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Naval Foundry and Propeller Center Executes Another Record Casting

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The following is courtesy of the Naval Foundry and Propeller Center. You can access the original article here.

The Naval Foundry and Propeller Center continues to innovate as it executed the pouring of the largest non-ferrous ring in United States history on January 26 at its facility on the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

Weighing in at 112.5 tons this casting is anticipated to greatly reduce manufacturing time and continue to bolster the organization’s ability to support the Navy’s challenging needs.

Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Frederick J. Stefany and Dr. Brett Seidle, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy Research, Development, Test, and Engineering were on hand to witness the record-breaking pour.

“We are well underway in Columbia-class production as evidenced by the large casting poured today at the Naval Foundry and Propeller Center for the Wisconsin (SSBN 827),” said Matthew Sermon, who is the Executive Director, Program Executive Office for Strategic Submarines, “This pour, at approximately 220,000 pounds, is the second largest type in NFPC’s history. Today’s pour was the result of NFPC’s casting process improvements and lessons learned from their pours for the District of Columbia (SSBN 826). These improvements have enabled NFPC to stay on the cutting edge of large non-ferrous castings.”

Located at 1701 Kitty Hawk Avenue at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, the Naval Foundry and Propeller Center is a modern manufacturing facility that employs a highly skilled and versatile workforce of engineers, tradespeople, and support personnel.

A furnace is tapped in preparation to pour a 112.5-ton casting at the Naval Foundry and Propeller Center on Thursday, Jan. 26 in Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of Naval Foundry and Propeller Center.

A furnace is tapped in preparation to pour a 112.5-ton casting at the Naval Foundry and Propeller Center on Thursday, Jan. 26 in Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of Naval Foundry and Propeller Center.

Engineering Tech Joe Santola (left) demonstrates to Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Frederick Stefany how NFPC uses laser tracking on Thursday, Jan. 26 in Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of Naval Foundry and Propeller Center.

Engineering Tech Joe Santola (left) demonstrates to Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Frederick Stefany how NFPC uses laser tracking on Thursday, Jan. 26 in Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of Naval Foundry and Propeller Center.

 

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Three Navy Yard Companies Recognized for Work in Life Sciences

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Congratulations are in order for three Navy Yard life companies that received industry awards at an event held in Miami January 19. The Phacilitate Advanced Therapies Awards ceremony recognized and celebrated the progress in the advanced therapies field.

The three Navy Yard companies recognized for their contributions to the life sciences sector were:

  • Adaptimmune: The Patient Advocacy Award (Corporate): Adaptimmune received this award for their work around patient advocacy, putting the patient first in all decisions made while being dedicated to spreading awareness of the potential that cell and gene therapy has.
  • Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.: Biotech Innovation Award: Iovance received this  award for their  demonstration of innovation in the cell and gene therapy industry as well as their significant potential for impact on patients in the future.
  • WuXi Advanced Therapies: Manufacturing Tech Disruptor of the Year: WuXi received this award for their innovative new technologies to help simplify and improve the manufacturing process.

Life Sciences Ecosystem at the Navy Yard

Currently, the Navy Yard features a powerful combination of clinical healthcare, advanced life sciences R&D, and cell and gene therapy production. The Navy Yard is uniquely suited to attract and support life sciences both locally and internationally. With its proximity to the innovation and talent pool in University City and the surrounding region, the Navy Yard is an alluring option for companies that have outgrown their space in urban submarkets but are still looking leverage the nearby innovation and talent pool.

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Improved Cell Service Across Navy Yard

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You may have not seen them, but you probably noticed the improvement in cell connectivity at the Navy Yard. AT&T just launched several new small cell sites across the 1,200-acre campus.

Four new small-cell sites are now online which have dramatically enhanced coverage throughout the Navy Yard – especially for businesses along Kitty Hawk Ave and Flagship Dr.

These network enhancements provide drastic coverage and in-building penetration improvement. Navy Yard businesses located in the area of the new small cells, can now benefit from additional coverage and capacity outside as well as select indoor locations enabling customers connectivity. These small cell sites are located in areas of high foot traffic and are typically disguised to blend in with the surrounding ascetics of the local community. They also help with additional coverage and capacity in targeted areas where building a large scale cell tower may be difficult.

The added cell small cell sites are just some of the many campus improvements coming to help increase satisfaction among the 150 businesses and 15,000 employees at the Navy Yard.

Photo courtesy of Philly Shipyard, Inc.

Philly Shipyard’s NSMV Program Achieves Milestone with Steel Cutting of Fourth Ship

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Photo courtesy of Philly Shipyard, Inc.

Photo courtesy of Philly Shipyard, Inc.

Philly Shipyard, Inc., reached a remarkable milestone this week with the announcement of the cutting of steel for the fourth National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV), which is destined for the Texas A&M Maritime Academy in Galveston, Texas, upon its expected completion in 2025.

