VMI Dredge in Buffalo, New York
VMI Dredge in Cancun, Mexico
This is our MD-820CS Dredge
Made in America, Used Everywhere
Underwater excavation projects require reliable, efficient, and high-quality dredges. Look no further than VMI Dredges for all your dredge supply needs. We offer the most versatile dredge rentals in North America. From our facility in Central Oklahoma, we can easily service any customer in the lower 48 states with worldwide options for customers outside of North America.
VMI has manufactured dredges from Oklahoma since our beginning in 1972. We continue to manufacture the highest quality, most reliable and best overall performing dredges in the world. Still owned and operated under the same family name, we maintain our dedication to quality as we manufacture dredges and dredging equipment for rental units.
Whether reclaiming capacity of retention ponds, recovering precious materials such as sand and gold from rivers, or restoring beach heads from natural erosion, our dredgers can help get the job done.
SINCE 1972 OUR TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS HAVE CONSTRUCTED SUPERIOR DREDGES WITH WORLD-CLASS WORKMANSHIP. WITH MACHINES REACHING MORE THAN 25,000 HOURS OF SERVICE VMI'S QUALITY IS SECOND TO NONE.
Capabilities for testing dredges and booster pumps improved.
In 2020 VMI's testing and training capabilities were enhanced to improve product innovation and better serve the needs of customers. Additional parts storage capacity was also increased to expand the availability of in stock items. VMI remains a privately owned and operated business.
VMI Expansion & Increased Production Capacity
VMI Dredges Increased manufacturing space to meet demand in 2007
2007-2020
In 2007 VMI's facility was expanded to include additional manufacturing and parts storage space for increased capacity. At the end of 2019 VMI introduced a new logo to better reflect the company name and image going forward.
1989-2007
Increased demand created the need for a new improved production facility.
By 1989 VMI had outgrown its current plant capacity and a decision was made to build a new production facility in Cushing, Oklahoma. The new production facility was specifically built for manufacturing dredges.
In 1997 Bob Vaughn’s stock was purchased by Gene Maitlen and his two sons, Tony and Randy, making VMI exclusively owned by the Maitlen name.
Mission Accomplished
The dredging operation at the Cushing High School Lake is complete and the "mission accomplished" said one of the individuals watching as the huge dredging equipment was loaded on a truck and taken back to the company who donated it for the project. What was the mission? To restore the lake to its original depth which will improve the fish habitat and clearity, and simply to beautify the body of water near the new Cushing High School field house.
The eight-week project came in under cost - way under cost. In fact it is the generosity of a local manufacturer that made the project possible at all. The dredging machine is one of several owned and manufactured by VMI.
Gene Maitlen, who founded the company here several years ago, was on hand to see the machine loaded. Seeing dredges loaded on trucks is common place for him. The company he now operates with his sons, has shipped their equipment all over the world. This one was being shipped just across Highway 33.
Several of these smaller machines are leased by the day or month for between $1000 to $2000 per day. The Maitlens made this one available at no cost to their community. "This was the key in getting this done," said Dale Cotham who helped pull it all together. In turn, the school provided the operator and Lionel Harris of Harris Oil provided the fuel.
"This is one of the real benefits of living in a small town," said Cotham. "People will step up to the plate to get something done." The lake is now at its original depth of 15 foot in the deepest part and an average of seven foot, overall.
The Bank of Cushing also will help see the lake is restocked with game fish. Jim Shields said the Cushing Vo-Ag class plans to make restocking a project. "None of this could have happened wit out the help of others."
Operator Kenneth Ward waved goodbye to the machine. The dredging, which made statewide news when he turned up a purse that had been missing for 30 years, had been an adventure for him. He also found old tires, hubcaps, fishing poles and lures and even a Texas license plate. "I also found some grass carp teeth," Ward said. "At least that's what people tell me they are," he said. "Pretty weird." Some of the carp along with game fish were victims of last summer's drought.
An agreement made with the City of Cushing years ago when the city gave McLaury's Pond and surrounding property to the school calls for the school to maintain the body of water for use of the public. Ward was trained to operate the dredge by Randy Maitlen. The job took about eight weeks.
We are set up and ready to go at the 2026 WEDA Eastern Chapter Meeting in Wilmington, North Carolina at Hotel Ballast. Stop by the booth t...
