Metal Fabrication News

Navico Group, a division of Brunswick Corporation, announced a multimillion-dollar investment in its Lowell, Mich. facility to create two Centers of Excellence in metal fabrication and electrification. The investment is intended to increase quality, capacity and efficiency, as well as improve product manufacturing capabilities, the company said.“Navico Group is committed to being a leader in metal fabrication and electrification for the industries we serve, and this investment is a testament to that” said Brett Dibkey, Navico Group President.

Seattle-based naval architecture firm Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) announced it is working with Miller Marine, a marine metal fabrication shop in Deltaville, Va., to design and construct a fully electric truckable tug.The versatile vessel is designed as a multi-functional utility boat servicing marine construction sites, tending dredges, tending buoys, short range ferry operations and other near shore operations such as crew transportation or line handling, the designer said.EBDG will incorporate an electrical propulsion system into Miller Marine's proven truckable tug design.

ESAB recently launched InduSuite, a brand-agnostic portfolio of software applications designed to revolutionize workflow, quality, and business performance, to help fabricators and manufacturers improve operational efficiency. According to ESAB, InduSuite offers three key benefits: simplicity for accessing data and documents with an easy-to-use interface; real-time insight into performance, traceability and workforce accountability; and an unprecedented level of control over metal…

Canadian shipbuilder Seaspan Shipyards announced it is investing $1.35 million to increase training and apprenticeship opportunities for Indigenous students aged 19 through 30 interested in building a career in the trades, including in the growing shipbuilding and marine sector. The three-year investment is being made in the Aboriginal Community Career Employment Services Society (ACCESS), a non-profit organization that has been providing education and employment training for the urban Indigenous community since 1999.Mark Lamarre…

The ramping up of shipbuilding programs in Adelaide this year is providing an employment lifeline for South Australia as the state’s looks for ways to tackle boost jobs growth post coronavirus.There are already almost 700 people working on the Hunter Class Frigate Program. Those numbers are expected to reach 1000 by, the end of the year and 1,500 by mid-2025 before reaching a peak of 2,400 in 2028.Nine anti-submarine warfare frigates will be built by ASC Shipbuilding at the Osborne…

Metal Trades, Inc. (MTI) has launched a newly built shallow-draft push boat for Bald Head Island Limited, LLC. (BHI). The new vessel, Capt Cooper, was christened during a June 27 ceremony at the builder’s Yonges Island, S.C. facility. As the first self-powered vessel built by MTI, Capt Cooper signals an expansion of MTI’s service offering to include new vessel construction. The 55-year-old company has been active in heavy metal fabrication, barge building and vessel repair for government and commercial customers.

Lind Marine, a Petaluma, Calif. dredging contractor which provides tug and barge services throughout the San Francisco Bay area, has acquired Moose Boats, an aluminum commercial boat building company. Lind Marine currently operates a five-acre shipyard including a 430ft dry-dock and 1,600-ft of linear pier on Mare Island in Vallejo, Calif. Lind Marine’s strategic acquisition of Moose Boats will ensure continuity of vessel production for the well-established patrol boat’s brand as well as complement a vertically integrated business model which Lind Marine has developed over the past century.

Merseyside engineering firm IPS Marine Fabrications is helping ferry operator Stena Line expand its accommodation for man’s best friend after securing a deal to build a series of bespoke dog kennels. The operator Stena Line aims to improve pet facilities with bespoke kennels on board the Stena Superfast X, Stena Lagan and Stena Mersey. IPS Marine Fabrications director Paul Smith said the Birkenhead firm has built a long-standing relationship with Stena Line and the latest project…

Irving Shipbuilding has partnered with Women Unlimited to provide education funding and job opportunities to 20 women who will participate in the welding and metal fabrication program at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Akerley Campus. The partnership is an outcome of Irving Shipbuilding's Centre of Excellence funding announced in October 2012. The mandate of the Centre of Excellence is to provide Nova Scotians, with particular focus on under-represented Nova Scotians, with applicable programs and training to optimize opportunities to work in the marine industry.

The Government of Canada joined Irving Shipbuilding and its employees today marked the signing of the $2.3 billion Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) build contract at Halifax Shipyard. The Honorable Diane Finley, Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada and the Honorable Peter MacKay, Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Canada and Minister Responsible for Nova Scotia participated with Irving Shipbuilding as well as provincial, municipal and community leaders…

The tube bending machine innovator Unison said it is moving the technology forward again, with the completion of a groundbreaking all-electric machine that is capable of bending tubes and pipes up to 9 inches/225 mm in diameter. The availability of all-electric machines at this new size level brings the benefits of instant set-up and right-first-time precision bending to many new applications in sectors including shipbuilding, powergen and oil, gas and chemical processing. According to Unison…

Telehandlers and aerial work platforms (AWPs) have long been staples of the construction industry, favored by contractors for their safety and efficiency when working at height. As the equipment evolves, these machines are becoming more versatile and moving into other industries, including the marine market. Telehandlers allow for flexibility in handling goods and materials, particularly in shipyards and shipyard warehouses, fabrication facilities and workshops, and AWPs provide a safe, efficient way to work at height in these same settings.

