Tempe company showcases skills in building border fence
Mar 14, 2019, 4:45 AM | Updated: 3:36 pm
(KTAR News Photo/Peter Samore)
(KTAR News Photo/Peter Samore)
COOLIDGE – It was about 140 miles north of the Arizona-Mexico border, but a very interested audience was watching Wednesday as a Tempe company constructed a border fence prototype.
Fisher Industries hoped to impress President Donald Trump’s people who watched the demonstration at a lot owned by Stinger Bridge and Iron in Coolidge.
“We’ve got some Border Patrol people here, and we’ve got some Homeland Security people here,” Fisher engineer Greg Schaefer said.
He showed them how his crews can connect seven 8-foot segments of 18-foot-tall wall and put up a mile of border fencing a day for 234 days.
They used excavators, a cement truck and other heavy equipment.
Ryan Fisher, a builder for the company, says crews wouldn’t cross into Mexico.
“We can still operate and get our patented form system wall laid within 60 feet,” he said.
Now, @FisherSandG Demonstrating how they can build 234 miles of border fencing, plus paved roads and security tech, for $4.31 billion, less than the $8 billion @realDonaldTrump requested for it. LIVE at noon @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/nNeZKl5pqE
— Peter Samore (@ktarpetersamore) March 13, 2019
The company says its construction plan, which also includes paved roads and security technology, would cost $4.31 billion, well below the $8 billion the president has sought for the project.
“I think that President Trump would be very impressed with what we have to offer,” Fisher said.
“With our patented form system, we’re significantly under time, significantly under budget, and — of course — all American made.”
Border Patrol agents drove on the road Fisher crews built next to the wall in the same afternoon.
The federal agents wouldn’t comment on what they saw.
Last week, Tommy Fisher, CEO of Fisher Industries, told KTAR News 92.3 FM his crews could complete 234 miles before the November 2020 election.
