A long-term commitment to Mississippi promised in 2005 has come to pass,
even if the route wasn’t quite the same…
...It was in the summer of 2005 that Barry Dreyfus of New Orleans-based
United States Marine Inc., talked to the Sun Herald about the company’s plan to
set up an operation in Mississippi at Pass Christian. It was to have two dozen
workers, and Dreyfus said it represented a long-term commitment to become a
part of Mississippi.
...A month after that interview, everything changed.
...Hurricane Katrina slammed South Mississippi and New Orleans, wiping out
USMI’s New Orleans facility and putting an end to plans for the facility in Pass
Christian. But USMI adjusted.
...Two weeks after the hurricane, USMI moved into a 100,000 square-foot
facility in Gulfport’s Bernard Bayou Industrial District, and in four months the
company was in full production. And the two dozen workers Mississippi was
going to get mushroomed to some 200 today.
...“We’ve been very happy. The workers are great,” said Dreyfus, president and
CEO of USMI, about the workers whose skills run the gamut, from engineers to
carpenters, laminators to electricians, welders to upholsterers and more.
...USMI has kept those workers busy, to say the least. Since moving to Gulfport
in September 2005, USMI has produced five different types of boats and a
grand total of 116 craft.
...And the future is looking bright.
...In May 2009, USMI was awarded a $61.6 million contract for the design and
construction of 10 Mark V Patrol Boats for the Kuwaiti Navy under the Foreign
Military Sales Program. The vessels, designed for coastal patrol, interdiction and
other special operations at sea, will keep USMI busy until June 2013.
Niche boatmaker
...USMI has carved a niche for itself in a part of the military/security industry
that appears destined to grow as threats move from conventional to
asymmetrical. While there will always be a market for large warships, there’s
also a growing interest in smaller, more flexible vessels in this country and
elsewhere .
...“Right now there’s a turning towards low intensity conflict. You don’t
necessarily need big destroyers or big weapons systems,” said Dreyfus, whose
company builds small, versatile, highly deployable boats. “That’s where, in my
personal opinion, warfare will go to in the future.”
...Every boat built by USMI is air deployable, with the exception of the 90-foot
Mark V.
...Making boats for warfare and security is a big change from the original aim of
the company. Founded in 1971, the company built racing sailboats for its first
16 years. Since 1987 the company has designed and built military, patrol and
special warfare boats ranging in length from 21 feet to 90 feet, constructed from
composites or aluminum.
...USMI today is capable of making 11 meter naval special warfare rigid
inflatable boats, riverine assault boats, 33-foot special operations riverine craft,
90-foot Mark V patrol boats and 48 foot VSVs. Customers include the Army
and Navy, U.S. Special Operations Command, Naval Sea Systems Command,
Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, Naval Oceanographic Office, U.S.
Customs Service, and more.
Gulfport operation
...The company’s Gulfport operation amounts to one-stop shopping for
customers. USMI designs, builds and tests in-house. It has space for lamination,
welding, electrical, outfitting, upholstery and painting. The facility connects to
the Intracoastal Waterway, Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of Mexico for a
variety of water conditions for trials and training.
...It was another contract more than four years ago that got USMI interested in
setting up an operation in Mississippi. The company in June 2005 was awarded
an $18.8 million contract to build three 89-foot composite hull Fast Patrol Boats
for Oman.
...USMI decided to set up a facility in Pass Christian for at least 25 employees.
Hulls and decks were to be made at the company’s operation in New Orleans,
and the engines, water jets, electronics and accommodations for 12 installed in
Pass Christian. The company had hoped to have the yard opened in January
2006.
...But the August hurricane destroyed the company’s East New Orleans yard,
pushing USMI to find a larger facility that could replace the New Orleans
operation. It found the ideal location in Gulfport.
...In Gulfport it has climate-controlled facilities for lamination and separate oven
for post curing epoxies, part of the advanced lamination processes used at
USMI. Also included are engineering offices, meeting rooms and customer
offices and training facilities.
...USMI has reopened an operation in New Orleans, and also leases additional
space from Trinity Yachts, both in Gulfport and New Orleans. Trinity Yachts is
helping USMI with the production side for the Kuwaiti vessels, and USMI is
doing the design and engineering.
...Dreyfus said other local companies will have role in the new contract.
...“Just to run a business, you need everything from a rag for a guy to wipe his
hands, to the aluminum to build the boat. We try to get everything here in South
Mississippi,” Dreyfus said.
...And that long-term commitment mentioned back in 2005?
