Tyco Flow Control, which supplies nuclear power plants with valves and controls used for nuclear reactors, anticipates a nuclear power plant construction boom due to growing power demands.
In preparation, the company invested $25 million to buy and renovate what had been a vacant 118,000 square-foot facility at 55 Cabot Blvd. in Mansfield last year, known to locals as the Robert Allen Carpet Co. building. The new location has been operational since October 2009. Tyco cut the ribbon on its Advanced Nuclear Testing and Development Facility in Mansfield in July, leaving behind the old mill it occupied in Wrentham, Mass., for what is now one of the largest facilities of its type in the world.
Currently, there are 104 nuclear reactors in the United States supplying about 20 percent of the country’s power, and new nuclear power plants are under development. In February 2010, the Obama administration approved an $8 billion loan guarantee for the construction of two nuclear reactors in Georgia to supply more nuclear power, and more could follow.
“Nuclear power will continue to be part of the mix for U.S. power going forward,” said David Thibault, general manager of the Mansfield facility. “Our new facility will ensure we are able to meet future demands for nuclear power.”
Before moving to Mansfield, Tyco was located in an old mill building with outdated infrastructure and a layout that wasn’t conducive to growth, Thibault said.
Tyco Flow Control, which is a division of Tyco International Ltd., chose Mansfield as its new home because it had the type of facility and infrastructure that could accommodate expansion and it’s located in the second-largest industrial park in New England.
It also didn’t hurt that the town offered a property tax discount that will amount to $518,000 over 18 years, according to Mansfield Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Advisory Committee information.
There is a major benefit to the town as well; over the life of Tyco’s TIF, the company will pay $2.7 million in revenue to the town for a previously vacant building that has an existing tax base of $83,000, said Kara Griffin, executive director of the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce, which represents Foxborough, Mansfield and Norton.
That type of tax deal is common in Massachusetts, which has been proactive in coming up with ways to keep manufacturers from moving overseas.
For instance, the state launched the Advanced Manufacturing Initiative in May to come up with incentives for manufacturers to stay put, and kicked off a loan program to help companies invest in facilities and equipment upgrades.
In addition to the tax incentive, Tyco stayed in Massachusetts to retain its employee base, and being close to many technical colleges and universities in the state will give the company access to new employees, Thibault said.
About 96 employees work at the Mansfield facility now. In addition, Tyco signed an agreement with the town to hire 30 new skilled employees over the life of its TIF, according to Griffin.
Thibault said Tyco will add jobs as demand for its products and services increase.
“We plan to grow the business slowly, year over year, and we intend to bring on additional help … on both the blue-collar and white-collar side,” he said.
The technology employed at the Mansfield location includes the large steam testing facility that allows Tyco to validate performance of critical steam safety valves, which are used for overpressure protection in commercial nuclear power stations, Thibault said.
A range of products are being manufactured at the new site, including main steam safety valves, relief valves and services such as engineering, design, inspection, machining and testing.
The facility will also be used by nuclear design and engineering firms to develop and test critical safety-related valves and controls used by nuclear reactors, and Tyco Flow Control’s engineers are equipped to perform testing for other manufacturers who lack the proper certifications.
It should be noted that no radioactive materials are located at the site and no nuclear power is generated at the Mansfield plant.
The Mansfield facility is one of Tyco Flow Control’s 300 worldwide locations, which includes the Tyco Flow Control Research and Development unit on Elmwood Avenue in Cranston. In all, the company employs over than 15,000 people worldwide. •
