MoreAMESBURY, Mass. -- Munters Corp. (www.munters.com) is playing a key role in an all out effort to return the Pentagon to full use after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack that killed more than 125 military and government workers while ripping a cavernous hole in the side of the Washington, DC building.
"Millions of gallons of water flowed throughout the building after the attack," said Joe Kelley, Munters district manager in the Washington DC area. "In some places water was over 11 meters deep on the floors. Munters is drying an area on five levels of the Pentagon, greater than 33 football fields, all of which was damaged by the water alone."
The impact and explosion that occurred when terrorists crashed a hijacked airliner into the side of the building, devastated more than 15,000 square meters of office space on five floors of the world renowned US military headquarters. However, water damage resulting from fire hoses, sprinkler systems, and shattered water lines, affecting over 230,000 square meters of space adjacent to the crash area.
Making a conservative estimate, Kelley said that Munters would save the Pentagon more than $40 million in reconstruction expense. "Beyond the money saved, drying will allow this important space to be back in use months earlier."
Specialists in reversing the effects of water damage, Munters has more than 600 pieces of drying equipment distributing 2.5 million cubic meters of dry air per hour through more than a mile of ductwork combined in a massive system to dry out the building. The equipment needed to handle the project has been shipped from many of its 30 North American offices. Munters is the world's largest water damage recovery company, and the Pentagon dry-out effort is one of the largest single-building project in Munters history, valued over $1 million.
The company offered its services immediately after the disaster. However, Pentagon building managers could not respond because the FBI and then the military services had taken command of the building, giving first priority to national security issues. After security issues were addressed, Munters was invited by a subcontractor working on the Pentagon restoration to tour the building and propose restoration procedures.
"Pentagon officials were most impressed when Munters equipment began arriving at the Pentagon just hours later after having been awarded the job," said Kelley. "They were amazed how quickly we went to work," said Kelley. "We had electrical generators and Munters dryers at the site the same day and began assembling our drying system immediately."
