PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Erickson Air-Crane Incorporated (NASDAQ:EAC; “Erickson” or “the Company”), a leading global provider of aviation services to a diverse mix of commercial and government customers, and the vertically-integrated manufacturer and operator of the powerful heavy-lift Erickson S-64 Aircrane helicopter, announced today that it has been awarded the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (“SHARP”) Designation, for the sixth year in a row, resulting in graduation from the program.
SHARP is a voluntary OSHA compliance program, requiring stringent annual audits from Oregon-OSHA. SHARP was developed to provide employers with coaching and direction so that they could learn to more effectively manage workplace safety and health and, in turn, be recognized for their achievement. Out of 90,000 employers in the State of Oregon, there are 44 active SHARP companies and an additional 124 companies that have graduated from the program. On December 9th, 10th and 11th, Oregon-OSHA consultants conducted Erickson’s successful SHARP audit, resulting in the company’s graduation from the program. Erickson is currently one of only two Oregon aviation companies to have graduated from the SHARP program.
Udo Rieder, Chief Executive Officer of Erickson, commented, “This SHARP designation represents a significant milestone for our organization, and speaks to safety remaining a core value at Erickson. I’d like to congratulate every Erickson employee who helped make this accomplishment possible—not only achieving SHARP certification, but ultimately maintaining and graduating from the program.”
A SHARP employer is defined as an employer who has successfully incorporated safety and health management principles into their workplace. Erickson continues to lead by example in maintaining a safe, efficient workplace environment that both attracts and protects the most talented employees and assures customers of reliable performance. The company’s proactive safety measures help employees find and correct hazards, develop and implement effective safety and health programs, continuously improve, and become self- sufficient in managing occupational safety and health.
About Erickson
Erickson is a leading global provider of aviation services to a diverse mix of commercial and government customers. Erickson currently operates a diverse fleet of 90 rotary-wing and fixed wing aircraft, including a fleet of 20 heavy-lift S-64 Aircranes. This fleet supports a wide and worldwide variety of government and commercial customers, across a broad range of aerial services, including critical supply and logistics for deployed military forces, humanitarian relief, firefighting, timber harvesting, infrastructure construction, and crewing. Erickson also maintains a vertical manufacturing capability for the S-64 Aircrane, related components, and other aftermarket support and maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for the S-64 Aircrane and other aircraft.
Founded in 1971, Erickson is headquartered in Portland, Oregon and maintains facilities and operations in North America, South America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific. For more information, please visit www.ericksonaviation.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. You can identify forward-looking statements by words such as “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “expect,” “predict,” “potential,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations but they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties, which include: that we recently completed both the Air Amazonia and Evergreen Helicopters, Inc. (“EHI”) acquisitions and we may not realize the benefits of these acquisitions on a timely basis or at all; our ability to integrate these businesses successfully or in a timely and cost-efficient manner; our ability to successfully expand these businesses, enter new markets and manage international expansion; that we do not have extensive operating history in the aerial services segments, in the geographic areas, or with the types of aircraft historically operated by EHI and Air Amazonia; that the anticipated reduction in troops in Afghanistan in the near-term may adversely affect us; that we operate in certain dangerous and war-affected areas, which may result in hazards to our fleet and personnel; the hazards associated with our helicopter operations, which involve significant risks and which may result in hazards that may not be covered by our insurance or may increase the cost of our insurance; our safety record; our substantial indebtedness; that we and our subsidiaries may still incur significant additional indebtedness; our failure to obtain any required financing on favorable terms; compliance with debt obligations and our substantial indebtedness, which could adversely affect our financial condition and impair our ability to grow and operate our business; cancellations, reductions or delays in customer orders; our ability to collect on customer receivables; weather and seasonal fluctuations that impact aerial services activities; competition; reliance on a small number of large customers; the impact of short-term contracts; the availability and size of our fleet; the impact of government spending; the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; the impact of environmental and other regulations, including FAA regulations and similar international regulations; our ability to accurately forecast financial guidance; our ability to convert backlog into revenues and appropriately plan expenses; worldwide economic conditions (including conditions in Greece and Italy); the fluctuation in the price of fuel; the impact of changes in the value of foreign currencies; and the risks of doing business in developing countries and politically or economically volatile areas; as well as other risks and uncertainties more fully described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K as well as the other reports we file with the SEC from time to time.
You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Erickson Air-Crane assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable laws.