Manufacturing

NEWS - Manufacturing

SBJ Staff Report

May 13, 2013 – Gov. Nikki Haley joined local Charleston and South Carolina business leaders, along with Boeing representatives, last Friday to celebrate the announcement that Boeing will expand in the Lowcountry, making an additional $1.1 billion investment at its plant at North Charleston.

The current 240-acre facility began production in July 2011.  Boeing South Carolina receives midbody parts and major subassemblies from partners in Italy and Japan via the Dreamlifters, a fleet of specially modified 747-400s. The Dreamlifters also deliver completed aft and midbody fuselage sections from North Charleston to 787 Final Assembly in Everett, Wash.

Boeing South Carolina also fabricates and assembles the aft fuselage sections in a 381,000-square-footfacility. The aft body team is responsible for section 47, which is the last passenger section of the airplane, and section 48, which integrates the horizontal and vertical stabilizers and the aft pressure bulkhead.

The additional $1 billion investment in North Charleston is expected to create 2,000 jobs, and was supported by a government incentives package that includes $120 million from the state. And there may be more expansion to come.

The company has also hinted that there will be a Phase 3, 4 and 5, according to the governor.  "So it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” she said, according to several local media reports.

“Boeing announced this week that it is now making seven 787s per month between its North Charleston and Everett factories, and is on track to be making 10 per month by the end of the year,” stated Haley’s press office.

The expansion of the current complex is underway, including additions to the aft-body and mid-body factories, as well as office area improvements at the final-assembly facility.

NEWS - Manufacturing

May 9, 2013 – Savannah-based Gretsch Company’s 130th Anniversary Event, held this past Saturday, May 4 at Randy Wood’s Pickin’ Parlor in Bloomingdale. Gretsch is famous for the manufacture of drums and guitars that are the choice of top professionals around the world. Its USA Custom Drums factory is located just across the river from Savannah, in Ridgeland, SC.

The event was made all the more special by the fact that it also celebrated the wedding anniversary of Fred and Dinah Gretsch – company president and CFO, respectively, and residents of Pooler. Friends, business associates, and a substantial array of family members were on hand to help the anniversary couple commemorate this unique occasion. Guests were presented with personalized I.D. badges on classic Gretsch-logo lanyards. Each badge also contained a special 130th Anniversary pin as a token of the family’s appreciation.

Following a benediction delivered by Archabbot Douglas Nowicki – of St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and the Benedictine military school in Savannah – guests enjoyed a down-home barbecue meal provided by Mac’s Place (attached to the Pickin’ Parlor). Dessert consisted of three special cakes: two in celebration of the Gretsch Company’s anniversary and one for Fred and Dinah’s wedding anniversary.

Comments made by Fred and Dinah during the event highlighted their pride in the Gretsch family’s history. As Fred put it, “I’m a fourth-generation member of the family business. My grandfather first brought me to the factory in the 1950s, and I’m still here some 48 years later. Dinah’s business skills and warm, outgoing personality have made her an integral part of the Gretsch operation – and my indispensible partner – for 34 years. And for more than 19 years Dinah and I have been ably supported by our daughter Lena Thomas, who is a skilled administrator and operations guru. Between Lena, Dinah and me, that’s just over 100 combined years of ‘sweat equity’ in the family business. And I’m pleased to report that the sixth Gretsch generation includes sixteen-plus grandchildren, many of whom are pursuing educational tracks that will help them continue the family legacy for years to come.”

Entertainment for the event was provided by the husband-and-wife team of Richard Smith (guitar) and Julie Adams (cello), and by an exciting trio led by guitar phenom Joe Robinson. Virtuoso playing was the order of the day, and the 100-plus guests rewarded the performers with rousing ovations.

NEWS - Manufacturing

April 5, 2013 – With Bastille Metal Works expanding their line of pewter and zinc furnishings, international demand from Western and Eastern Europe as well as the Middle East has exploded. Bastille Metal Works will answer the call by opening an office in Lyon with international business executive, Eric Guichaoua-arzel.

