Kvaerner Philadelphia Places $60 Million Worth Of Supply Orders

Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard, part of the Anglo-Norwegian engineering and construction group, to date, has placed supply orders for nearly $60 million with local and regional businesses in and around Philadelphia for ship construction materials and services.

Additional amounts are spent regularly with local suppliers to support the shipyard's daily operations.

"This is evidence that the promises made to tax-payers in 1998 are now starting to have a real impact in the community," said Ron McAlear, newly appointed President & CEO of the Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard. "We're in the process of establishing a strong supplier network that can service the yard in the years to come.

Work on the construction of the yards' first ship - a container vessel - started at the end of March this year. The first ship is being built by Kvaerner for later sale into the market place and will also be used as an extension of the employee training program.

Construction and development work of the yard now nears completion and the facility currently employs a total staff of 400.