2012 – Productive Year for DSC (USA)

As DSC celebrates its 20th Anniversary, the Company takes time to reflect on its productivity throughout their milestone year.

A leading designer and manufacturer of cutter suction, clamshell, and underwater pump mining dredges, DSC now operates four manufacturing facilities across the US and continues to ship its equipment virtually anywhere. Although DSC has grown tremendously since its inception, the Company still holds its same original mission – to build a US-made product using the best materials available.

In August 2012, DSC delivered its first dustpan dredge to Loup Power District, the provider of reliable, low-cost electricity to customers throughout Boone, Colfax, Nance, and Platte counties, and a portion of Madison county in Nebraska. The new dredge, pictured right, replaces Loup’s existing dredge, which had been in service since the Company began its operations over 75 years ago. The DSC dustpan dredge is critical to Loup’s operations as it removes sand and sediment from the settling basin, allowing water to flow into the Loup Power Canal to the powerhouses to ultimately generate electricity. DSC’s Field Service team led the commissioning and testing of the dredge and trained Loup operators on their new equipment. The new dredge is more powerful, proficient, and reliable, allowing Loup to operate more efficiently.

Earlier this year, DSC secured its second contract with Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, representing the largest single agreement in DSC’s history. Mosaic is the world’s leading producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash, two primary nutrients required to grow the food the world needs. Located in Duette, FL, Mosaic’s Wingate facility mines and processes phosphate rock, which is the raw material for phosphate fertilizer production. The new electric Marlin will be very similar in design to their first dredge, which is scheduled to deliver early next year. The new Marlin will be used to mine phosphate rock and will include modern electric motors, allowing the dredge to operate with a higher degree of efficiency, thus reducing its energy demand. A major theme throughout the dredge design discussions was sustainable features, meeting the worldwide mission of “going green”. The dredge will feature noise abatement devices, increased personnel safety features, and advanced monitoring systems.

On an international front, there has been much interest in dredging equipment throughout Canada, particularly diesel and electric dredges, since the government mandated that companies operate more environmentally responsible. At present, DSC is engaged with CEDA on the design/build of a pump barge; concept pictured left. The design incorporates submersible pump units that are lowered to the MFT level (area beneath the water’s surface that is in suspension) without having to add or remove piping. This represents a huge savings and is a much safer system than those requiring the manual addition of pipe spools. DSC is also involved in the design of multiple 24″ diesel dredges, all of which are designed for winter operation and are tolerant to Bitumen (heavy tar) mats floating in the ponds. The dredge design employs engines that are air-cooled for an increase in reliability and uptime. These two projects follow the recent delivery of an 18-inch diesel Shark dredge that is being used in environmental dredging, which requires highly reliable equipment. The dredge is being used to feed a consolidated tailings plant, where the material is introduced to gypsum and decontaminated before returning to the pond. DSC’s dredges are often selected for their reputation in being green; the dredges operate more efficiently by using less energy to produce more and retain a higher level of uptime.

On the other side of the world, DSC’s Shaun Pascual, Field Service Technician, recently returned from Russia where he commissioned (3) custom DSC Shark Class dredges; two of which are pictured right. The dredges were delivered to a major mining company and were specially outfitted to operate 21 hours per day in severe weather. With normal temperatures ranging from -53C to +30C, the dredges were equipped with an arctic package to ensure uninterrupted operations in these extremely cold conditions. These Shark dredges are being used to reprocess copper and nickel concentrate mine tailings. All three dredges are portable and self-propelled with the addition of thrusters, and upon arrival were certified by the Russian Mining Inspection Authority.

Other recent deliveries include:

– 8-inch Moray dredge to repeat construction and environmental customer in Wisconsin

– Electric Marlin class dredge to a sand and gravel company in Delaware

– 18-inch Shark class dredge to repeat sand and gravel customer in Nigeria

– 8-inch Moray dredge to the Republic of Congo’

– 10-inch Wolverine dredge to India

– 10-inch Wolverine dredge to Benin

– (3) 10-inch Wolverine dredges to Mexico

– 10-inch Wolverine dredge to Texas.

2012 is proving to be a strong year for DSC. The company has experienced steady growth with each year since its inception in 1992. DSC’s W&S Division in Michigan has seen great success too. Since the acquisition, 32 dredges have been sold and shipped globally with many customers coming back to buy a second or third dredge. Currently DSC dredges can be found in over 40 different countries worldwide!

Not only is the company busy building and shipping their products globally, they are also using their experience and knowledge to support local education. DSC sponsored two senior projects for Louisiana State University’s Engineering Program related to research and development advancements in dredging. The Company feels these endeavors will nurture the industry by ensuring young engineers get the hands-on experience needed to excel in the business.

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Press Release, October 26, 2012