US Senator Blumenthal and Congressman Larson (CT1) Governor Lamont and LT Governor Bysiewicz to Participate in Birdon USA Portland, CT Manufacturing Facility Opening
When/ Where:
Friday September 9, 2022, 10:45 am
Birdon USA Portland Boatyard
54 Riverview Street, Portland CT
Senator Blumenthal and Congressman Larson (CT1), Governor Lamont and LT Governor Bysiewicz, will tour the facility and the 47’ Motor Lifeboat (MLB) U.S. Coast Guard rescue vessels in the process of refurbishment with Birdon leadership and U.S Coast Guard Rear Admiral Chad Jacoby.
Immediately after the tour there will be an opening ceremony with remarks from them. The opening ceremony will have about 100 participants.
After the ceremony, Birdon will hold a supplier briefing for regional advanced manufacturing companies. It is expected about 40 local companies will be at the event to hear what Birdon, both in USA and Australia, needs for components and meet the company’s Procurement team.
Media is welcome to video and photo the tour, including the vessels, along with the opening ceremony.
Pull aside interviews can be arranged with the visitors along with the Birdon leadership, Portland town officials, and supply chain company participants.
About Birdon
Established in 1977 in New South Wales, Australia, Birdon is a family-owned group of companies. The Birdon Group (Birdon) consists of Birdon America, NAMJet (North American Marine Jet), and Birdon Australia. It is a diversified global group providing whole of life solutions to the maritime, military, infrastructure, and resource sectors. They are experts in project management and delivery through its business divisions including Marine, Dredging, and Disposals.
Birdon expanded to the U.S. in 2009, where it has four core business divisions: ship building, repair, engineering, and marine propulsion. The Birdon Group’s USA head office (HQ) is in Denver, CO. Birdon currently employs 200 personnel throughout the USA. In addition to Portland, CT they have USA facilities in Denver and Bellingham, WA.
In April 2022, the company paid $5.3 million for two marina properties totaling 31 acres along the Connecticut River in Portland. The company is deciding on further investment up to $10 million in the next three years for the expansion and refurbishment of the run-down site and river front property. The facility will remain a working marina serving Portland and Middletown, CT. The riverfront and buildings will be expanded and upgraded to accommodate the dry docking, refurbishment, and relaunching of the U.S. Coast Guard 47’ Motor Lifeboat (MLB) rescue vessels. Under the U.S. Coast Guard’s 10 year, $220 million “service life extension program” contract Birdon will completely engineer, procure, and refurbish up to 117 rescue vessels. Of the 117, 50+ of the vessels (based on the Atlantic side of the USA) will be done in Portland. The Pacific boats are being refurbished in Bellingham WA.
The 47’ MLB is designed to perform mission activities in adverse weather and sea conditions. Its primary mission is surf/heavy weather SAR, but it is designed to support multi-mission operations and it is capable of speeds up to 25 knots. The 47’ MLB’s mission profile is to safely conduct Search and Rescue (SAR) missions and to do so even in high surf and heavy weather conditions. Its secondary missions require the MLB to support Marine Safety, Ports Waterway and Coastal Security (PWCS), Drug Interdiction, Migrant Interdiction, Defense Readiness, Aids to Navigation (ATON) and Waterways Management, Marine Environmental Protection, Living Marine Resources (LMR), and Other Law Enforcement.
In Denver, CO the company has a multiyear contract to supply the U.S. Army “Bridge Erection Boats (BEB)” which provide propulsion, maneuvering thrust, and anchoring to the Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) bays to support tactical float bridge and rafting operations worldwide. Their versatility allows them to provide short-term anchorage, diving support missions, troop transport, personnel and equipment recovery., construction support overwater, and meet emergency flood and rescue use requirements. There will be one of these vessels on site with demonstrations on the river.
Birdon has retained 14 of the Marina employees, this is all of them but the owners, and has further hired 12 to date with an additional 36 to 48 persons to be hired in the next 12 months. The company is working with the local and state workforce development organizations to recruit local staff.
The first U.S. Coast Guard vessel arrived in Portland on August 22nd and is in the process of refurbishment.
For Further Information or to schedule an interview with Birdon leadership or “Pull Aside” during the event please contact:
Anne Evans
860 983 0524
