day in this
rural Texas town and draping the Sabine Mine like a hot blanket.
Any other day a 75-cubic-yard ESCO ProFill® dragline bucket
would be scraping away topsoil, exposing the lignite vein that is
the lifeblood of the nearby Henry W. Pirkey power plant owned
by American Electric Power. But on this day, the ProFill bucket
was scheduled for an inspection.
Spencer Thompson, Sabine’s area manager for dragline maintenance, turned to Steven Hyde, ESCO’s lead engineer for dragline
products, after a quick look at the bucket as it was readied for its
scheduled 18-month exam, and smiled.
“I told you I liked the bucket when I first saw it, but when I saw
it today, I like it even more,” Thompson said.
The bucket’s unique geometry elicited Thompson’s response after he saw very little wear in areas where other buckets typically
show deep grooves and even cracks requiring extensive repairs.
“There is essentially no wear on the bucket and it digs like
crazy,” he said.
In East Texas, where the North American Coal Corporation
operates the Sabine and three other mines, lignite and coal is
plentiful. After all, the sixth largest producer in the nation of such
minerals. Southern pine forests carpet the land, giving way to
expanses of reddish-brown earth exposed to the Texas sun. It’s
in this soil where mine operators find the fuel to power one of
the fastest growing areas of electrical power plants in the state.
Coal mining almost came to end in this area in the 1950s, but has
since rebounded.
14
14
THEEDGE
EDGE– 
–NOVEMBER
MAY
JULY2011
2010 2011
THE
THE EDGE – NOVEMBER 2011
15
The Sabine Mine opened in 1984 and isn’t a newcomer
to the high performance of ESCO’s dragline buckets. For
much of the mine’s 27-year history, Sabine has turned to
ESCO for its equipment. ESCO’s senior district manager
Jeff Ratkowski and Hyde worked with Sabine in assessing
its needs and recommended the ProFill bucket.
In May 2009, Sabine received its 75-cubic-yard ProFill
bucket, the first to hit the dirt in Texas. A Marion 8200
powers the dragline, and two years later company officials
continue to be impressed with how easily the bucket is
filled. Thompson said the bucket’s straight lip option allows
operators to leave a clean, flat coal surface, which results
in minimal unwanted rock and sand mixing with the coal.
The reduced digging resistance also translates to less strain
and heat build-up on the dragline machine’s motors, which
saves on costly maintenance and energy usage.
“All four of our operators love it,” said Chris Taylor,
the mine’s area manager for draglines. “They are experienced professionals and they aren’t going to say that
if they don’t really believe it. A happy operator is a productive operator.”
The ProFill bucket helps Sabine produce 4 million to 4.5
million tons of lignite annually. Sabine likes the product
so much they’ve ordered a 93-cubic-yard ProFill bucket
for one of its larger Bucyrus-Erie draglines. The bucket
is scheduled to arrive in the first half of 2012, and Sabine
officials are considering putting ESCO’s hammerless
Posilok® Plus tooth system on the bucket.
“There is
essentially no
wear on the
bucket and it
digs like crazy”
SPENCER THOMPSON
DRAGLINE MAINTENANCE AREA MANAGER
SABINE
mine plays key role in
profill design
In 2007, Cloud Peak Energy
went searching for a new
dragline bucket design. ESCO
won the right to work with Cloud
Peak to develop a new bucket
that would be more productive
while also reducing operation
and maintenance costs. A year
of development resulted in the
unveiling of the ProFill dragline
bucket line.
Cloud Peak initially reported that
the ProFill bucket reduced cycle
times, filled more efficiently
and reduced dragline machine
power usage by 18 percent.
Cloud Peak executives said the
bucket’s performance has held
with the seven the company
now uses. Another four buckets
have been ordered to work at
Cloud Peak’s three mines in
the Powder River Basin, two in
Wyoming and one across the
border in Montana. Cloud Peak’s
total annual coal production in
2010 was 95.3 million tons, a
2.1 percent increase from 2009.
“From general observations,
we appear to have obtained
increased yardage, reduced
fill time, better handling and
reduced power consumption
from the ProFill bucket design,”
said Curt Griffith, Cloud Peak’s
dragline production planner.
ESCO’s engineers continue to
work with Cloud Peak to modify
the hitch height, heel plates
and lip shroud configurations
to optimize ProFill bucket
performance.
16
THE EDGE – NOVEMBER 2011
THE EDGE – MAY 2011
17
Family connections
German
dealership
prospers with
ESCO brand
Willie Cormier, left, and his wife, Linda, formed their business with ESCO as a backbone. Their daughter,
Stephanie Carr, and her husband, Gregg, are partners in LSW and represent the company’s succession plan.
Canadian dealer keeps business in the family
Taking a cue from other successful companies that started in a garage (think
Apple), Willie Cormier decided in 1992
that it was time to start working for himself and formed LSW Wear Parts Ltd. in
the garage of his home in New Brunswick, Canada.
Cormier brought to his business eight
years of experience in the mining industry, which introduced him to ESCO and
its products. He spent another eight years
selling and servicing ESCO products. So
when LSW was formed, Cormier knew
he wanted ESCO as a partner.
“We were an ESCO dealer from the
start,” Cormier said. “ESCO has a reputation for a very high standard of quality
and innovation in its products.”
