Two PA drilling equipment companies, Schramm Inc. of West Chester and Center Rock Inc. of Berlin, were successful on the global stage as their equipment helped rescue the Chilean miners last week, reports the Wall Street Journal.
"We just happened to have the right rig in the right place at the right time," said Frank Gabriel, vice president of sales for Schramm. He said it was too early to say how the event might affect the company's sales but added: "Certainly, the phones have been ringing because of this."
Both companies stressed the humanitarian aspect of the work. However, Brandon Fisher, founder and president of Center Rock, agreed that the publicity could help sales. He called the use of Center Rock's bit "an opportunity of a lifetime," adding, "You're either a hero or zero at the end." Mr. Fisher, whose company also helped rescue coal miners trapped 240 feet below ground for three days in 2002 at the Quecreek mine in southwestern Pennsylvania, said he has urged federal and state regulators to help him assemble a team of drilling experts and equipment to be ready for rescues. "They all loved the concept but no one would step up and fund it," he said. Now Mr. Fisher plans to resume that effort. "We can maybe use this momentum to our advantage and get something rolling here," he said.
Original source: Wall Street JournalRead the full story here.