In Berlin, Pennsylvania the drilling experts at Center Rock Inc. are elated, excited, and downright exhausted.  Like so many around the world, they stayed up all night to watch the moment of truth to see if the trapped Chilean miners would emerge safely, and to see joy on their faces as they greeted their family members at last.

The drilling team at Center Rock, also has a personal investment in this rescue, because this is the team that figured out a way to get the miners out and home before the initial predicted Christmas timeline.

When these engineers and machinists realized they had the type of drills and experience to help speed up the rescue efforts, they sprang into action to get specialized air drilling equipment to the scene known as down the hole hammers.

D.T.H. technology, fractures rock faster than conventional rotary tools with high frequency percussion drilling.   In layman’s terms, it’s like the difference between using a corkscrew or using a bunch of jackhammers at the same time to get through a concrete wall.

Center Rock Inc., used similar equipment in the rescue of 9 coal miners at the Quecreek mine in Somerset Pennsylvania in 2002.   Many here at the Berlin manufacturing plant worked that rescue, and remember it well, one especially.   Tom Foy, who works as a maintenance technician, was one of those trapped miners.   He’s been beaming all day long talking about the relief he has felt watching this rescue, and how proud he is to work for a company that helped in such an important way.

The owners and operators of this company feel the same way too.   Center Rock Inc., President Brandon Fisher, and Marketing Manager Richard Soppe who are now back from Chile after 37 grueling days that included 33 days of drilling say it has been an absolutely amazing experience.

Fisher describes the moment their equipment reached the miners saying, “it was one of the happiest days of my life as well as the most relieved I think I’ve ever been.”