LSW serves the Canadian Maritime
provinces providing customers with
ESCO’s ground engaging tools, crushing wear parts and industrial castings to
businesses in mining, road construction
and other industries.
The business is truly a family operation, down to its name. The company initials represent Linda Cormier, Cormier’s
wife, Stephanie Carr, his daughter, and
18
18
THEEDGE
EDGE– 
JULY 2010 2011
THE
NOVEMBER
Willie. Along with the family, Cormier
hired three employees the first year. They
grew enough in 1993 to add their first
warehouse in Chipman, New Brunswick.
The company has since added two more
warehouses, one in Fredericton, New
Brunswick and another in Truro, Nova
Scotia, and now employs 12 people.
The company through the years developed a relationship with a welding and
machine shop that allows LSW to build,
rebuild or repair buckets, trench boxes
and other equipment.
“We pride ourselves on our value-added product lines and the reputation we
have earned as a major problem solver
for the mining and road building industries,” Cormier said.
LSW Wear Parts has earned Top
Twenty ESCO Dealer status several
times, and Cormier has participated
on the Dealer Council, various subcommittees and numerous workshops.
He received the Gerry Leake Award
in 2008, presented each year to one
individual who excels at promoting
ESCO products.
In 2008, LSW initiated a succession
plan that allowed Carr and her husband,
Gregg Carr, to assume part ownership of
the company. The couple has worked for
the company for more than eight years.
“My relationship with ESCO has always been very good, and I have made
many friends within the ESCO organization,” Cormier said.
DEALER PROFILE
LSW Wear Parts Ltd.
New Brunswick, Canada
Employees: 12
Owners: Willie Cormier, wife Linda
Cormier, daughter Stephanie Carr,
and Carr’s husband, Gregg Carr.
ESCO dealer for 19 years
“ESCO products
have a very
good reputation
for quality and
reliability in this
market”
CHRISTOF RAMB
MANAGING DIRECTOR (STAUT BRANCH)
DEALER PROFILE
Ramb GmbH
Staudt, Germany
Employees: 43
Owners: Willie Ramb, sons,
Christof Ramb and Willie Ramb Jr.
ESCO dealer for 44 years
RAMB GMBH
Operating almost as long as ESCO, Ramb
GmbH began selling ESCO product in
1967 from its headquarters in Staudt,
Germany, located between the cities of
Cologne and Frankfurt.
The family-owned company serves
quarries,
construction
contractors,
crushers, mines and demolition companies, much like it did when Willy Ramb
Sr. founded the business in 1922
In 1991, following the reunification of
East and West Germany, the firm opened
a second branch in Ottendorf-Okrilla,
not far from Dresden in the eastern part
of the country. Ramb’s sons, Christof
Ramb and Willie Ramb Jr., now operate
the two locations. Christof Ramb is managing director of the Staudt branch, while
Willy Ramb Jr. is the managing director
of the Ottendorf-Okrilla office. The company employs a total of 43 people at the
two locations.
Ramb is one of three Master Dealers for ESCO products in the German
market.
“ESCO products have a very good
reputation for quality and reliability in
this market,” said Christof Ramb. “Our
sales strategy is to sell new buckets with
the Ultralok® or SV2® tooth systems, and
Toplok wear protection. We always try
to convince customers to convert their
buckets to ESCO systems. We also sell to
independent bucket manufacturers.”
The two branches of Ramb GmbH
praised the support they receive from
Mike Passen and Frank Gross, both
of ESCO’s German office in Mönchengladbach.
Marketing the SV2 and Ultralok tooth systems is a key business strategy for the Ramb dealerships in Germany.
THE EDGE – NOVEMBER 2011
19
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
AIMEX 2011
20
20
THEEDGE
EDGE– 
JULY 2010 2011
THE
NOVEMBER
ESCO took advantage of the mining
boom in Australia to highlight several
of its products at the Asia-Pacific International Mining Exhibition 2011 held in
Sydney, Australia.
The SV2® tooth system, truck bodies
and Posilok® Plus were among the ESCO
products that caught the attention of exhibition participants.
“This year’s show gave ESCO a great
opportunity to demonstrate the quality
of our products and the advantages those
products offer to customers,” said Chris
Biehn, ESCO’s regional marketing manager for Asia-Pacific.
Attendance for this year’s AIMEX show
was up 40 percent compared to the previous event held in 2007, according to exhibition organizers.
Left page top to bottom: The ESCO team readies for
another day at the AIMEX show. Chris Biehn talks with
an attendee. AIMEX marked a first in Sydney under the
ESCO banner.
This page top to bottom: Mike Christoffelsz, product
specialist in crushing, talks about wear parts. Rob Lindsell,
sales manager for Western Australia, demonstrated the
ease of the SV2 tooth system.
AIMEX 2011
PRODUCT
HIGHLIGHTS
ESCO TRUCK BODY
®
ESCO SV2
TOOTH SYSTEM
®
ESCO POSILOK PLUS
TOOTH SYSTEM
®
ESCO PROFILL
DRAGLINE BUCKET
THE EDGE – NOVEMBER 2011
21
22
Donavon Glober
Ed Sillman
William E. Smith
Greg Bartel
Gately Brashier
David Cleveland
Jim Whalen
Stephen Fessler
Ronald Foley
Pat Fonner
Dan Gorgas
Martin Hines
45 Years – Edmonton
45 Years – Portland
45 Years – Bucyrus
40 Years – Portland
40 Years – Newton
40 Years – Newton
40 Years – Portland
35 - Portland
35 Years – Newton
35 Years – Portland
35 Years - Newton
35 Years - Newton
A graduate of Port Hope
High School in Ontario,
Donavon worked in an
auto body shop before
joining ESCO. He held
numerous jobs before
being promoted to plant
foreman at Spruce Grove.
