https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/tunnel-project-updates.html

Hi Dave, Guess what TBM they are using at Fort Wayne? A Robbins? An Akkerman? No. They are using a German TBM.

I knew that they are using a foreign brand. They are using Herrenknecht. I am upset about it as much as you are. I have posted it as a news over the project itself.

By the way Adrian, do you know any tunneling project in Germany which uses a Robbins or Akkerman? I don't think anybody does. I cannot blame them. They are doing the right thing for their country and they are using German made products for tunneling. The problem lies with our government for not enforcing the use of the local products.

We need serious regulations here in U.S. to make the contractors use U.S. brands.

I couldn't talk for Germany, on the other hand, I know that Robbins sells many tunnel boring machines abroad (outside the U.S.A.). I think you need to look at it on project basis. It is free market. If Herrenknecht presents a better package for a U.S. contractor, they will buy from Herrenknecht and not from Robbins. It is as simple as that.

@Keith, this cannot be left to be sorted out by pure market dynamics. Because there are no such pure market dynamics. In other countries governments stand behind their local companies therefore disturbing the natural flow of the markets and competition. Look at China, the Chinese government subsidies every single Chinese tunnel boring machine company. And look at Germany. How come no project in Germany uses Robbins or Akkerman? Do you think you can explain it solely that German companies have "better packages"? I don't think you believe that.

Just because the governments of China and Germany are (that is allegedly) favoring their own companies, repeating the same mistake in the U.S.A. will make things worse. There are international bodies like World Trade Organization etc which oversee the fair working of international trade. If Germany is favoring a German company in a tender, the U.S.A government can file complaints to WTO. We should try to stop malpractices rather than tit-for-tat malpractices.