Way Back When Article, Dredging and Port Construction Magazine, July 2011, International Market Beckons

  

International Market Beckons

Courtesy of Dredging And Port Construction Magazine, July 2011

Oklahoma-Based Dredger Manufacturer VMI Has Sold Seven Vessels To Overseas Buyers In The Past Year

Two of VMI's MD-815 dredgers were bought by Maxitool, an engineering and mining services company from Cairns, Queensland. The rugged machine features a full-width flow-through horizontal cutterhead and a recessed impeller pump for pumping - a closed vane impeller pump for pumping to higher elevations and longer distances is an option.

Maxitool uses its VMI dredgers to dewater tailing dams.  They're also used to perform maintenance work for process ponds, waterways and marine channels all around Australia.

Way Back When Article, Cushing Daily Citizen, May 1999, Dredging Operation Completed At Cushing High School Pond

 

Dredging Operation Completed At Cushing High School Pond

Courtesy of The Cushing  Daily Citizen By Don Diehl, Reporter, May 1999

Mission Accomplished

The dredging operation at the Cushing High School Pond is complete and the "mission accomplished" said one of the individuals watching as the huge dredging equipment was loaded on a truck and taken back to the company who donated it for the project.  What was the mission?  To restore the pond to its original depth which will improve the fish habitat and clearity, and simply to beautify the body of water near the new Cushing High School field house.

The eight-week project came in under cost - way under cost. In fact it is the generosity of a local manufacturer that made the project possible at all. The dredging machine is one of several owned and manufactured by VMI.

Gene Maitlen, who founded the company here several years ago, was on hand to see the machine loaded. Seeing dredges loaded on trucks is common place for him. The company he now operates with his sons, has shipped their equipment all over the world. This one was being shipped just across Highway 33.  

Several of these smaller machines are leased by the day or month for between $1000 to $2000 per day. The Maitlens made this one available at no cost to their community. "This was the key in getting this done," said Dale Cotham who helped pull it all together. In turn, the school provided the operator and Lionel Harris of Harris Oil provided the fuel.

Daily Citizen Photo by Don Diehl

Jim Shields of Cushing High School, Gene Maitlen of VMI in Cushing, and dredge operator Kenneth Ward watch as a crew from Payne County load the dredge on a truck to be hauled back to VMI.  The company donated the use of the machine so that the lake at the high school could be leaned and more than two feet of silt removed.

"This is one of the real benefits of living in a small town," said Cotham. "People will step up to the plate to get something done." The pond is now at its original depth of 15 foot in the deepest part and an average of seven foot, overall.

The Bank of Cushing also will help see the lake is restocked with game fish. Jim Shields said the Cushing Vo-Ag class plans to make restocking a project. "None of this could have happened without the help of others."

Operator Kenneth Ward waved goodbye to the machine. The dredging, which made statewide news when he turned up a purse that had been missing for 30 years, had been an adventure for him. He also found old tires, hubcaps, fishing poles and lures and even a Texas license plate. "I also found some grass carp teeth," Ward said. "At least that's what people tell me they are," he said. "Pretty weird." Some of the carp along with game fish were victims of last summer's drought.

An agreement made with the City of Cushing years ago when the city gave McLaury's Pond and surrounding property to the school calls for the school to maintain the body of water for use of the public. Ward was trained to operate the dredge by Randy Maitlen. The job took about eight weeks.

https://vmidredges.com/dredginglake.html

Way Back When, Sunday, January 23, 1994, Cushing Daily Citizen: Everything Looks Real Good At VMI Operation

 Everything Looks Real Good At VMI Operation

By Terry Hoggatt, Managing Editor
Cushing Daily Citizen
Sunday, January 23, 1994

Gene Maitlen, who heads the operation of VMI here, says in a few months he's going to "walk up to Bill Cubbage and say, "I've fulfilled my contract."

When VMI worked with the Cushing Chamber of Commerce and other entities here prior to making the decision to locate in Cushing, one of the stipulations in the "package" Maitlen agreed to is that the industry would stay a minimum of five years.

"We're getting close to that fifth year," Maitlen said.  "One of the persons we were working with was Bill Cubbage.  I'm going to tell him to give me a piece of paper that says 'Paid in Full.'  I think that stipulation is a good idea, by the way.  I think it's a good idea to make sure you get something back."

The company's best year was 1990.  "Then the economy turned sour," Maitlen said.  He added, "Now things are turning around.  I'm sure this year will be our best ever.  In fact, I'm sure of it.  Everything looks real good."