He was production manager at ESCO Edmonton
until retiring in March.
His son-in-law, Dennis
Niebergall, is a welding
team leader at ESCO
Edmonton. Donavon and
his wife, Vicky, live in
Spruce Grove, Alberta.
They have two children
and two grandchildren.
His hobbies include golf,
gardening, travel and
spending time with the
grandchildren.
Born in Kansas, Ed
went to high school in
Hillsboro, Oregon. He
served in the military
before joining ESCO in
September 1966. Starting
on the pouring floor at
Plant 3, he became a shell
molder, crane operator
and an AOD and furnace
operator. Today, he is
team leader for the main
plant melting department. After 45 years, he
says he has appreciated
the steady work and liked
his fellow workers. When
not at ESCO, Ed enjoys
motorcycle riding, golf
and fishing. He lives in
Aloha, Oregon.
William “Smit Dog”
Smith was born in Columbus, Ohio and went
to Bucyrus High School.
After four years in the
U.S. Navy, he joined
Bucyrus Blades as a drill
press operator. He has
since worked shears,
shipping, inspection,
and as a team leader.
He currently is a forklift
operator. He appreciates having a “steady job
for 45 years.” His son,
Bill, works in the large
construction area. William lives in Bucyrus and
enjoys fishing in Canada
when on vacation. He has
two sons, Bill and Dan,
two grandchildren, and
one great grandson.
Born in Portland, Oregon, Greg graduated
from Washington High
School. He served in the
U.S. Navy before joining
ESCO in January 1971.
He began in the Doghouse and has worked as
a molder, core maker, and
a leadman on the main
floor for 17 years. He is
currently a core maker.
His hobbies include attending garage and estate
sales and collecting old
toys. He and his wife,
Karen, have one grown
child and two grandchildren.
Born in Laurel, Mississippi, Gately graduated from
high school in Decatur.
He served in the Army
National Guard before
joining ESCO Newton
40 years ago as an office
clerk. He has worked in
payroll, purchasing, traffic, and the core room.
He became general
manager for molding,
maintenance manager,
and manufacturing manager for core, mold. He is
currently a manufacturing manager. Gately and
his wife, Gayle, live in
Lawrence, Mississippi.
They have three children
and four grandchildren.
Sports are his hobby.
Born and raised in Mississippi, Dave graduated from Hickory High
School. He earned an AA
degree at East Central
Community College,
served in the Army National Guard, and worked
in construction before
joining ESCO. He started
as a maintenance clerk
and is currently supervisor of capital projects and
material coordination.
Dave’s nephews, Alan
Sims and Mike Williams,
also work at ESCO. He
and his wife, Cora, live in
Hickory and have three
grown children and four
grandchildren. Dave’s
hobbies include collecting and restoring antique
tractors and farm equipment.
A graduate of Central
Catholic High School in
Portland, Oregon, Jim
earned a BA degree at
Portland State University and an MBA at the
University of Portland.
He joined ESCO 40 years
ago as a clerk in the traffic
department. He worked
in production control and
served as ESCO Covington site manager. Today,
Jim is global logistics
manager. He and his wife,
Mary, live in Vancouver,
Washington. They have
two children and two
grandchildren.
A native of Portland,
Oregon, Stephen graduated from Benson High
School before taking a
job with Columbia Ladder Company. He joined
ESCO in 1976 as a grinder and has since been a
core maker, sand mill
opertor, Hyster driver
and air arc operator. He
is currently a V-process
molder. Stephen’s son-inlaw, Tim Adams, works
in the maintenance department. Stephen lives
in Portland and when
not working likes to fish,
crab and clam. He has
one child and two grandchildren.
Ronald “Red” Foley was
born in Detroit and graduated from high school
in Hickory, Mississippi.
He attended East Central
Community College. He
joined ESCO Newton 35
years ago and has worked
in the core room, molding and melting. Today,
he works the paint line.
His brother, Wayne, also
works at ESCO. He and
his wife, Terry, have two
children, April and Ron,
and two grandchildren,
Asland and Halbell. In
his free time, Red likes to
eat, sleep and “sing about
Jesus.”
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Pat went to Slippery Rock University as
well as the University of
Western Ontario where
he earned an MBA. He
started as a district manager with ESCO in 1976
and has since served as a
sales manager and general manager. Today, Pat
is group vice president.
What he likes best about
ESCO is the “great people
and great products.” He
and his wife, Lynn, live
in Hillsboro, Oregon and
have three grown children. Pat enjoys exercise
and said, “I want to play
more golf.”
Born in Texas, Dan
moved to Mississippi
and attended Biloxi High
School and Cooper High
School. He has also taken
coursework at East Central Community College,
Meridian Community
College, and Mississippi
State. He joined ESCO
Newton as a shakeout operator and has worked in
melting and methods. He
became foreman in heat
treating, ISO coordinator, and now is heat treat
manufacturing manager.
