Federal funding for Quonset hangar on the way
Congress recently adopted a military construction spending bill that contains $16.5 million for a new hangar to be built for the Rhode Island Air National Guard at Quonset. The hangar is being built to house a shipment of new C-130J transport planes that have been anticipated by the National Guard for some time.
“Like the new C-130J aircraft we have been seeking for some time, these federal funds for a new building for the Air National Guard at Quonset State Airport are absolutely vital, not just for our National Guard units, but for the continued modernization and readiness of our overall military forces,” said U.S. Senator John H. Chafee, who helped secure the funding.
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Chafee said the new longer, “stretch” model planes will replace the unit’s aging “E-models,” some of which are 35 years old.
The new hangar will replace a 58-year-old hangar that doesn’t have the needed features to house the new planes.
“This new facility will make all of the necessary modernization improvements to the present facility, while providing a safe work environment,” Chafee said. The Senator noted that the new hangar will be specially equipped with such features as energy conservation, utilities, HVAC and fire protection.
USS Saratoga Museum getting support
The Quonset/Davisville Management Corporation Board voted last week to recommend conditional approval for access to a portion of the carrier pier at Quonset for the Air, Land & Sea Heritage and Technology Park.
As part of the project, organizers want to move the USS Saratoga, a decommissioned aircraft carrier that now sits in Coddington Cove in Middletown. The project is estimated to cost approximately $15 million.
Frank Lennon, executive director of the USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Inc., was encouraged by the support of the Quonset board.
“On behalf of the 65,000 sailors, marines and air crew who served aboard USS Saratogawe would like to express our appreciation for the expression of support for our project voiced today by the members of the Quonset/Davisville Management Corporation Board,” Lennon said.
The Quonset board’s approval hinges on 13 conditions that must be fulfilled by the museum foundation. Three major conditions include completing a traffic and safety plan, getting financing of $7.5 million and getting the Navy to accept liability for the carrier if the project fails.
He said the vote by the Quonset board was just the start for the ambitious project.
“To borrow an analogy from mountain climbing, the mist has now cleared and we can see our way to the summit. There is still a long climb ahead, however,” he added.
Quonset’s Supfina wins GM contract
Supfina Machine Co., Inc., located in Quonset Point, recently won its largest order of high tech superfinishing machines from General Motors.
General Motors placed a $11.5 million order for the machines that will be integrated into several new production lines for finishing either the camshaft or crankshaft for the new L6 and L850 engines that are to be built in the U.S. and in Germany.
Company officials said the order further strengthens Supfina’s position as a leading supplier of superfinishing equipment in the American market.
The new machines will be manufactured at the North Kingstown location and in Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach, Germany.
The Supfina brand is currently the largest supplier of superfinishing products on the world market. Superfinishing is an advanced, economic, stock removal process utilized whenever low surface roughness and strict workplace geometry is required. The process leads to benefits that include smoother operations, lower noise levels, less wear and higher efficiency.
Primary users for the process include automotive, bearing, hydraulic, pump, motor, aerospace and medical technology industries.
Toray to form South Korean joint venture
Toray Industries, Inc., parent of Toray Plastics, Inc. of Quonset Point, announced earlier this month a joint venture with South Korean synthetic fiber manufacturer Saehan Industries Inc.
Toray, a publicly traded company on the European and Japanese Stock Exchanges, is a global manufacturer of textiles, chemicals, plastics, electronics and information related products.
Toray and Saehan signed a letter of intent on June 11 stating that Saehan will transfer several of its businesses, including production facilities for polyester films, non-woven fabrics and a portion of facilities for polyester filament fibers, to a new company to be established in Korea. The new company is scheduled to open in Autumn 1999 and start operations within the year.
The new company will take over Saehan’s production facilities in Gumi City in Kyung Buk Province, south of Seoul. Toray will provide 60 percent of the capital investment in the new firm, while Saehan will put up the remaining 40 percent.
Toray is positioning the new company as a key subsidiary to help boost its global operations. The new company will be headed by an executive of Saehan.
The joint venture will allow Toray to operate polyester film production plants in six countries, including Japan, the United States, France, Malaysia, China and South Korea.
