2019 was an amazing year for Fairbanks Morse: We had many wins with the U.S. Navy and hosted multiple high-ranking officials – all of which were made possible because of the continued effort and dedication of Fairbanks Morse’s staff to “Power the World Forward.”
At the beginning of last year, Fairbanks Morse set some major goals to continue to improve in all areas: internal education and growth; technical and engineering services; logistics and training; and administrative and program management efforts. With these goals driving the day-to-day activities for each of these areas, we’re pleased to say that Fairbanks Morse has entered this year much stronger than in year’s past.
On January 27, 2020, George Whittier returned to lead the company as Chief Executive Officer, launching Fairbanks Morse into a new decade under new leadership and with great expectations.
That said, let’s take a quick look at the accomplishments and successes delivered in 2019:
Visits from High Ranking Officials:
With community being so important to Fairbanks Morse, we want to make everyone feel welcomed. This past year, we were delighted to have four visits from distinguished guests to our Beloit facilities.
The US Secretary of the Navy:
In May of this year, Fairbanks Morse was honored to receive a visit from US Secretary of the Navy, Richard V. Spencer at our Beloit facility where we showed off our engines and our talented workforce. During his address to the Fairbanks Morse staff, the Secretary told the Fairbanks Morse team, “You are the bedrock of what national security is all about.”
A Visit from Admiral Caldwell:
Later in the summer, we welcomed Admiral James F. Caldwell, Jr., to our Beloit facility. Having him at our manufacturing center was so special as he shared that, “Every ship that I served on, my father served on, and my grandfather served on, had a Fairbanks Morse engine.” We were honored to have such a high-ranking official of the US Navy commend us for our dedication and support.
Navy Captain Brian Metcalf:
We also hosted Navy Captain Brian Metcalf in September of 2019, giving him a tour of our facilities in Beloit, Wisconsin. We greatly appreciated the time and effort of Captain Metcalf, helping to emphasize the importance of all our team members who work on the engines that help bring our servicemen and women home safely.
Congresswoman Elaine Luria (D-VA):
U.S. House Representative Elaine Luria (VA-02) visited our Norfolk service center in December to see firsthand the skilled men and women at work contributing critical parts to US Navy ships. It is incredibly important to have strong advocates for US manufacturing jobs and we greatly appreciate her time and effort in recognizing the hard work and dedication that goes into building engines for the Navy warships and aircraft carriers.
Big wins Throughout the Year for Fairbanks Morse:
To launch 2019, Fairbanks Morse was awarded in February an indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with the US Navy. The agreement, worth approximately $13.5 million, will cover all US Navy ships with Fairbanks Morse engines to enable improved lifecycle support and maximize Fairbanks Morse products in critical Navy applications. This contract enables our company to continue to provide the Navy with technical and engineering services, logistics, training, and administrative and program management efforts related to diesel engine lifecycles and in-service operations. In addition, Fairbanks Morse will provide services, personnel, facilities, expertise, technical information, special tools, supplies and incidental materials necessary to ensure the longevity of the vessels. Click here to read more.
Fairbanks Morse to Power the US Navy’s Next-Generation Amphibious Warships, LHA 9 and LCS 31
Fairbanks Morse announced in July that it will supply the Ship Service Diesel Generator (SSDG) sets for the electric power generation system aboard the US Navy’s newest America-class amphibious assault warship, LHA 9. Fairbanks Morse was also selected by the US Navy to build and deliver the Main Propulsion Diesel Engines (MPDE's) for the newest of the Littoral Combat Ship Freedom-Variant, LCS 31.
Fairbanks Morse Awarded ESB Contract
In November, Fairbanks Morse was awarded a contract to build and deliver the four main propulsion diesel engines (MPDE) for the sixth and seventh ships in the U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Transfer Dock (ESD)/Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program. The ESB 6 and ESB 7 MPDEs will be built by Fairbanks Morse at its Beloit, Wisconsin manufacturing facility. The four FM | MAN 6L48/60 Common Rail (CR) engines are each rated at 6,480 kW and will deliver a total of 25,920 kW of installed power. This award brings the total to 12 engines with common rail fuel technology delivered to the US Navy for the ESB program by Fairbanks Morse, which demonstrates their confidence in the reliability of our engines.
T-AO 208 “Robert F. Kennedy” & 209 “Lucy Stone”
Fairbanks Morse also announced in late November and early December that is was selected to supply the main propulsion diesel engines—with the latest in diesel engine technology—for the T-AO 208 Robert F. Kennedy, and the T-AO Lucy Stone – representing the fourth and fifth fleet replenishment ships of the new John Lewis Class designed to service ships and aircraft at sea.
Contracts for the design and construction of six John Lewis Class Fleet Replenishment Ships have been granted by the US Navy to a sum of $3.2 billion. The Navy has announced plans to procure an additional 14 ships of the John Lewis Class in future contract awards. The Fairbanks Morse engines will serve as critical elements in ensuring that the ships operate safely and reliably and will aid in fueling critical missions over the long term. Fairbanks Morse will also provide auxiliary equipment and commissioning services.
Fairbanks Morse awarded contract to build and deliver EDG For CVN-80 and CVN-81
In February, Fairbanks Morse was awarded a contract to build and deliver the Emergency Diesel Generator (EDG) sets for two future US Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, CVN-80 (USS Enterprise) and CVN-81. These ships will be the US Navy’s third and fourth Gerald R. Ford class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, and the USS Enterprise is the ninth US naval vessel to bear that name. Each EDG set provides mission critical, safety-related back-up electrical power if the ship loses power.
The EDG sets will be built at the Fairbanks Morse manufacturing facility in Beloit, Wisconsin. Construction is scheduled to be delivered in 2023 to Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)-Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia. Fairbanks Morse will then support installation, commissioning, testing, and sea trials for the vessels.
A Look Ahead Under New Leadership in 2020
To kick-off the new year, Fairbanks Morse announced in January that George Whittier has returned to lead the company as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 27, 2020. Mr. Whittier ran the Fairbanks Morse division from 2009-2012. He returns to the company after successful growth-oriented leadership positions at Precision Castparts Corporation, Regal Beloit Corporation, and The Morey Corporation. Specifically, Mr. Whittier brings a strong working knowledge of the business, extensive relationships both inside and outside of the company, and a long track record of operational excellence.
“I’m proud and humbled to have the opportunity to once again lead one of America’s truly great companies,” Whittier said. “Fairbanks Morse solutions and services are mission critical in both the defense and commercial sectors. It will be my honor to work with a deeply experienced employee base to build upon our 120+ year heritage and reputation for delivering reliable and innovative power generation solutions on which our customers rely. I look forward to leading the company into this new decade and working with our amazing team to write the next chapter of the Fairbanks Morse story.”