He and his wife, Lisa, live
in Decatur. They have
three children, Reagan,
Red and Ryann. Dan’s
hobbies include golf, fishing, hunting and school
events.
Born in Lexington,
Mississippi, Martin
graduated from Lake
High School. He worked
in construction before
joining ESCO Newton
35 years ago as a flogger. He has since been a
Hyster driver and core
maker. Today, he is an
order clerk. His brother,
Stanley, also works at
ESCO Newton. Martin
and his wife, Kay, live
in Lake, Mississippi.
They have two children,
Blake and Karey, and one
grandchild, Drew. Martin enjoys hunting and
gardening.
Howard Holmberg
McDonald, Oliver
Cobert Phillips
Paul Pope
Jackie Strebeck
Larry Walker
Stanley Hines
Virgie Lindley
Howard Lockey
William Moore
Charles Parnell
Andy Rowzee
40 Years – Portland
40 Years – Newton
40 Years – Newton
40 Years – Portland
40 Years – Newton
40 Years – Newton
35 Years – Newton
35 Years – Newton
35 Years – Newton
35 Years – Newton
35 Years – Newton
35 Years – Newton
Howard was born in
Casper, Wyoming. He
moved to Milwaukie, Oregon and graduated from
Milwaukie High School.
Howard worked in a
carnival, gas station and
Flying Tigers Air Freight
before joining ESCO in
January of 1971. Howard
started as a core room
helper and continues to
work as a core maker in
Portland’s main plant.
Howard’s time away from
ESCO is spent helping
his grandson build a
truck for a school project.
Howard and his wife,
Carol, live in Milwaukie.
They have two daughters,
Angie and Lisa, and three
grandsons, Justen, Alex
and Joshua.
Oliver is a Newton, Mississippi native who graduated from N.H. Pilate
High School. He served
in the U.S. Army before
joining ESCO Newton as
a grinder in 1971. He has
since worked as a flogger,
leadman, inspector, and
repair welder. Today, he
is a core box attendant.
Oliver likes the “friendly
environment” at the
Newton plant. He and
his wife, Eva, have three
grown children and eight
grandchildren. In his
spare time, Oliver does
small machine work and
likes spending time with
the family.
Born in Mississippi,
Cobert went to Decatur
High School. He worked
in a shirt factory, served
in the U.S. Army and
worked on the construction crew that built the
ESCO Newton plant.
He started as a burning
machine operator and
became a boring mill
operator. Today, Cobert
works in methods. He
likes his “great co-workers that have become
lifelong friends.” He and
his wife, Sandra, have
three children, Angie,
Kim and Amy, plus nine
grandchildren.
Paul was born in Hillsboro, Illinois. After
graduating from the University of Illinois, Paul
joined ESCO in 1971 as
a design engineer. Paul
has held numerous titles,
including site manager
at ESCO Port Hope and
main plant site manager
in Portland. Today, Paul
is the general manager
for global inventory and
demand planning. Paul
loves watching people
grow, learn and accept
new challenges. Paul
enjoys outdoor activities
in his free time. He lives
in Happy Valley, Oregon
with his wife, Patricia.
The couple have two children, Sara and Lori, and
one grandchild.
Born and raised in Newton, Mississippi, Jackie
graduated from Hickory
High School. He worked
as a truck driver and
served in the National
Guard before joining
ESCO Newton in 1971.
He began as a welder and
has since been a shipping
clerk, maintenance clerk
and master mechanic.
Today, he is a maintenance planner. He has a
daughter, Jessica Cooley,
and two grandchildren.
Jackie lives in Hickory,
Mississippi and his main
hobby is fishing.
Larry was born in Newton, Mississippi. Before
joining ESCO in March
of 1971, Larry worked at
Electric Motor Service
Co. and at an engineering
business. Larry started
at ESCO as a grinder and
today works as a Herman
machine operator. Larry
and his wife, Charity, live
in Newton. They have
three children, Keisha,
Artara and Allen.
Born and raised in Lake,
Mississippi, Stanley went
to Lake High School.
When he joined ESCO
Newton, his first job was
as a bench grinder. He
became an order clerk
and now works in warehousing and is an order
coordinator. His brother,
Martin, is an order clerk
at ESCO Newton.
Born in Newton, Mississippi, Virgie grew up
in Hickory and graduated from Hickory High
School. She attended East
Central Community College and worked at Cross
Hydraulics in Bay, Mississippi. She joined ESCO
in 1976 as a personnel assistant, and later became
employment and benefits
supervisor. Today, she is
human resources manager. Her brother, Wayne
Harris, and sister-in-law,
Donna Harris, also work
at ESCO Newton. Virgie
enjoys family, fishing
and reading. She and her
husband, Wayne, have
a daughter, Cindy, and
three grandchildren.
Born in New Orleans,
Louisiana, Howard
moved to Mississippi
and attended Meridian
Community College. He
joined ESCO Newton as a
grinder in 1976 and today
is a lab coordinator. He
and his wife, Sue, live in
Union, Mississippi. They
have three daughters,
Stephanie, April and
Suzanne.
Born in Germany,
Charles moved to Mississippi and attended
Meridian High School.
He worked in construction before joining ESCO
in 1976 as a flogger. He
has worked in shakeout
and the core, molding
and pattern departments.