Guichaoua-arzel began his career studying industrial drawing while completing his business degree in management, marketing, and international sales. Guichaoua-arzel is the principal of Solymac, a French factory designing and creating range hoods for restaurants, hotels, and kitchens. Before that he was account executive for an international company called Leroy Somer, an industrial automation company. Guichaoua-arzel's vast experience with working closely with designers, manufacturers, and home and business owners to achieve their design vision will enhance Bastille's ability to meet international demand.

While Bastille currently does projects both nationally and internationally, having Guichaoua-arzel represent the company specifically throughout Europe and the Middle East will build Bastille's brand and further expand Bastille's footprint as the premier manufacturer of custom cast zinc and pewter bar tops, range hoods, and furnishings.

For additional information about Bastille Metal Works please visit: www.bastillemetalworks.com

NEWS - Manufacturing

By Clark Byron
SBJ Staff

April 24, 2013 – Blue Force Gear®, a Pooler company that is on the cutting edge of weapon slings and lightweight carrying equipment for the military launched its latest product for use in combat.

Company founder and president, Ashley Burnsed, announced today that Blue Force Gear® launched PLATEminus™ at the ADS Warrior Expo West Show at the San Diego Convention Center.

The patent pending PLATEminus™ is Blue Force’s ultra light weight body armor plate carrier vest. The PLATEminus™is designed to fit the latest military armored plates. The PLATEminus™ is the cloth part of the body armor. Other manufacturers provide the light weight armor plates that are inserted into the PLATEminus™.

The technical nomenclature for this type of product is Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment (MOLLE). According to Brittney DeVane, public relations director at Blue Force Gear®, PLATEminus™ features Blue Force’s patent pending MOLLEminus™ technology: MOLLE minus the weight, MOLLE minus the bulk, MOLLE minus the complexity.  DeVane said the company’s proprietary high performance laminate, ULTRAcomp™, far exceeds the military standard for air textured nylon in tear and abrasion resistance.

John Felushko is Blue Force Gear’s product line manager. “We designed PLATEminus™ with simplicity in mind,” said Felushko. “PLATEminus™ is simple to put on with single pull, forward side straps, simple to customize due to full MOLLE compatibility and simple to size – just buy your SAPI/ESAPI plate size.”

This newest product, PLATEminus™, is compatible with all legacy issue MOLLE pouches and is the ultimate lightweight plate carrier. PLATEminus™ combines with pouches featuring Blue Force’s revolutionary Helium Whisper™ attachment system.

The MOLLEminus™ design provides the thinnest, strongest, lightest modular load carriage of individual combat equipment: half the thickness of a dime, over four times as abrasion resistant as air the traditional textured nylon. MOLLEminus™ is formed from a single piece of Blue Force Gear’s proprietary ULTRAcomp™ laminate.

PLATEminus™ is available in sizes medium and large. It is designed to fit any SAPI/ESAPI style armor plates, with or without plate backers. It has an inner plate pocket constructed of color matched CORDURA® and Tweave, a proprietary woven stretch fabric, to provide camouflage and signature reduction. PLATEminus utilizes technology with voids and slots that are laser cut from one piece of ULTRAcomp™ laminate instead of layers of sewn nylon and webbing.

Blue Force Gear® designs the best weapon slings and leads the lightweight equipment revolution with its Ten-Speed™ multi-use pouches. They also reinvented MOLLE to be the world’s lightest with their revolutionary MOLLEminus™ technology. Unrivaled innovation and attention to detail set Blue Force Gear® apart from others in the tactical equipment industry.

NEWS - Manufacturing

March 14, 2013 – AWD of Savannah is proud of its principal, Harley Ashbaugh, recipient of the GenerationNEXT award. Savannah magazine, Business in Savannah and The Coastal Bank honors and recognizes 21 area professionals each year as "GenerationNEXT: Savannah's Rising Stars of Business."

