Bird-Johnson Building New $5-Million Facility To Machine Blades

Bird-Johnson Company, Walpole, Mass., has begun construction of a $5-million blade-machining facility to convert bronze castings into finished marine propeller blades. The announcement was made by Howard H. Scott, chairman and chief executive officer, at a cornerstone-laying ceremony.

Mr. Scott said: "The expansion will provide increased employment in the Walpole area. It will also allow us to reduce transportation and production costs while ensuring a quality product in any quantity needed by the U.S. Navy —now or in the future." Startup is planned for March 1981, with the facility being fully operational before the end of the year. The addition represents a significant development of Bird- Johnson's manufacturing capability.

The new center will contain processes involving machining, welding, and small-hole drilling by electrical discharge machining (EDM), as well as inspection stations.

It will be housed in a single building approximately 75 feet by 204 feet that has high- and lowbay work areas and a facility support area. Three major metal-cutting machines will be used: a horizontal boring mill, a three-axis computer - numerically - controlled (CNC) profile milling machine, and a large gantry-type, five-axis CNC profile milling machine.

Bird-Johnson Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of A.

Johnson & Company, Inc. It also manufactures thrusters, hydraulic actuators, and low-speed, hightorque hydraulic motors. A. Johnson is a privately held company with annual sales of about $800 million and facilities throughout the United States.

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 45, Nov 15, 1980

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First published in 1881 Maritime Reporter is the world's largest audited circulation publication serving the global maritime industry.