Today, he is a methods
technician. He ejoys
working with people and
solving problems. He
and his wife, Gail, live
in Chunky, Mississippi.
They have three children,
Michael, Brandy and
Ashley, and eight grandchildren.
Born in Georgia, Andy
went to Beulah Hubbard
High School, then East
Central and Meridian
Community Colleges. He
started at ESCO Newton as a molding utility worker and has held
numerous positions at
the site. Today, Andy
is general manager of
foundry operations for
the Newton, Port Hope,
Guisborough and Santiago, Chile plants. He
and his wife, Julie, live
in Hickory, Mississippi.
They have two children,
Steve and Makenzie.
Andy’s hobbies include
golf, hunting, fishing and
watching his daughter
play tennis, participate
as a cheerleader, and perform in show choir.
CELEBRATING 20+ YEARS WITH ESCO
Born in Lexington,
Mississippi, William
graduated from Beulah
Hubbard High School.
He worked for the Mississippi State Highway
Department before
joining ESCO Newton
in 1976. He began as a
flogger and now serves
as a leadman in the core
department. He lives in
Little Rock, Mississippi
and has two children,
Crystal and Brandy.
CELEBRATING 20+ YEARS WITH ESCO
23
24
David Rush
Carl Smith
Frankie Ulmer
Dee Dee Weber
Larry Wilson
Brian Brinklow
Tim Mayfield
Arthur McElroy
Shane Mikus
Debra Miller
Percy Pearson
Lisa Blything
35 Years – Newton
35 Years – Newton
35 Years – Newton
35 Years – Portland
35 Years – Newton
30 Years – Port Hope
30 Years – Portland
30 Years – Port Hope
30 Years – Port Hope
30 Years – Syracuse
30 Years – Newton
25 Years – Cleveland
Born and raised near
Newton, Mississippi,
Dave graduated from
Beulah Hubbard High
School. He worked for
U.S. Motors before joining ESCO Newton as a
flogger in 1976. He has
since worked in molding, core making, and
melting. Today, he is a
refractory person. He and
his wife, Erma, live in
Union, Mississippi. They
have two sons, Davey and
John, plus a granddaughter, Abigail. Dave enjoys
hunting and fishing in
his free time.
Born and raised in
Newton County, Mississippi, Carl worked as a
bricklayer before joining
ESCO Newton in 1976.
He started as a core utility, became a core maker,
and now is leadman in
the core department.
Several of Carl’s family
members also work at
ESCO; Leonard Smith,
Johnny Kid and Larry
Wilson.
Born in Portland, Oregon, Dee Dee graduated
from St. Mary’s Academy
and attended Oregon
State University. She
joined ESCO as a file
clerk and has worked in
numerous departments,
including safety, human
resources, and paint and
packaging. Today, she is
team leader for customer
service for the OEM/
bucket manufacturer
team. Dee Dee’s grandfather, Francis, father,
Tom, uncle, Bill, and
cousins, Joe and Jeff, have
worked or currently work
at ESCO. Dee Dee has a
daughter, Heather. Dee
Dee enjoys playing cards,
walking, and doing volunteer work.
Born and raised in Newton County, Mississippi,
Larry graduated from
Decatur High School.
He joined ESCO Newton
35 years ago as a grinder
and now is a core maker.
His brother, Carl Lee
Wilson, also works at
ESCO Newton. Larry
lives in Decatur where
he has enjoyed farming
and has been a long-time
Deacon and Superintendent at his church, Union
Grove MB.
A native of Peterborough,
Ontario, Brian graduated
from Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational
School. He attended the
University of Toronto
before joining ESCO Port
Hope as a grinder. He has
worked in heat makeup, pouring, layout, and
fabrication engineering.
Today, he is a network
support specialist. He
and his partner, Louise,
live in Toronto. They
have one child, Angela.
Brian’s hobbies include
canoeing, kayaking, skiing, boat building, photography and reading.
Born in California, Tim
went to high school in
Newberg, Oregon. He
earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering at
Portland State. He joined
ESCO 30 years ago as a
draftsman. He has since
been an engineer with
the EP division, CAD &
UNIX systems manager,
and IT manager for the
TT Group. Today, Tim is
global IT client services
manager. He and his
wife, Marilyn, have two
children, Georgia and
Alaina, a former ESCO
scholarship recipient.
Tim enjoys camping,
hiking, rafting, running
and woodworking.
Arthur is a Port Hope,
Ontario native and
graduate of Port Hope
High School. He worked
in farming and as a truck
driver before joining
ESCO Port Hope in 1981.
Starting as a flogger, he
has been a core maker,
molder, core team leader,
and process technician.
Today, he is a manufacturing engineering technician. Arthur likes the
variety of work at ESCO
and the people. He and
his wife, Cheryl, live in
Port Hope. They have two
children, Lorne and Justine. Arthur’s pastimes
include reading, woodworking and cycling.
Born in Cobourg, Ontario, Shane attended CDCI
East. He joined ESCO
Port Hope 30 years ago
as a grinder. He has
since worked as a flogger, pourer, core maker,
heat make-up person
and an assistant team
leader. Today, he is an
arc furnace operator. He
and his partner, Deb, live
in Cobourg. They have
one daughter and two
grandchildren. Shane
enjoys fishing, hunting,
and playing Texas Hold
‘em poker.