These under-40 individuals have distinguished themselves by their outstanding professional achievements as well as their philanthropic service within Savannah and the Coastal Empire.  The winners will be featured in the March/April issue of Savannah magazine and the March 6, issue of Business in Savannah. “A friend of mine said they were nominating me, but I was truly shocked to hear that I’d been chosen. There are so many fantastic young business owners in Savannah, “ said Harley, “I am truly honored and humbled by this experience.”

Harley earned his B.F.A. in interior design and a minor in furniture design from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in 2002.  His passion for design and woodworking began in his father’s own workshop where he was taught the principals of fine craftsmanship.

Harley’s devotion and passion is paired with a solid business background, which he developed, while still in college, working for renowned Intermarine Savannah. Since 2009, under Harley’s leadership, AWD of Savannah has experienced unprecedented growth - transforming a small, local shop into one of the largest, premiere design and woodworking companies in the region. AWD’s work is in homes and businesses nationwide. His designs are regularly featured in design and lifestyle publications.

Harley is active outside of work as well, spending the occasional free time to walk dogs at the Humane Society. He designed, built and donated a custom piece for the Smart Women Cancer benefit auction.

NEWS - Manufacturing

April 13, 2013 – With Bastille Metal Works expanding its line of pewter and zinc furnishings, international demand from the Canadian market has been knocking on its front door. Bastille Metal Works will open the door with international business executive, Amir Girgis.

Girgis has spent most of his career selling the finer things in life. First it was Michelin-rated stoves for Michelin rated chefs and then Michelin-rated stoves for domestic chefs and finally the Diva custom range and his first partnership with Chris Plummer. Girgis is reminded everyday of Plummer's genius when he looks at Plummer's metallic art in his new office. As the president of Better Distribution, his mandate is to bring new, innovative Bastille products to the Canadian market.

While Bastille currently does projects both nationally and internationally, having Girgis represent the company specifically throughout Canada will build Bastille's brand and further expand Bastille's footprint as the premier manufacturer of custom cast zinc and pewter bar tops, range hoods and furnishings.

NEWS - Manufacturing

SBJ Staff Report

March 25, 2013 – A new product now on the market promises to eliminate pathogens, allergens, odors and virtually every harmful substance from indoor air. The promoters of the device also claim that it eliminates these harmful things from surfaces as well.

The bi-polar cold plasma ion generator is a product offered by the locally owned American Ion, Inc. Mallie Secklinger is president of the company. It’s inventor and manufacturer, Global Plasma Systems, also a Savannah company, makes a wide variety of institutional, industrial and aviation air ionization systems that sterilize the indoor atmosphere by eliminating odors, pathogens and allergens through a process known in the industry as bi-polar ionization. It is a system that is designed to work in homes, businesses, and institutions.

The Problem
Recently, Secklinger discussed with the Savannah Chatham County Public School System the common problems of indoor air hazards faced by schools. “When a student is sick and stays home, the student does not learn and test scores are negatively impacted,” said Secklinger. “When the primary educator stays home [sick] the substitute teacher usually does not have a lesson plan. The effort shifts from a teaching environment to merely maintaining order and the students do not learn. Test scores are negatively impacted.”

What is Bi-polar Ionization
Ions are molecules that lose and gain electrons. Electrons carry small electrical charges. Those charges can be positive or negative, just as any electrical charge we use today to power equipment, machinery, and lighting. In short, the balance of the positive and negative charges is called Ionization. This is where the bi-polar comes in. It balances the positive and negative “poles” which creates the ionization. When ionization occurs in the air, it has no negative effects on the humans breathing the air. On the contrary, ionization neutralizes impurities in the air and renders them harmless. According to Secklinger, it essentially causes them to disintegrate. The process is clean, silent and requires very little power, yet it is so potent, the ionized air actually kills these same pathogens on every surface in the room as well, according to Seckliner. “We’ve done these for medical, hospitality and other people also,” said Seckinger. “It has applications wherever you have facilities.”

