Brownsville barge plant launching $65 million expansion
Project will create at least 100 new jobs at Heartland Fabrication
BROWNSVILLE 无毛视频� U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick and a delegation of state and local officials toured Heartland Fabrication in Brownsville Monday as the company embarks on a $65 million expansion project.
Heartland is one of only two companies in America making inland barges. Once finished, the 300-foot vessels are launched into the Monongahela River and sent on to their customers, overwhelmingly in the agricultural sector.
After the tour, McCormick said Heartland无毛视频檚 expansion was an example of the benefits of bringing manufacturing back to America.
无毛视频淎ll the investment is coming from the company, which is also a great story,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淪o it无毛视频檚 just exciting to see, and lots of happy workers, lots of great opportunities.无毛视频�
The renovations at the Brownsville plant, built more than a century ago, are aimed at improving the worker environment and increasing production capabilities for 24/7 operations, said Ted Stilgenbauer, president and chief operating officer of Heartland.
Stilgenbauer said all of the company无毛视频檚 facilities, work cells and production lines will be upgraded over the next two years, including new automation.
无毛视频淩ight now, we build a barge in 32 hours,无毛视频� Stilgenbauer said. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e going to reduce that time down to 24 hours with all those facility upgrades and improvements in our manufacturing process.无毛视频�
With the production capacity ramping up, the company also plans to hire new workers. From its current workforce of 420, Stilgenbauer said the company plans to grow to 520 to 550.
无毛视频淭hose are going to be welders or fitters, painters, CNC operators, which is the heartbeat of our company,无毛视频� he said.
Monday无毛视频檚 tours took visitors through the production line and ultimately to the finished product.
McCormick was given the honor of pressing the button that sent a barge sliding down a ramp into the Monongahela River, sending up plumes of water upon impact.
无毛视频淚 didn无毛视频檛 screw it up,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淎ll you do is push a button, but it was awesome. You had 320 tons. Once that starts sliding down the hill, there无毛视频檚 no stopping it. And it was awesome to see.无毛视频�
McCormick said the barges, which are made with American steel, reinforced the importance of the domestic steel industry. He touted the benefits of the Section 232 tariffs, which have rates of up to 50% for steel imports.
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 what this deal is for, to ensure that America无毛视频檚 manufacturing prowess, our national security, does not depend on anyone else,无毛视频� he said.
Prior to Monday无毛视频檚 tour, McCormick met with the Heartland administrators and local and state officials for a meeting also focused on domestic maritime manufacturing and workforce development.
Fayette County Board of Commissioners Chairman Scott Dunn said visits like Monday无毛视频檚 show politicians the importance of policies to encourage local manufacturers.
无毛视频淲hen you actually walk through the plant and you see the size of everything, this isn无毛视频檛 something that a small robot does,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淭his is something that as they try to advance with technology, that they无毛视频檙e going to need additional robotics on a massive scale.无毛视频