Stertil-Koni Awarded Major Bid with Chicago Transit Authority

Stertil-Koni, the leader in heavy duty vehicle lifts, today announced that it has been awarded a major competitive bid with the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) to produce and install 54 high-capacity, environmentally friendly in-ground vehicle lifts.

The award calls for Stertil-Koni to deliver the company’s ECOLIFT, the industry’s first ultra-shallow, full-rise in-ground axle engaging scissor lift. The ECOLIFT uniquely combines high pressure, low volume hydraulics and only requires 3.5 gallons of fluid per scissor. As a result, the ECOLIFT ensures marked cost savings on construction and installation, can be utilized in existing workshop pits and is even suitable for locations with high water tables.

CTA has ordered two models of the ECOLIFT, a 2-scissor configuration with lifting capacities of 60,000 lbs. – ideal for regular transit buses – and a 3-scissor configuration with lifting capacities of 90,000 lbs., well suited for articulated buses. Lifts are scheduled to be installed beginning in the first quarter of 2013.

In making today’s announcement, Stertil-Koni president, Dr. Jean DellAmore, stated, “We are delighted that Chicago Transit Authority has selected the ECOLIFT for this significant contract. The ECOLIFT is engineered to be high performance, low maintenance, competitively priced and friendly towards the environment. Equally important, Stertil-Koni is also proud to be one of the few lift companies that is helping to create jobs right here in the U.S.”

All lifts for the CTA contract will be produced at Stertil ALM, located in Streator, Illinois. According to Allan Pavlick, Vice President of Stertil ALM, “As a result of the CTA contract, we anticipate increasing local production staff by approximately 25%.” Pavlick also noted that because Stertil ALM uses local vendors in its production processes, the contract should also be a positive for other entities in LaSalle County and adjacent regions, including those involved in machinery, steel and powder coating.

Continued Pavlick, “Stertil ALM would also like to thank a number of our local, elected officials who continue to support us in our efforts to boost jobs and expand the local economy. Many thanks to Jimmie Lansford, Mayor of the City of Streator, Congressman Adam Kinzinger, representing the 11th District of Illinois, and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, from the State of Illinois.”

About Stertil-Koni USA, Inc.

Stertil-Koni is the global market leader in heavy duty vehicle lifts –bus liftsand truck lifts – and is the preferred supplier to the world’s leading companies in the truck and bus industries. Stertil-Koni's breadth of products meets all ranges of lifting needs and includes mobile lifts, two-post, four-post, in-ground piston lifts, parallelogram lifts, half-scissors and its innovative axle-engaging, in-ground,scissor liftconfiguration, ECOLIFT. Stertil-Koni has also recently introduced DIAMOND LIFT, a full rise telescopicpiston liftdesigned to set new standards in precision heavy duty lifting. Stertil-Koni is headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland and has a major production facility in Streator, Illinois.

About Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)

The CTA operates the nation's second largest public transportation system and covers the City of Chicago and 40 surrounding suburbs. On an average weekday, approximately 1.6 million rides are taken on the CTA. The CTA is a regional transit system that serves 40 suburbs, in addition to the City of Chicago, and provides 83 percent of the public transit trips in the six-county Chicago metropolitan area either with direct service or connecting service to Metra and Pace. CTA has 1,781 buses that operate over 140 routes and 1,959 route miles. Buses make about 19,709 trips a day and serve 11,493 posted bus stops.