17 Search and Rescue Vehicles for Middle East country of Qatar outfitted by Aluminess Products, Inc.

June 26, 2008 - PRLog -- Qatar, a small but wealthy Middle East country, conducted a world-wide search of companies to build an elite fleet of 17 search and rescue vehicles to enable them to respond quickly when disasters occur throughout the Middle East and other parts of the world.  

They entered into a contract with Sportsmobile West of Fresno to build 17 specialized
4 wheel drive Ford E 350 Vans.  Sportsmobile West then contracted with Aluminess Products, Inc. to outfit each van with an Aluminess heavy duty aluminum front bumper with winch capabilities, an Aluminess rear bumper with swing arms for tire racks and storage boxes, and specialized aluminum roof racks capable of carrying 30 gallon water tanks and other equipment. Ladders to reach the top of the van and an expedition kit with axe and shovel completed the order.  

The vehicles consisted of personnel carriers, a Command Unit van, maintenance vehicles, and two of the vans were to be equipped as canine units, capable of carrying 8 dogs each to the scene of a disaster.  Aluminess designed the interior aluminum kennels that would house the valuable search animals.

Aluminess president, Dave Hoskins, stated, “We worked closely with the representatives of Qatar and Sportsmobile West to meet the challenges of designing and outfitting a fleet of search and rescue vans that will have a definite impact on the speed and ability to get help to regions of the world that may be cut off from help when disasters strike.”

On Friday, June 13, 2008, the 17 shiny red vans rolled off the assembly line to take their first test drive in Fresno, California.  (see attached picture) From there, they will be shipped to Baltimore where they will be flown to Qatar in C-130 planes.

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Aluminess Products, Inc. manufactures heavy duty aluminum bumpers, roof racks, tire racks and off road products for trucks, vans campers and SUV's.