The U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration’s (MARAD) NSMV program is designed to provide a purpose-built, state-of-the-art training platform for the state maritime academies in New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Texas, and California, respectively.

This next-generation training fleet will address a critical shortage of qualified officers necessary to crew government and commercial owned sealift ships. In addition to providing world-class training for America’s future mariners, the NSMVs will be available to support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in times of need.

“With this milestone event in the NSMV program, we now have four ships under active construction and strong backlog into the future,” said Steinar Nerbovik, President and CEO, Philly Shipyard. “I want to thank everyone involved in this project across the board, including all of our advocates, our partners at MARAD and TOTE Services, our suppliers, and of course the staff and workers around me who are supporting and constructing these important vessels that will build America’s maritime future.”

Read the full story on the Philly Shipyard website.

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Coriell Life Sciences Research Finds Precision Medicine Has Reached a Global Tipping Point for Adoption

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Big news coming from Coriell Life Sciences. Their newly published research, authored by leaders at the company, reveals that the time is finally right for healthcare systems, employers, and governments to establish genome-informed clinical decision-making as the new standard of care.

“The stage is set for leaders around the world to change healthcare as we know it,” says co-author Scott Megill, President and CEO of Coriell Life Sciences. “Studies have shown that using genetic information to provide more targeted therapeutic care significantly improves patient outcomes and reduces the overall cost of healthcare. This is especially true for pharmacogenomics (PGx), which uses an individual’s DNA to determine if medications are likely to be unsafe or ineffective for them specifically. We’re now entering a new age where barriers have transformed into boons for PGx-enabled precision medicine.”

The research paper, published by Cambridge University Press, examines the maturation of critical factors required for the use of clinical genetics at scale, including:

  • Clinical utility
  • Laboratory technology
  • User acceptance
  • Implementation models
  • Economic value

Coriell Life Sciences is headquartered in the Navy Yard is a precision medicine genetics company using genetic science and research to improve lives, reduce healthcare costs, and simplify decision-making for their customers throughout the United States and around the world.

You can read the full story on the Coriell Life Sciences website.

 

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Axalta Wins Globally Distinguished Innovation Award

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Axalta, whose 175,000 square-foot Global Innovation Center is located at the Navy Yard, recently won a major globally distinguished award for innovation. The Business Intelligence Group presented Axalta with the 2023 BIG Innovation Award for its AquaEC® Flex Broad Bake Electrocoat product.

The BIG Innovation Awards recognize organizations and people who bring new ideas to life. Whether that idea is big or small, these ideas change the way we experience the world.

Axalta’s AquaEC® Flex, helps enable mass production of electric vehicles by providing extreme corrosion protection for batteries and complex vehicle designs.

“Axalta is proud to receive this award that further demonstrates our ongoing product innovation and performance,” said Robert Roop, Axalta’s Chief Technology Officer. “We are constantly innovating for our customers. The increased demand for electric vehicles drove the need for a more sustainable e-coat that applies with uniform thickness over complex vehicle designs while maintaining manufacturing productivity. Our innovation ensures that critical parts that carry and protect battery packs are heat-cured with the rest of the body frame, enabling automakers to co-produce electric vehicles and internal combustion vehicles on the same manufacturing line.”

Read the full press release on Axalta’s website.

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Navy Yard NEWS – Winter 2023

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Click to read the Fall 2022 issue of Navy Yard NEWS.

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Navy Yard Skills Initiative Connected More Than 60 Philadelphians to Jobs in 2022

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Since its inception in August 2020, more than 120 Philadelphians have participated in 8 cohorts of PIDC’s Navy Yard Skills Initiative (NYSI) training programs, but 2022 was by far the most successful year of NYSI in connecting Philadelphians to meaningful employment in growing industries within the Navy Yard.

NYSI training programs are designed for individuals who have been disconnected from the workforce or who have limited professional experience to strengthen the skills and abilities that employers need. Through a partnership with University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI), NYSI recruits for a collaborative professional development program to train Philadelphia residents for permanent, full-time, quality-wage careers.

2022 by the Numbers

  • Cohorts: 6
  • Participants served: 93
  • Graduates connected with full-time quality jobs: 62 + 13 participants in the externship at Iovance Biotherapeutics for the Biomedical Technician Training Program (January 2023 – March 2023)
  • Placement rate for graduates: 88% of those who graduated from programs, including the 13 Iovance externships, were placed in full-time positions. This placement rate will increase after Jefferson graduates are hired.
  • Average starting wage: $17.37/hour
Date Employer Position Starting Wage Participants Served Participants Graduated Job Offers
Jan-22 Tastykake Production Associate $17.17 16 12 12
Mar-22 Philly Shipyard Inc. Apprentice $17.13 17 16 15
Jun-22 Tastykake Production Associate $14.65 16 12 12
Sep-22 Iovance Biotherapeutics Aseptic Manufacturing Technician $23.00 17 13 current participants 13 offered externship opportunities
Sep-22 Philly Shipyard Inc. Apprentice $17.13 9 6 6
Oct-22 Jefferson Health Patient Registrar $15.15 18 16 9 (job placement + interviewing in-progress)

Biomedical Technician Training Program: Aseptic Manufacturing Technician

In August, five organizations partnered to design a new biotech training program to connect Philadelphians with quality jobs in the region’s rapidly growing life sciences sector.