VMI primarily manufactures environmental-related equipment.  Dredges are turned out in the factory in the northeast industrial park (near the Fleetwood building).  The company also utilizes a "Sludgifier" that is gaining plenty of customers.  the equipment is particularly effective for heavily-polluted streams, even if hazardous material is involved.

"What you do," Maitlen says, "is put the apparatus on an excavator boom and mount an engine to power it.  You can reach into the area and literally encase the waste.  By the time you get clear around it, it sets up like concrete.

"After you enclose the area, you can plant flowers on it."

The Cushing facility, Maitlen says, is "busy all year"  We've held our own and now we're looking at hiring more personnel."  VMI employs 12 persons at this time, but Maitlen said, "Last year we were building for stock.  Now we're getting orders for more projects."

A VMI MINI-DREDGE on the grounds outside the massive building in Cushing's northeast industrial park on Maitlen Drive

Annual payroll at VMI, including commissions, is approximately $200,000.  All of VMI's products are constructed here ("unless," Maitlen said, "we use an existing piece of equipment and customize it to a certain need") in the machine shop in the huge building.  A parts department allows VMI to ship parts overnight to customers anywhere in the U.S.  "It takes a little linger to get parts to a foreign country," Maitlen said.

Some of the requests for VMI machinery are from far away places such as Manila, Thailand ("We had to build a special machine for that," Maitlen said) and Saudi Arabia.  "We've also done business in Indonesia," said Maitlen. "The Pacific Rim is getting serious about cleaning up the environment.  We've also dealt with places in South America."

The Manila request involves a river that, a letter from officials there says, "is nearly dewatered."

"The river is full of sand, mud, pebbles and garbage, " Maitlen siad.  "We've been sending information back and forth.  It will probably be quite a project."

One piece of equipment that was manufactured at the VMI facility is headed to a Chicago contractor.  Maitlen said the firm is the largest of its kind in the world.  "We furnish nearly all their dredging equipment," he said.  "They buy and lease from us.  We have another order that's headed for a big job in Mississippi."

When VMI ships a piece of equipment, a technician goes along to train customers how to operate and maintain the machinery.  That technician is sometimes a special person.

"When we go anywhere in the free world, we send on tehnician," Maitlen said.  "When we go somewhere someone is apt to shoot you, we send another guy.  He's a former Green Beret and he handles those countries.  Sometimes he's gotten off an airplane and seen guns pointed at him.  He likes that."

Maitlen is proud of all his employees and he has a favorite statement:  "When someone wants something, we will build it.  We've go the best personnel, bar none, right here in Cushing."

One customer needed a special, two person cab on a certain piece of equipment.  "Steve Cantrall (a VMI employee) studied the request, made a design, and we built it," said Maitlen.

A VMI customer wanted a special two person cab for a piece of equipment.  Steve Cantrell "studied the request, designed it and we built it," said VMI head man Gene Maitlen, who proudly adds, "If someone wants something, we will build it."

VMI is home to the "nation's largest and oldest mini-dredge company.  It's still owned by its original owners," the personable Maitlen says with pride.

The building is also "home" to the largest rental-fleet of dredges in the United States.  Mini-Dredge Leasing, Inc. is owned and operated by Gene's sons, Randy and Tony.

"We have a lot of customers who have a short term need for our equipment," Maitlen said.  "Maybe just 60 days or so.  So, Randy and Tondy formed Mini-Dredge Leasing and their business is doing well.  They have their offices right here in the building." He smiled and added, "We sell dredges to them.  They're good customers."

"And," Maitlen continued, "Randy and Tony are good workers.  They get just as dirty and greasy as anyone."

Maitlen, who advertises his company in a world-wide publication and other trade magazines ("we've got letters and faxes from all over the world," he said), started in the equipment business in Cushing in 1949 in building located on East Main (current location Williams Monument).  "I've got over 34 years experience in that type of work," he said.

Gene Maitlen, head of the VMI world-wide operation

He left Cushing and for a time was in a location near Oklahoma City.

Why choose Cushing?

"Because of the Cushing Chamber of Commerce and Industry," he said.

"Where I come from, the chamber there didn't even know we existed.  They never visited.  There was a vo-tech school nearby and it wasn't even interested in us.

"The Cushing Chamber bent over backwards to help us and to welcome us.  Central Vo-Tech (in Drumright) has been very helpful.  Our chamber continues to keep in touch with us.

"And, of course, I always wanted to come back to Cushing and live at the old home place (Northeast of Cushing).  Randy married a Cushing girl and everything pointed to Cushing.

"My wife and I live on the home place now and we're very happy.  It was the wisest decision I've very made."

VMI at this time has "plenty" of room to fulfill current orders.  But, Maitlen Said, "We built this facility so we can expand.  We could easily wind up triple the size we are now.  And I think we will in the future.