Born in Canton, New
York, Debra attended
Hermon DeKalb High
School. She joined ESCO
Syracuse in 1981, starting as an assembler. She
has since been a flex line
leader, framer, wax x-ray,
multi-vane leader and a
trainer. Today, she is a
wax clerk. She appreciates the opportunity
to learn different jobs
within ESCO Syracuse.
Her husband, David, also
works at ESCO Syracuse.
They live in Canastota,
New York. They have two
daughters, Tabatha and
Tarrah, and four grandchildren. Debra enjoys
remodeling and having
cookouts with family and
friends.
Born in Jackson, Mississippi, Percy graduated
from Louisville High
School in Louisville, Mississippi. He attended East
Central Community College and Mississippi State
University and worked
in industrial sales before
joining ESCO Newton
in 1981. He has been a
stand grinder, buyer, hoe
bucket planner and now
is a procurement specialist. “The friendships
attained over the last 30
years will be remembered
for a lifetime,” he said. He
and his wife, Joyce, live in
Decatur, Mississippi and
have three sons. Percy enjoys golf, hunting, walking and following MSU
athletics.
A native of Ohio, Lisa
graduated from South
High School in Willoughby, Ohio. She joined
ESCO Cleveland in 1986,
starting as a receptionist. She worked briefly in
shipping, X-ray, and the
core department before
joining engineering.
Today, she is an engineering administrator.
Her husband, Bill, and
stepdaughters, Jennifer
and Jessica, also work at
ESCO Cleveland. “I enjoy
my job and having family
members around makes
it even more enjoyable,”
she said. In her free time,
Lisa enjoys movies and
watching Cleveland’s
sport teams. She and Bill
live in Mentor, Ohio.
Frankie was born in
Meridian, Mississippi.
He graduated from high
school and worked as a
carpenter before joining ESCO in April of
1976. Frankie started
as a grinder and has
worked as a painter and
in the shipping and core
departments. Today, he
works in maintenance.
Frankie’s favorite thing
about his job is working
in different areas of the
plant. He enjoys fishing
and hunting in his free
time. Frankie and his
wife, Billie Anne, live in
Rose Hill, Mississippi.
They have two children,
Jason and Brandy.
Doug Brown
Dick Dale
John Hicks
Art Hillsbery
Karen Huey
Ray Lingard
Tom Bonaventura
Jim Daiello
John Dunn
Steve Ghormley
Yvonne Grygiel
Scott Harvey
30 Years – Bucyrus
30 Years – Bucyrus
30 Years – Bucyrus
30 Years – Portland
30 Years – Newton
30 Years – Port Hope
25 Years – Syracuse
25 Years – Cleveland
25 Years – Syracuse
25 Years – Portland
25 Years – Syracuse
25 Years – Bucyrus
Born in Bucyrus, Ohio,
Doug graduated from
Colonel Crawford High
School. He started with
the company 30 years ago
as a slot mill operator. He
has since been a straightener and worked the salt
bath. Today, he works in
shipping and painting.
He and his wife, Kim,
live in North Robinson,
Ohio. They have two
children, Steve and Jenny,
and seven grandchildren.
In his free time, Doug
enjoys playing golf and
watching his grandchildren play sports.
Born in Pennsylvania,
Dick went to Commodore Perry High School.
He earned a BS in business from Cameron
University and served in
the U.S. Army. He started
as an assistant product
supervisor at ESCO and
has held a variety of shop
floor assignments. Today,
he is Bucyrus site manager. Dick is honored to
work with talented people who solve safety and
production problems. He
and his wife, Debra, live
in Mansfield, Ohio, and
have two children. He enjoys gardening and working with stained glass in
his free time.
A native of Baltimore,
Maryland, John went to
Overlea High School. He
worked for Pacal Blades,
served in the U.S. Army
and retired from the
Army National Guard.
He joined the company
30 years ago as a multiple
drill operator. Today, he
is a mill operator. John
appreciates the people
he works with and the
job security that ESCO
offers. He and his wife,
Denise, live in Bucyrus,
Ohio. Away from work,
he enjoys searching
for treasure with his
metal detector and target
shooting.
Born in Ilwaco, Washington, Art moved to
Portland, Oregon where
he went to Franklin High
School. He worked at
the Paramount Theater
before joining ESCO as
a ladleman in the melting department. He has
since worked in the scrap
yard, heat make-up at
Plant 3, and heat treating
in both lower and upper
finishing. Today, Art
handles raw materials
receiving in the Portland
distribution center. He
enjoys the people he was
worked with during the
last 30 years. His mother,
Yvonne, and niece, Cedar
Whiteman, have worked
at ESCO. Art enjoys music, travel and cooking.
Born and raised in
Union, Mississippi,
Karen graduated from
Decatur High School
and earned a degree at
East Central Community
College. She joined ESCO
Newton in the human
resources department
before moving to production control. Karen now
works in continuous
improvement. She likes
“the constant challenges,
personal growth opportunities and people I’ve
met over the years.” Her
husband, James, works
in Newton’s methods department. The Hueys live
in Little Rock, Mississippi, where Karen enjoys
outdoor activities like
trail riding and cycling.
A native of Port Hope,
Ontario, Ray graduated
from North Hastings
High School in Bancroft,
Ontario. He joined ESCO
Port Hope in 1981 as a
grinder. He later served
as a molder, core maker
and temporary team
leader. Today, he is a
core/mold service person.