...“I don’t see us leaving Mississippi,” said Dreyfus. - David Tortorano
October 2009
even if the route wasn’t quite the same…
...It was in the summer of 2005 that Barry Dreyfus of New Orleans-based
United States Marine Inc., talked to the Sun Herald about the company’s plan to
set up an operation in Mississippi at Pass Christian. It was to have two dozen
workers, and Dreyfus said it represented a long-term commitment to become a
part of Mississippi.
...A month after that interview, everything changed.
...Hurricane Katrina slammed South Mississippi and New Orleans, wiping out
USMI’s New Orleans facility and putting an end to plans for the facility in Pass
Christian. But USMI adjusted.
...Two weeks after the hurricane, USMI moved into a 100,000 square-foot
facility in Gulfport’s Bernard Bayou Industrial District, and in four months the
company was in full production. And the two dozen workers Mississippi was
going to get mushroomed to some 200 today.
...“We’ve been very happy. The workers are great,” said Dreyfus, president and
CEO of USMI, about the workers whose skills run the gamut, from engineers to
carpenters, laminators to electricians, welders to upholsterers and more.
...USMI has kept those workers busy, to say the least. Since moving to Gulfport
in September 2005, USMI has produced five different types of boats and a
grand total of 116 craft.
...And the future is looking bright.
...In May 2009, USMI was awarded a $61.6 million contract for the design and
construction of 10 Mark V Patrol Boats for the Kuwaiti Navy under the Foreign
Military Sales Program. The vessels, designed for coastal patrol, interdiction and
other special operations at sea, will keep USMI busy until June 2013.
Niche boatmaker
...USMI has carved a niche for itself in a part of the military/security industry
that appears destined to grow as threats move from conventional to
asymmetrical. While there will always be a market for large warships, there’s
also a growing interest in smaller, more flexible vessels in this country and
elsewhere .
...“Right now there’s a turning towards low intensity conflict. You don’t
necessarily need big destroyers or big weapons systems,” said Dreyfus, whose
company builds small, versatile, highly deployable boats. “That’s where, in my
personal opinion, warfare will go to in the future.”
...Every boat built by USMI is air deployable, with the exception of the 90-foot
Mark V.
...Making boats for warfare and security is a big change from the original aim of
the company. Founded in 1971, the company built racing sailboats for its first
16 years. Since 1987 the company has designed and built military, patrol and
special warfare boats ranging in length from 21 feet to 90 feet, constructed from
composites or aluminum.
...USMI today is capable of making 11 meter naval special warfare rigid
inflatable boats, riverine assault boats, 33-foot special operations riverine craft,
90-foot Mark V patrol boats and 48 foot VSVs. Customers include the Army
and Navy, U.S. Special Operations Command, Naval Sea Systems Command,
Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, Naval Oceanographic Office, U.S.
Customs Service, and more.
Gulfport operation
...The company’s Gulfport operation amounts to one-stop shopping for
customers. USMI designs, builds and tests in-house. It has space for lamination,
welding, electrical, outfitting, upholstery and painting. The facility connects to
the Intracoastal Waterway, Mississippi Sound and the Gulf of Mexico for a
variety of water conditions for trials and training.
...It was another contract more than four years ago that got USMI interested in
setting up an operation in Mississippi. The company in June 2005 was awarded
an $18.8 million contract to build three 89-foot composite hull Fast Patrol Boats
for Oman.
...USMI decided to set up a facility in Pass Christian for at least 25 employees.
Hulls and decks were to be made at the company’s operation in New Orleans,
and the engines, water jets, electronics and accommodations for 12 installed in
Pass Christian. The company had hoped to have the yard opened in January
2006.
...But the August hurricane destroyed the company’s East New Orleans yard,
pushing USMI to find a larger facility that could replace the New Orleans
operation. It found the ideal location in Gulfport.
...In Gulfport it has climate-controlled facilities for lamination and separate oven
for post curing epoxies, part of the advanced lamination processes used at
USMI. Also included are engineering offices, meeting rooms and customer
offices and training facilities.
...USMI has reopened an operation in New Orleans, and also leases additional
space from Trinity Yachts, both in Gulfport and New Orleans. Trinity Yachts is
helping USMI with the production side for the Kuwaiti vessels, and USMI is
doing the design and engineering.
...Dreyfus said other local companies will have role in the new contract.
...“Just to run a business, you need everything from a rag for a guy to wipe his
hands, to the aluminum to build the boat. We try to get everything here in South
Mississippi,” Dreyfus said.
...And that long-term commitment mentioned back in 2005?
...“I don’t see us leaving Mississippi,” said Dreyfus. - David Tortorano
October 2009
Shipbuilding
USMI building special boats for niche
USMI building special boats for niche
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