The term “sick building” has been around for decades. It is used to describe office buildings where employee health is poorer due to the circulation and recirculation bacteria and viruses in the air. The tighter building became to prevent energy loss, the more common shared illness became. “It leads to cross-contamination between the sick and the well, which leads to higher absenteeism,” explained Secklinger. “When the building is sick (which most buildings are), that’s what usually makes people think they’re sick. They are always in an environment where they feel they are sensitive to something,” he said.

To counter act some of the negative effects of “sick buildings,” maintenance people have been instructed to open air vents within the large air conditioning systems to allow more fresh air from the outside to circulate in and help purify the air. While this has shown some effectiveness, it has been minimal at best, said Secklinger. He pointed out that the constant flow of outside air has to be conditioned – that is to say, dehumidified and cooled. With bi-polar ionization, the air inside the building – which has already been conditioned – is cleaned and re-cleaned as it is re-circulated through the ionization system and back into the workspace, significantly reducing energy costs. There is no need to let in more outside air. The device does not produce harmful ozone as some other air purifying systems do.

The bi-polar ionizer comes in a variety of sizes and applications. The one most commonly used in schools, hospitals, and office buildings is about the size of a brick, with two, four-inch electrodes protruding from one side of it. One of these devices is securely attached on the blower housing of each air conditioning unit. The air passes between the electrodes and is completely ionized as it goes through the blower, sending fully sanitized air into the workspace. According to Secklinger, there is virtually no pathogen or pollutant that the ionization will not destroy.

The unit is available in a small size for window air conditioning units and college dorm rooms. There is also a wand type for large rooftop HVAC units above 15 tons. While prices vary, Seckliner says they are surprisingly inexpensive and will pay for themselves in a short time in energy savings. Installation time averages 15 minutes with no disruption to the building’s occupants.

Recently, the producers of the bi-polar cold plasma ion generator have developed one for use on airplanes. According to Secklinger, two of these brick-sized devices will clean the air in a large airliner.

For more information on bi-polar cold plasma ion generators from American Ion, contact Mallie Secklinger at 912-308-2726 or visit www.americanion.net.

NEWS - Manufacturing

By Lou Phelps
SBJ Staff

Feb. 27, 2013 – The Department of Justice announced today its conclusion that there was no “intentional disregard or plain indifference to the requirements…” of its regulations by managers and executives at Imperial Sugar that led to the tragic explosion and fire that claimed the lives of local residents in February 2008.  Therefore, the department will not be prosecuting.

According to Justice, the explosion was investigated by the Chemical Safety Board, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms’ National Response Team, and the Department of Labor through its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):  “All three agencies concluded that the explosion had been fueled by sugar dust, which, when suspended in air, can be combustible.”  

After the tragedy, employees presented local media with pictures of employees standing in inches of sugar dust as a regular occurrence.    

In June 2011, the Department of Labor referred the matter to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for consideration as to whether criminal prosecution could be brought; it pursued whether the catastrophe could be charged as a criminal violation of OSHA’s “general housekeeping” standards.   A housekeeping offense is a misdemeanor; there is no felony provision under the statute.  Also, the application regulation and statute permit only employers to be charged – not employees such as managers within the plant.  Only the corporation can be charged, not individual corporate officers or employees.  The violation of ‘good housekeeping’ regulations must have been willful in order to support a criminal prosecution.  “Willfullness is an intentional disregard or plain indifference to be requirements of a regulation.  Recklessness or negligence is not sufficient.  A failure to do enough, or a failure to be more thorough, which may suffice for civil liability, is not enough to meet the criminal standard,” the Justice Department stated in a press release Tuesday.

Attorney Mark Tate has represented 18 of the families of those who died, as well as other injured former employees.  He was unavailable for comment Tuesday evening.  However, in April 2010, he told WTOC-TV in Savannah that the Imperial Sugar’s insurance company, Zurich, had found problems at the plant.  “Zurich did various inspections out there according to the chemical safety board that showed the plant was a risk and that they did not properly handle those inspections. Stokes contracting had the job of course to clean the place up and they just simply didn't do it," Tate said at that time.