A dredge begins taking shape inside the VMI machine shop.  The building also houses offices, a break room, conference room, and a parts department that allows the company to shop parts anywhere in the world.

"I have very high hopes."

Industry Spotlight is a monthly venture involving the Daily Citizen and the Cushing Chamber of Commerce Existing Industries Committee.

Way Back When Article, Sunday, January 6, 1991, Cushing Daily Citizen: The First Dredge Built By VMI 'Nearly Sank': But Look At Firm Now!

   

 The First Dredge Built By VMI 'Nearly Sank': But Look At Firm Now!

By Terry Hoggatt
Cushing Daily Citizen
Sunday, January 6, 1991

Gene Maitlen says the first dredge he very built 'nearly sank.' He went back to the drawing board.  Six years later (in 1978) he finally sold a dredge.  He's been selling them ever since. 

Maitlen, president of VMI (Vaugh-Maitlen Industries), moved the dredge manufacturing company from Oklahoma City to Bethany; and then to Cushing a few years later.  In 1989, VMI moved into its new facility in the northeast industrial park.

If that location doesn't sound familiar, VMI is located on the former Fleetwood Drive.  Only now it's Maitlen Drive.  The street was recently renamed by the Cushing City Commission, mainly because Maitlen and his company have become such dedicated members of the community.  VMI provides jobs, economic stability and an extremely positive image for Cushing.

The dredges are used, for the most part, in waste removal involving pollution problems in various environmentally-impacted areas.

The affable Maitlen leaned back in his office a couple of days ago and beamed with pride as he discussed his company (named for Vice-President Bob Vaughn and Maitlen) and what he views for the future.

A few days ago, VMI shipped out a "Piranha" model dredge, the largest piece of equipment ever manufactured by the Cushing Company. "It's the biggest one we ever made," said Maitlen.  " A fellow called and wanted a dredge of a certain style.  We designed a framework for an excavator, mounted a diesel engine and made some other refinements for a complete package, and came up with quite a machine.

Nelda Wilson Photo

THE "PIRANHA," the largest dredge ever manufactured at the Cushing VMI facility, was recently shipped to a customer.  The company turns our several dredges a year and has long-range goals of constructing more as VMI grows.

"We're building a second one for a company that is one of the biggest waste removal contractors in the world."

The Piranha is an excavator mounted dredging unit designed to pump 50 percent solids by dry weight in some materials.

The bucket from an appropriately sized excavator is removed and replaced with a cutterhead-pumping unite.  There are a lot more technical details that would boggle the mind of the average layman.  But suffice it to say that the huge machine gets the job done.

It was first tested at a lime pit in Decatur, Ill., where lime sludge was pumped to tanker trucks.  The lime was then transported to nearby croplands and spread over the soil. 

It helped Decatur remove lime sludge and allowed farmers to correct PH factor in their fields.

A Decatur executive said the Piranha "outperformed previous methods used to clean out the lagoons.  The operator was able to see what was happening all the time."

Some possible applications for the Piranha include cleaning storage tanks, working in confined areas, pumping heavy solids, petroleum industry needs and removal of hazardous materials.

In the early 70s, Maitlen was "in the machinery business."  A customer asked him to build a dredge.  "I asked, 'what's a dredge?'" Maitlen laughs.  "The customer came up with some materials and told us what he wanted.  We rented a Quonset hut and we built it.  Then it nearly sank.  We lost the sale."

Maitlen said, "I'm hard-headed, so we built another dredge.  It wasn't any better.  Finally, in 1978 we sold a dredge.  It was the third one we built."

He tells the story about how his dredge was delivered to an area where "the water was so bad the birds wouldn't even land.  The company set up the machine it bought from us.  Three days later the birds were landing."

Gene Maitlen, a native of this area who graduated from the now closed Norfolk High School between Cushing and Yale, is proud of his company and the people who work there.

"It's hard to find people who can build these machines," he said.  "It's easier to have a few good employees and pay them overtime than to try to get temporary help and have someone tell them each step to take in the process we use here.  I'd rather work my employees longer and know that I have a good product going out to a customer.  I prefer that over temporary help."

He's a family-oriented man (his wife and sons are officers in the company) and he's aware of his employees' families and their needs.  His wife, Peggy, is secretary-treasurer of the company; son Randy is a vice-president in charge of purchasing and drafting and is parts manager; Gene's other son, Tony, is a vice-president and sales manager.

"Just this last Christmas my wife cooked up a lot of stuff and got the names of all the employees' children.  We had a company party, each child got a present and I gave the employees a little Christmas bonus.  I enjoy doing that."

