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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

ClimbTech To Relocate Manufacturing Of Newest Product From Asia To Austin, Texas

11/05/2013
ClimbTech, an industry-leading manufacturer of climbing, fall protection and rope-access equipment, plans to move its manufacturing from Asia to Austin, Texas.

The company introduced its stainless steel Legacy Bolt to companies that inspect, repair and maintain buildings and other concrete structures. In anticipation of that demand, ClimbTech said it doubled the size of its headquarters to accommodate the manufacturing equipment and associated personnel it needs to produce the Legacy Bolt.

“We are at a point where demand for our existing and future products has created an opportunity to transition our manufacturing from Asia to Austin,” said ClimbTech CEO Roberto Fiebig.

Fiebig said while the company plans to pay for the capital-intensive equipment with internal funds, ClimbTech also applied for a Chase Mission Main Street Grant, one of 12 the bank will be awarding later this fall. The selection process is based on votes.

“We hope that our goal of bringing some, if not all, of our manufacturing work back to the United States and, more specifically, Austin will resonate with our customers, partners, the rope-access community, and Texans as a whole,” said Fiebig.

As for the Legacy Bolt, the product’s main attraction for the recreational climbing industry is that it provides local groups of recreational climbers with the ability to “re-bolt” existing rock faces, where the existing bolts have lost their integrity and pose a risk to life and limb, the company said.

“The Legacy Bolt brings with it a new level of endurance and flexibility,” said Fiebig. “Sleeves can be withdrawn and replaced years down the road. This ensures that rock-climbing routes remain intact for future generations.”

In addition the firm said its Legacy Bolt will reshape how companies that utilize rope-access professionals inspect and maintain concrete structures. “These professionals are not permitted to leave metal in the wall, meaning they sometimes have to use a jackhammer to retrieve the metal,” said Fiebig. “This is time-consuming and heightens the stress in the structure. The Legacy Bolt eliminates this step.”

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