O.C. Businesses Put on Kuwaiti Contracts List

Sixteen companies--mostly from Orange County--have been placed on a Kuwaiti government list of businesses that will be encouraged to pursue contracts to rebuild the war-torn country, Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) said Thursday.

The Kuwaiti government selected the companies from among more than 500 businesses that participated in a seminar in April organized by Cox’s office in Newport Beach to discuss reconstruction work.

In an Oct. 17 letter to Cox, Kuwaiti Ambassador Saud Nasir Al-Sabah said the local companies will be encouraged to visit Kuwait “for direct talks with the concerned offices in the public and private sectors . . . to explore possibilities of how their company’s products, services or expertise could be used” in reconstructing Kuwait.

The invitation to visit Kuwait does not guarantee that the companies will win a contract. It is not known how many companies nationwide have received similar invitations from Kuwait.

The companies are in a variety of industries, including video training, computers, engineering and module home manufacturing. They are: Barnard Fire Sprinkler Inc.; Boyle Engineering Corp.; Bristol Research Corp.; Brinderson Corp.; California Fasteners Inc.; Elder Engineering Inc.; ESA Engineering Corp.; GP Communications; Integrated Multimedia Solutions Inc.; International Medical Corp.; John Agpar Productions; North American Export and Import; PBS Building Systems Inc.; Roberts & Associates Construction Management; Triad Organization of Irvine and VTN Corp.