He said that when he toyed with the idea of moving his company to Cushing his biggest concern was obtaining supplies.  "But the positives far outweighed the negatives," he said.  "Some of our employees can pick up some things in Oklahoma City.  Plus we're close to Tulsa and Oklahoma City, so that's not really a problem."

Maitlen said he likes this location, "there are good people here who ware good workers, and I like the attitude of everyone and the way we've been accepted.  But what I think I like best of all is being able to provide a job for people who need work and to be able to pay them.  I enjoy the smile on their faces on payday and I realize they're able to tgo buy groceries."

The personable Maitlen smiled and added, "Plus, it's home.  I grew up not many miles from this building.  I wish we'd moved back here years ago."

Nelda Wilson Photo

NAME-CHANGE - VMI President Gene Maitlen (second from right) and Mayor Marilyn Duff hold the sign that says "Maitlen Drive," which replaces the former Fleetwood Drive at the northeast Industrial tract.  At left is Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Tony Kaal; at right is Industrial Committee Chairman Brownie Hayes.

Speaking of the building, there are actually two of them on the 5 1/2 acre tract along Maitlen Drive.  The main building is nearly 15,000 square feet of shop and office space, while the paint shop is 1,500 square feet.

Nelda Wilson Photo

A FAMILY AFFAIR - VMI President Gene Maitlen (left), son Randy, daughter-in-law Mary and granddaughter Leslie pose with the Maitlen Drive sign that was recently erected.  The street name replaces the former Fleetwood Drive.

VMI has turned out 12 dredges in Cushing, has another "in rental," plus a Piranha with a second of those models in production. It takes from one to three months to build a dredge, but "in an emergency, we can turn one out in three weeks," Maitlen said.

The company gets a lot of help from nearby Central Vo-Tech.  "They provide safety classes," said Maitlen, "and the school trains some very good people.  After they leave Central Tech and begin training with us, it doesn't take us long to have a top employee."

VMI, at this time, has 14 full-time workers, plus six sales representatives ("five of the sales reps cover the United States; the other one takes care of the rest of the world," Maitlen said).

Maitlen, who designs many of the systems utilized his company's production, owns 31 patents on equipment.  "I enjoy trying to come up with something new," he said.

He's set some far-ranging goals for the company and the buildings he and his sons designed (they were constructed by local contractors and his wife was in charge of the interior decorating.)

"I plan to see this company grow," Maitlen siad.  "If you're satisfied, you die.  We can expand easily.  There's room to extend the building and there's room for another building.  By 1995, I hope to be manufacturing 25 dredges a year.

"And I hope VMI is in Cushing 100 years from now."

Way Back When Article November 16, 1989 - VMI is "Going Great" Here

  

 VMI is "going great" here

By Joe Shimko, Cushing Daily Citizen
Thursday, November 16, 1989

With the ever growing awareness of the environment both nationally and internationally, firms dealing with that issue are benefitting.  VMI, on of the newest firms in Cushing, has felt the increased concern about the cleaning up of the environment.

"We're going great," said VMI owner Gene Maitlen.

He indicated the cirm, which builds dredges, has "more orders now since we moved here."  That doesn't necessarily relate directly to their presence here, but factors such as numerous "clean water acts" being enforced in the United States and overseas have meant more activity such as the cleaning up of waterways.

This has meant more work than ever before for the 15 employees at the firm's site at 1125 N. Fleetwood.  If the steady stream of work continues, Maitlen expects to see more employees hired, to possibly 20 in the future.

VMI, which had its plans for coming to Cushing announced in 1988, saw construction on its two buildings started in April of last year.  By August, the company was ready to start with production commencing in October.

Recently Maitlen and others in the company were pleased when the first dredge, built entirely in Cushing, was sold to the City of Harrisonville, Kansas.

The dredge, which was viewed and climbed by citizens who attended an open house-ribbon cutting for VMI Tuesday, is the MDE415-HS.  The efficiency of both the company and president of the firm are symbolized by the newest piece of equipment.

GENE MAITLEN (fourth from left) and his wife Peggy cut the ribbon at the Open House held at VMI while they and other local chamber officials stand on top of the first ever dredge built at the new company. (Staff Photo)

Recalling an Andy Rooney television commentary on the many items that are given names or identities without any significance, Maitlen outlined what each letter and number means.

"The 'M' stands for mini-dredge and the 'E' for the economy," said the owner.

The numbers also have meaning to VMI and its potential customers.

"The 'f' stands for a four-inch pump that can go 15 feet deep which the '15' stands for," he added.

the 'H' and the 'S' are also significant standing for hydro solids.