He and his wife, Karen,
have two children, Leslie
and Jason, and live in
Cobourg. Ray’s favorite
hobby is coin collecting.
Born in Canastota, New
York, Tom graduated
from Canastota High
School. He attended
Morrisville and LeMoyne
Colleges and served in
the U.S. Navy. He joined
ESCO Syracuse in 1986
as a SPC coordinator.
He became the wax and
shelling manager and a
process engineer. Today,
he is manufacturing
manager. His son, Jason,
also works at ESCO Syracuse in the engineering
group. Tom and his wife,
Deborah, live in Canastota, New York. They
have two sons, Jason and
Jeremy, and one grandson, Jackson.
Born in Painesville,
Ohio, Jim went to Riverside High School. He
worked as a cook before
joining ESCO Cleveland
25 years ago, beginning
in the shell room. Today,
he is a furnace operator.
Jim and his wife, Mary,
have one child and live in
Willoughby, Ohio. Jim’s
favorite pastimes include
watching baseball, football and basketball.
Born in Oneida, New
York, John graduated from Oneida High
School. He served in
the U.S. Marine Corps
before joining ESCO
Syracuse 25 years ago as
a chop saw operator. He
became a sandblast operator and now is an ultrasound technician. He
and his wife, Dena, live
in Oneida. They have two
children, Tim and Jennifer, and one grandchild.
John’s favorite pastime is
fishing.
A native of Portland,
Oregon Steve graduated
from Central Catholic
High School and the
University of Portland.
Steve worked at Criticare Medical Services
before joining ESCO as a
customer service representative. Steve has held
numerous management
positions. He currently
is director of customer
service North American
sales. He likes the variety
of work and relationships
he’s developed at ESCO.
Steve and his wife, Lisa,
live in Vancouver, Washington and have four
children, Celia, Claire,
Sean and Connor. Steve
enjoys soccer, golf, travel
and home projects.
Born in Utica, New York,
Yvonne went to Westmoreland High School.
She managed a store in
Bouckville before joining
ESCO Syracuse in 1986.
Beginning in wax assembly, she has worked in
wax injection, inspection,
X-ray, FPI processing,
part marking, product
quality auditing and
DQR. Today, she is a
team leader. She likes
the opportunities for
growth that ESCO offers.
She has two daughters,
Heather and Amanda,
and a grandchild, Gage.
Yvonne lives in Verona
Beach, New York and
enjoys fishing, reading
and taking care of her
rescued cats.
Born in Port Clinton,
Ohio, Scott went to Oak
Harbor High School then
studied accounting at
Terra Technical College.
He worked for Swan Rubber Co. before joining
Bucyrus Blades 25 years
ago. Beginning in the
accounting department,
he is now a procurement specialist. He and
his wife, Yvonne, live in
Bucyrus. They have two
sons in college, Nicholas
and Nathan. Scott says
he enjoys doing yard
work and spending time
at their summer cottage
outside of Port Clinton.
CELEBRATING 20+ YEARS WITH ESCO
CELEBRATING 20+ YEARS WITH ESCO
25
Jeff Krause
Albert LaFrance
Charles Little
Barb Monica
John O’Neill
Juan Parra
Victor Legorreta
Walter Michalski
25 Years – Cleveland
25 Years – Syracuse
25 Years – Newton
25 Years – Syracuse
25 Years – Syracuse
25 Years – Betim
20 Years – Atlacomulco
20 Years – Cleveland
Born in Euclid, Ohio, Jeff
graduated from Eastlake
High School. He joined
ESCO Cleveland 25 years
ago as a sand blaster.
Over the years, he has
worked in knock-out,
marking and finishing,
and now is again a sand
blaster. He likes “being
with friends” at work.
Away from the job, Jeff
enjoys watching movies
and sports, playing board
games and cards, and going to area parks.
Born in Syracuse, New
York, Al graduated from
Fabius-Pompey High
School. He served four
years in the U.S. Marine
Corps before joining
ESCO Syracuse 25 years
ago as a chop saw operator. He became a utility
operator, team leader,
and manager of the cut,
clean and grind operations. Today, Al is metal
end manager. He likes
that fact that at ESCO,
“improvements are
driven from the bottom
up, not the top down.” He
lives in Lakeport, New
York and has a daughter,
Amanda. Al enjoys hunting, fishing and camping.
Born in New York,
Charles moved to Mississippi where he graduated from Newton High
School. He served four
years in the U.S. Army
and four more in the
Army Reserve, and attended Temple University. He joined ESCO Newton in 1986 as a pourer.
He has been a flogger
and core maker, and currently is a crane operator. His cousins, Bryant
Everett, Scott Everett and
Billy Walker, also work
at ESCO. Charles says
he likes working with
people and “the benefits
are pretty good, too.” He
lives in Newton and has
three sons, John, Justin
and Jeremy.
A native of New York,
Barb went to Oneida
High School. She did office work before joining
ESCO Syracuse 25 years
ago. She started in the
wax process and now is a
FPT Level II. She and her
husband, William, live in
Chittenango, New York,
not far from the Syracuse
plant. They have two
children and five grandchildren.
