NEWS - Manufacturing

SBJ Staff Report

Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas, based in Lake Mary, Fl., is making good progress on the first of two phases of construction at the company’s new manufacturing and offices facility at Savannah’s “supersite” at the intersection of Interstate 16 and Interstate 95 in Pooler.

In the first phase of construction nearing completion, H.J. High of Orlando and Batson-Cook Construction from Atlanta set up a joint venture and received the $23 million construction award to build a 150,000 square-foot machinery manufacturing facility, called Bay 1 and Bay 2, and 30,000 square feet of office space, both slated for completion by the first week of October.

Tom Thrasher with Batson-Cook is the project manager for the joint venture, and confirms that everything is on track to meet that deadline.  The Austin Company from Cleveland, OH., was selected by the two general contractors for all architectural work, both interior and exterior, and they in turn hired Hussey, Gay, Bell & DeYoung of Savannah for all engineering work on the site.  Gary Shuman is the project manager for Hussey, Gay, Bell & DeYoung.

“We did the grading, drainage, paving and all water and sewer outside the building,” for Phase 1 explained Shuman. His company was also selected by The Austin Company to do the engineering for Phase Two of construction which includes Bay 6 and a new rail spur.  They have completed their portion of the engineering work for both phases, according to Shuman.

Phase Two – Bay 6 and a mile of new rail line – is set to be completed by April 2011, according to Thrasher.

Shannon Kirby, head of Building Inspections for the City of Pooler, concurs that all permits are on track for Phase One’s completion by early October  The site is in Pooler, and oversight of construction is that city's responsibility. The City of Savannah, however, will supply the water and sewer services for the site.

Mitsubishi Power Systems is building on 119 acres of the 1,500 acre supersite (eight percent of total site), and has been awarded a $30 million tax credit for moving to Georgia.  By this fall, the Phase One completion will allow the company to begin to manufacture turbine combustor components. 
Mitsubishi has previously announced that they planned to have hired 200 people to occupy the new building including engineers, trades people and administrative staff.  As of February 2010, there were 20 people working at the company’s temporary offices and warehouse in Richmond Hill.

Phase Two includes a 75,000 sqare-foot manufacturing bay for the new facility, valued at $16.9 million.  The manufacturing wing will stand 800 feet long by 109 feet wide and 75 feet tall, and the Bay 6 area will also have recessed pits to secure heavy machinery.  Two overhead cranes will be installed, as well as the one-mile rail spur along the property with access to the local rail and the Port of Savannah.

This phase will allow Mitsubishi to repair and upgrade steam and gas turbine parts for utilities such as Georgia Power.

In the third phase of investment by Mitsubishi, the company will manufacture and assemble the next generation of high-efficiency low emission gas turbines. When completed, the company will produce gas turbines that are six times larger than a 747-passenger plane and generate enough electricity to serve 100,000 people.  No dates have been announced for the beginning of Phase Three construction, but the company estimates that by 2015 there will be a total of 500 employees at the site.

The hiring that began in February included support from Georgia’s Quick Start program, including training on the assembly and service of turbines.