Bludworth Marine LLC
"Bludworth Marine had just recovered from Hurricane Ike's September 2008 damages when the national economic slowdown started to effect us," said Richard Bludworth. "We have seen a steady decline in demand from April of this year to the present. While our proposal included some significant infrastructure improvements as a priority, we are happy to be able to upgrade our material handing capacities with this stimulus grant as it will greatly increase our efficiency. The timing of this stimulus package is perfect for the current market conditions."
perience reasonable volumes of government sector ship repair. As expected, the commercial sector has seen more deferred maintenance and layup requests. Ultimately, the company expects that additional market pressures will likely lead to fewer, more competitive jobs in the near term. In general, Vigor focused on projects that have multiple benefits - productivity, workforce development, and environmental and safety improvements. Specific yard improvements by project include: � Portable Package Boiler System: This project will upgrade Vigor's yard-wide steam system. The current system involves fixed piping and inefficient energy transfer, and the company plans to upgrade to a system of portable package boilers. Vigor expects to see gains in energy efficiency and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as a result of this improvement � Virtual Paint Training System: This is a state-of-the-art virtual training system for paint application. Installation of a virtual blast and coat training system will increase the quality of painter training at Vigor Industrial. Instead of learning on the job, trainees will be able to develop and perfect skills in a virtual situation. Additionally, the training system increases the volume of training which the company is able to provide, allowing a greater number of workers to develop skills and enter the workforce. � Plural Paint Application System: This project involves the purchase of an integrated paint mixing/application system. The proposed plural component sprayer is an apparatus that mixes the base and catalyst at precise ratios immediately before delivery to the sprayer feed line. This system is expected to reduce material consumption, environmental impact, and potential quality control issues � Integrated Thermal Cutting System: Vigor plans to purchase a new, state-of-the-art thermal cutting system. � Drydock Automation Program: In 2005, Vigor acquired three sections of drydock, increasing the number of available drydocks at its facility from two to three. Currently, the sectional dock does not possess an automated control system. Each section is operated manually, with monitoring personnel manning control stations inside of the drydock during the evolution. The grant-funded project will automate various critical functions on the drydock sections, thereby increasing safety, productivity, and security. Upon completion, the drydock will have a state-of-the-art monitoring and control system that provides safe, responsible functionality during drydock evolutions.
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