Moran Iron Works and Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Watermaster North America have partnered to manufacture the Finnish-engineered AMD 5000 amphibious dredging machine in North America.
The Watermaster machine has been sold worldwide for 30 years but not in the U.S. due to the Jones Act. Because the AMD 5000 is now made in the U.S., it is a fully Jones Act-compliant vessel and is now available for purchase throughout the U.S.
The two companies came together over a year ago and through a series of leadership meetings in Helsinki, Finland, and Onaway, Mich., they agreed to join forces in an OEM partnership. The first machine is currently being manufactured in Onaway. Watermaster NA anticipates considerable growth as the U.S. marine maintenance industry becomes aware of the unique capabilities of the AMD 5000.
“We could not be more pleased working with such a high quality fabrication firm as Moran Iron Works (MIW). Not only are we glad to bring manufacturing jobs to Michigan, but also to be bringing new technology to the marine environmental remediation industry and the subsequent jobs created there," Jonathan Dreyfuss, president of Watermaster NA, said in a prepared statement. We anticipate a long relationship with MIW as we introduce this machine across the U.S. and Canada as a new means of addressing the increasingly necessary maintenance and remediation of waterways.".
“We are excited to partner with Watermaster NA in a manufacturing venture that will ultimately better a small rural Michigan community and the great state of Michigan.” said Tom Moran, CEO and founder of Moran Iron Works. “Our team has been working hard with Watermaster NA and the engineering team in Finland to replicate the superb fabrication and assembly of the European machine. This is a serious machine for serious work."
