About Us

CLIMAX on CNBC

CLIMAX is the leading global manufacturer of portable machining, welding, and valve testing equipment, bringing the machine shop to the job site. CLIMAX invented this industry 53 years ago – Since then we’ve grown to become a global company that provides a wide variety of portable machining, welding, and valve testing & repair tools everywhere in the world.

Click here to watch the episode of the Advancements TV Series hosted by Ted Danson, as seen on CNBC.

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WHO WE ARE

CLIMAX pioneered the portable machining revolution in 1966. For more than 50 years we have been the innovators and technology leaders in the industry we invented. We’re #1 for a reason! But we never rest – with over 75 standard products and services, sold from more than 100 locations across the globe, CLIMAX offers one-stop shopping, and we are the only global company that NEVER competes with our customers.

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Our Vision

We envision a world where all people who do maintenance, repair, or manufacturing work optimize their performance, efficiency, and safety by using the optimal combination of portable machining, welding, and testing systems.

Our Mission

To help our customers do their work better, faster, safer, and more cost-effectively by bringing the most innovative, highest-quality portable machining, welding, and testing tools right to the job! Deliver an outrageously good customer experience – every interaction, everywhere, every time! Have fun doing it!

Our Values

Our competitive advantage comes from 50+ years of engineering design and manufacturing know-how, application experience, product quality and performance, end-to-end solution capability, and our never-ending commitment to an outrageously good customer experience – every interaction, every time, everywhere!

Our History

1965

FIRST KEY MILL

Paul Strait created the first Model 65 Key Mill. His machine shop, Coastal Machine Works in Tillamook, Oregon, began limited production. The little machine saved so much downtime that it rapidly became known by maintenance men in sawmills and paper mills.
1966

COMPANY BEGINNINGS

CLIMAX Manufacturing Company was incorporated in Tillamook.
1968

FIRST PORTABLE LATHE

The first portable Lathe (Journal Squirrel) was designed for turning bearing journals in pulp and paper mills shortly after CLIMAX Manufacturing Company moved to Newberg, Oregon.
1974

FIRST FLANGE FACER

CLIMAX designed their first two flange facers, Model FF618, and Model FF1840. These machines were designed to repair pipe flanges in the petroleum industry.
1975

H&S TOOL WAS FOUNDED

Tolleif Hillestad founded H&S TOOL after designing and building the first H&S TOOL end prep tool.
1980

FIRST PORTABLE MILL

CLIMAX builds its first Portable Milling Machine.
1980’s

NEW BEGINNINGS

CLIMAX changed the company name to CLIMAX Portable Machine Tools and developed a “Five Diamond” logo to depict our marketing strategy. Portable, Maintenance, Metal Cutting, Machine Tools, for On-Site.
1984

CALDER TESTERS INC. (CTI) WAS FOUNDED

John Emmitte founded Calder Testers Inc. after designing and building the first Model 600 valve tester.
1986

FIRST LINE BORING MACHINE

CLIMAX entered the boring bar market with a new Portable Line Boring Machine, Model BB1149.
1989

BORTECH WAS FOUNDED

BORTECH was founded with the first automated bore welder.
1999

GLOBAL PRESENCE

CLIMAX opens European Headquarters.
2008

FIRST CIRCULAR MILL

CLIMAX develops CM6000 Portable Circular Mill for machining wind tower flanges. Milling machine becomes the standard tool in the industry for machining wind tower flanges to spec.
2012

BORTECH ACQUISITION

CLIMAX acquires Bortech, expands its automated welding and cladding product offerings as well as its training services, and changes its name to CLIMAX Portable Machining & Welding Systems.
2013

CALDER TESTERS ACQUISITION

CLIMAX acquires Calder Testers, strengthening its position in the worldwide valve repair and testing market. Calder also moves to larger Houston facility to provide Gulf-region customers with both CLIMAX and Calder products, technical support, training programs, and rental services.
2015

H&S TOOL ACQUISITION

CLIMAX acquires H&S TOOLS, the top brand in tube/pipe cutting and beveling tools. With CLIMAX and H&S TOOL joining forces, customers have access to even more turnkey solutions.
2016

EXPANDING GLOBAL PRESENCE

Opened new headquarters in Asia Pacific, Middle East, United Kingdom, and a regional sales facility in Louisiana.
2016

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS!

CLIMAX celebrates 50-year anniversary.
2017

CALDER HYDROPRO™ LAUNCH

CALDER launches HYDROPRO™ series.
2019

EXTENDED RANGE OF SPEED FACER™

H&S TOOL launches the full range of the SPEEDFACER™ series.