The Wistar Institute, West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, Iovance Biotherapeutics, PIDC, and The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia collaborated to create a new workforce development training model to connect biotech jobs with a wider range of Philadelphians, including residents from disadvantaged communities. In a field that often requires PhDs or master’s degrees for most roles, the program – “Biomedical Technician Training Program: Aseptic Manufacturing” – creates opportunities for Philadelphians with at least a high school equivalency. The initiative is one way the region is working together to meet the talent needs in its rapidly growing cell and gene therapy sector.

Read more about the 22-week program here.

2022 BioBuzz Workforce Champion of the Year Award

In December, the Biomedical Technician Training Program was awarded Workforce Champion of the Year in the 3rd Annual 2022 BioBuzz Awards. The Workforce Champion Award recognizes the program or organization that has made a measurable contribution to enhancing the biotech workforce within the region.

You can read more about the award here and watch the acceptance video below.

NYSI participants in the Biomedical Technician Training Program: Aseptic Manufacturing Technician cohort.

NYSI participants in the Biomedical Technician Training Program: Aseptic Manufacturing Technician cohort.

NYSI participants are briefed in a Philly Shipyard, Inc. cohort.

NYSI participants are briefed in a Philly Shipyard, Inc. cohort.

Graduates of the NYSI Tastkake cohort pose for a picture.

Graduates of the NYSI Tastkake cohort pose for a picture.

Participants of the NYSI Jefferson Health cohort attend a training session.

Participants of the NYSI Jefferson Health cohort attend a training session.

Graduates of a NYSI Philly Shipyard, Inc. cohort pose with Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon as she awards a $525,000 check to the NYSI.

Graduates of a NYSI Philly Shipyard, Inc. cohort pose with Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon as she awards a $525,000 check to the NYSI.

 

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Rhoads Industries Receives Funding to Bolster PA’s Manufacturing Industry

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Governor Tom Wolf made an announcement December 30, 2022, that Rhoads Industries, Inc. (Rhoads) is set to receive $400,000 in funding to help strengthen its workforce development program and meet the production needs it has at the Navy Yard.

Founded in 1896, Rhoads has grown from a small fabrication shop to a leader in industrial fabrication, installation, maintenance services and facilities for commercial and government customers. Rhoads maintains more than 300,000 square feet of industrial manufacturing facilities at the Navy Yard.

From the official press release:

Governor Tom Wolf announced $400,000 in funding for Rhoads Industries to bolster a program that brings awareness to careers and opportunities within the state’s manufacturing industry and supports companies in identifying and training a skilled workforce through targeted programs and service.

“It’s crucial that we make strong investments in programs like this one that bolster Pennsylvania’s manufacturing industry and help ensure its strong and vibrant future,” said Gov. Wolf. “This program through Rhoads Industries will help grow the workforce in the area and maintain a strong pipeline of skilled manufacturers for many years to come.”

Rhoads Industries was awarded $400,000 through Pennsylvania’s Manufacturing Training-to-Career (MTTC) program to enhance their regional workforce development program in southeastern Pennsylvania. The program, in partnership with the U.S. Navy Shipbuilding Industrial Task Force and the Project Executive Office of the Columbia Class Submarine program, will address pipelines and critical trade skills needed to further advance the U.S. Navy’s priorities of labor force recruitment, development, and retention.

“Rhoads Industries is thrilled to continue advancing and supporting the Navy’s mission of developing workforce growth in our Philadelphia facility,” said Trish Conti, Manager of Workforce Development, Rhoads Industries. “The extension of this program will greatly assist Rhoads and other critical suppliers in the region by accelerating significant trainings, establishing pipelines and creating a mechanism for ramping up the critical manufacturing infrastructure needed for Naval targeted growth”

Governor Wolf’s Manufacturing PA initiative was launched in October 2017 and since then has funded 87 projects and invested more than $18.4 million through the MTTC program.

Training-to-Career grants support projects that result in short-term work-readiness, job placement, or the advancement of manufacturing. The Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career Grant program works collaboratively with local manufacturers to identify and teach missing essential skills for entry-level applicants seeking manufacturing employment, engage youth or those with barriers to career opportunities in manufacturing, and or advance capacity for local or regional manufacturers.