Project Jupiter, an initiative to create a leading portfolio of Onsite Specialist Contractors, sees ABB, SOLAS, Seven Seas and more invest $3.7m at Bahrain-based ASRY in 2014, with more in the pipeline. ASRY has seen several global specialist contractors, including ABB, SOLAS, and Seven Seas increase their investment at the shipyard to provide more substantial services to ship and rig owners over the course of 2014. The moves are a part of Project Jupiter, an initiative launched to make ASRY the leader in Onsite Specialist Contractors in the Middle East…

Drum Cussac said it is helping Tanzania's budding entrepreneurs cater to the requirements of the international oil and gas companies operating in the country, as part of its own Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative and a Tanzanian government vocational scheme. In the coastal town of Mtwara, in southern Tanzania, Drum Cussac liaises with students at one of the country's many Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) centers, facilitating the provision and refurbishment…

ASRY, a ship and rig repair yard in the Arabian Gulf, has welcomed a new dedicated living quarters outfitter and HVAC facility operated by UAE-based Seven Seas within the yard. The facility includes a metal fabrication workshop, a carpentry workshop, offices and stores, and will increase the variety and quality of accommodation and air conditioning works ASRY can offer ship and rig clients. The facility was launched at a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included ASRY Chief Executive Nils Kristian Berge…

Birkenhead  based engineering firm IPS Marine Fabrications has completed a series of contracts for three ship operators. IPS director Paul Smith said the contracts with Whitaker Tankers, and ferry operators Seatruck and Stena showcased the broad range of fabrication and insulation skills IPS can provide. “The job spec of these contracts was really varied and shows how we can save customers time and money,” he said. “For Seatruck we supplied high temperature ceramic fiber insulation for the main engine exhausts.

Engineering firm IPS Marine Fabrications said it has completed major upgrade work for ferry operator Stena Europe. The company, which is headquartered in Birkenhead, has repaired and maintained fabricated air handling units throughout the Stena Europe vessel. IPS manufactures insulation products, particularly aimed at the marine industry, and has in-house machining facilities. Director Paul Smith said the project was completed while the Stena Europe, which operates between Fishguard in South Wales and Rosslare in the Republic of Ireland, was afloat.

Participants at a workshop exploring the use of titanium structure for ships found that it is not only possible to construct a ship hull from titanium—or Ti, it could be cost effective. The workshop was sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and hosted by the University of New Orleans, where an ONR research program on titanium ship structures is being conducted. Representatives of the shipbuilding industry, titanium suppliers, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force labs, and academia discussed and examined materials, processes and applications. Most ships today are primarily made from steel.

12 Graduate from GSSC Shipfitter Boot Camp and Have Jobs Waiting for Them. In November 2011, 18 individuals started an intensive 10-week shipfitter boot camp that was developed by the Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium (GSSC) to prepare workers for entry-level employment in the maritime industry. Before an invitation was extended to participate in the training program, candidates completed prequalification activities that included drug testing, WorkKeys® assessments, industry presentations, shipyard tours, and interviews. On Thursday, March 1, the 12 individuals who successfully completed the pilot program participated in a graduation ceremony hosted by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) at its Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center (AMTC) in Gulfport, Mississippi.

New Norton Abrasives BlueFire Portable Foundry Wheels Reduce Grind Time More Than 40%. Norton, an abrasives manufacturer and provider of metal fabrication abrasive products, has introduced Norton BlueFire zirconia aluminum portable foundry wheels for the metal fabricating industry. BlueFire Portable Cup Snagging Wheels provide exceptional performance improvements over conventional zirconia products in foundries, welding shops, fabrication facilities, steel mills, and shipyards, including a reduction in grind time of over 40% and an increase of almost 130% in G-ratio.

Pacific Fishermen Shipyard and Electric has purchased selected assets of Union Bay Fabrication, located at Emerald Landing and the former Tippet Shipyard. The purchase included a Cincinnati Model 2512 Plate Shear and 250 ton Mechanical Press Brake Model K5-10. Together they provide capacity to bend and shear heavy steel plates up to 12 feet width and ¾” thickness, dependent on width. The purchase also included weld lead, water and air hose, electrical cords, a welding 4-pack, ventilation fans and miscellaneous shipbuilding equipment.

New Norton Abrasives Non-Woven Right Angle Discs for Stripping and Blending Provide Faster Cutting and Longer Life. Saint-Gobain Abrasives (October 6, 2011) – Norton, the world’s largest abrasives brand and leader in metal fabrication abrasive products for over 125 years, today announced the introduction of a new non-woven depressed center stripping and light stock removal disc. Norton SG Blaze® Rapid Strip™ (http://www.nortonindustrial.com/NonWoven-Discs-BlazeRapidStrip.aspx) features the combination of Norton’s proprietary SG ceramic alumina grain and an open…

Ingersoll Rand has announced the new Vortex VT22 turbine grinder. The Vortex VT22 turbine grinder features a 3HP turbine motor, making it the most powerful 5” air angle grinder available on the market today. The Vortex VT22 turbine grinder also boasts a complete list of additional features; including a spindle offset of only .89”, which allows a depth cut of up to 1.6”, a pivoting vibration-reduced side handle for reduced operator fatigue, an innovative spindle lock mechanism, and a sealed angle head for optimal gear life and performance. “Operators using the Vortex will be surprised at how powerful, versatile and accurate such a lightweight tool can be,” said Andrew Mandel, Global Portfolio Manager – Surface Prep and Construction Tools for Ingersoll Rand.