An Oregon native, John
graduated from Portland’s Central Catholic
High School and attended Carroll College in
Montana before joining
ESCO as a management
accountant. He’s been
general manager of
operation for the steel
distribution group and
managing director of
EP ESCO Europe. He is
currently TT group vice
president for administration in Syracuse. He and
his wife, Gael, have three
children, Katherine,
Kevin, and Anna. The
O’Neills live in Manlius,
New York. John enjoys
hiking, camping and
playing ice hockey.
Born in Mexico, Juan
studied mine engineering
at the Guanajuato School
of Mines. He worked as
a miner before joining
ESCO as an inside sales
person for the Caribbean,
Central America and
Mexico. He became a district manager for South
America. Today, Juan is
general sales manager for
Latin America. His son,
Juan S. Parra-Chico, is an
ESCO customer service
representative. Juan and
his wife, Karina, live in
Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
He has five children,
Fernanda, Juan, Gabriela,
Daniel and Isabella. Juan
enjoys running and outdoor activities.
Victor was born and
raised in La Jordana El
Oro, Mexico. He joined
what was then Bucyrus
Blades’ Atlacomulco operation in 1991. Starting
on a beveling machine,
he now specializes in cutting end bits. Victor likes
the “liberal environment” at ESCO Atlacomulco. His relative, Rafael, also works for ESCO.
He and his wife, Maria
Matilde Gonzalez, live in
La Jordana El Oro. Away
from work, Victor enjoys
music and traveling.
A native of Willoughby,
Ohio, Walter graduated from Mentor High
School before coming to
ESCO in the X-ray department. He currently
works in post cast. Walter lives in Eastlake, Ohio
with his wife, Diane, and
two children, Tim and
Megan.
26
Vincent Payne
Michael Williams
Rodger Allen
Carl Bratt
Kwai Ling Choy
Ruth Jennings
25 Years – Newton
20 Years – Portland
20 Years – Syracuse
20 Years – Singapore
20 Years – Syracuse
A lifelong resident of
Newton, Mississippi,
Vincent joined ESCO 25
years ago as a flogger. Today, he is a Herman machine close-up person.
Born in Meridian, Mississippi, Michael graduated from high school in
Hickory, Mississippi. He
worked as a carpenter
before joining ESCO
Newton 25 years ago as
a flogger. He held jobs
in shakeout, core setting
and sand mulling. Today,
Michael is an order clerk.
He and his wife, Paula,
live in Hickory. They
have two sons, Brandon
and Bryant.
Rodger worked in logging and as a painter
before joining ESCO
Portland in 1991 as a
stand grinder. He became
an air arc operator and
currently is a welder. He
was born in Fort Bragg,
California, and attended
Ukiah High School. He
and his wife, Karen, live
in Portland. They have
three grown children,
Rodger Jr., Jennifer and
Jack, plus five grandchildren. Rodger enjoys
hunting, fishing and
watching NASCAR races.
A native of Syracuse,
New York, Carl graduated from Westhill High
School and went on
to earn a BS in metallurgy from Penn State
University. He started as
a QA manager at Steel
Treaters 20 years ago,
then was promoted to
general manager. He
became foundry manager
of ESCO Syracuse before
taking his current position as QA manager. He
has a son, Christopher,
daughter, Caitlin, daughter-in-law, Kelly, and one
grandchild, Layla. Carl
lives in Baldwinsville,
New York and enjoys
playing hockey and golf.
A native of Singapore,
China, Kwai Ling went
to Anderson School. She
joined ESCO 20 years
ago, beginning in inside
sales. She continues to
work in inside sales today. Kwai Ling enjoys the
people she works with at
ESCO. She enjoys reading and walking in the
Singapore parks in her
free time.
Born in Syracuse, New
York, Ruth went to high
school in Chittenango.
She started with ESCO
Syracuse 20 years ago in
wax assembly. Today, she
is an x-ray operator. Ruth
has four children and two
grandchildren. She lives
in Lakeport, New York.
Her favorite pastime is
camping in her van.
CELEBRATING 20+ YEARS WITH ESCO
and Dig
ESCOites NOT PICTURED
20 YEARS WITH ESCO
25 Years – Newton
Click
John Brown
Portland
Vaclav Busek
Port Coquitlam
Robert Herrmann
Cleveland
Tonya Jordan
Syracuse
Donald McCue
Portland
Denis Penese
Dunedin
David Pratt
Syracuse
Randy Smith
Syracuse
Henry Voth
Steinbach
25 YEARS WITH ESCO
Arthur Hallman
Syracuse
James Jennison
Syracuse
35 YEARS WITH ESCO
Garry Loucks
Syracuse
45 YEARS WITH ESCO
Richard Jensen
Portland
ESCO ULTRALOK
®
The ESCO Ultralok® Tooth System is a
revolutionary two piece hammerless system.
Safety is increased, inventory is reduced and
field replacement is simplified.
Integral locking system
Hammerless for increased safety
Reliable ESCO performance
27
ESCO CORPORATION
PRESORTED STANDARD
2141 NW 25th Avenue
US POSTAGE
Portland, Oregon 97210-2578
PAID
Portland, Oregon
United States of America
Permit No. 382
ESCO PROFILL
®
From the world’s #1
designer and supplier of coal
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• Reduced Cycle Time
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• Improved Safety
The ESCO ProFill dragline bucket is specifically
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by filling faster with minimal drag energy
and improved payload.
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