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Pierce Manufacturing today unveiled the Pierce® Ascendant™ heavy-duty ladder, a 107-foot steel aerial device that rides on a single rear axle configuration. Available on a wide range of Pierce custom chassis, the Pierce Ascendant – with five patents pending – redefines the performance capabilities in the single rear axle category. 

APPLETON, Wis. (April 23, 2015) – Pierce Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) company, today unveiled the Pierce® Ascendant™ heavy-duty aerial ladder, a highly-maneuverable107-foot steel aerial device that rides on a single rear axle configuration. Available on a wide range of Pierce custom chassis, the Pierce Ascendant – with five patents pending – redefines the performance capabilities in the single rear axle category. The aerial was introduced at the Fire Departments Instructors Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

“The innovative Pierce Ascendant heavy-duty aerial ladder sets a new performance benchmark in the single rear axle category.” said Jim Johnson, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Fire & Emergency. “The Pierce Ascendant rightfully takes its place as yet another game-changing Pierce technology to help firefighters respond with confidence and perform at a higher level.”

The Pierce Ascendant 107-foot aerial ladder features a weight optimized design structure, high-strength steel, custom tubing, and unique gusseting that place weight and mass only where required. The aerial delivers a full 107-foot vertical reach and a 100-foot horizontal reach with an operating range from -10º to +77º. Its 100-foot horizontal reach is an astounding 32-feet greater than a typical single rear axle aerial. The Pierce Ascendant is available on a wide range of Pierce custom chassis, including the Arrow XT™, Velocity®, Impel® and Enforcer™.

Built with 100,000 psi minimal yield strength steel support elements, the all-new design features a 1500 gpm tip flow, a 750 lb dry tip load capacity, a 35 mph wind rating, and a ¼-inch ice rating.  The space-saving design allows for a capacity of 115 feet of ground ladders, 2,500-pounds of equipment, a 500-gallon water tank, and a pump of up to 2,000 gpm.

The aerial pedestal is protected by Pierce’s exclusive E-Coat corrosion protection system (developed for Oshkosh defense vehicles) while a single set of H-style stabilizers and one rear downrigger provide support. A full complement of optional equipment is available, including LED rung lighting and breathing air at the tip.

“The ability to integrate a 107-foot heavy duty ladder with 100 feet of horizontal reach on a highly maneuverable, single rear axle configuration changes the market,” said Johnson. “Investing in new technologies to better serve the needs of firefighters is what defines us as a leader, and we’re extremely proud to showcase the Pierce Ascendant aerial ladder at FDIC.”
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Topics: Innovation, Tradeshows


About Pierce Manufacturing
Pierce Manufacturing Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation [NYSE: OSK] company, is the leading North American manufacturer of custom fire apparatus. Products include custom and commercial pumpers, aerials, rescue trucks, wildland trucks, mini pumpers, and homeland security apparatus. In addition, Pierce designs its own foam systems and was the first company to introduce frontal airbags and the Side Roll Protection system to fire apparatus. To learn more about Pierce, visit www.piercemfg.com.

About Oshkosh Corporation

At Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK), we make innovative, mission-critical equipment to help everyday heroes advance communities around the world. Headquartered in Wisconsin, Oshkosh Corporation employs approximately 17,000 team members worldwide, all united behind a common purpose: to make a difference in people’s lives. Oshkosh products can be found in more than 150 countries under the brands of JLG®, Hinowa, Power Towers, Pierce®, MAXIMETAL, Oshkosh® Defense, McNeilus®, IMT®, Jerr-Dan®, Frontline™ Communications, Oshkosh® Airport Products, Oshkosh® AeroTech™ and Pratt Miller. For more information, visit oshkoshcorp.com.

®, ™ All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that the Company believes to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “should,” “project” or “plan” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include the Company's ability to successfully integrate the AeroTech acquisition and to realize the anticipated benefits associated with the same; the risks associated with international operations and sales, including compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act;  the Company’s ability to comply with complex laws and regulations applicable to U.S. government contractors; cybersecurity risks and costs of defending against, mitigating and responding to data security threats and breaches impacting the Company; the Company’s ability to successfully identify, complete and integrate other acquisitions and to realize the anticipated benefits associated with the same; and risks related to the Company’s ability to successfully execute on its strategic road map and meet its long-term financial goals. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update information contained in this news release. Investors should be aware that the Company may not update such information until the Company’s next quarterly earnings conference call, if at all.

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