Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC), a member of the Lockheed Martin Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) team, continues to enhance its facilities to support the U.S. Navy’s LCS program.

In March, MMC broke ground for an expansion to nearly double the size of its main indoor ship construction building. The groundbreaking marked the latest in a recent series of investments made by the shipyard’s parent company, Fincantieri, as part of its five-year, $100 million plan to modernize its U.S shipbuilding operations and support the LCS program.

Since then, construction has progressed with site excavation, foundation construction and preparation for concrete pouring later this month.

This phase of improvement will nearly double production square footage for MMC’s two large construction bays and allow the shipyard to construct LCS more cost effectively. For contracts such as the LCS, MMC will be able to have two complete hulls and parts for two other ships completely indoors at one time. The building enhancements also allow higher levels of pre-outfitting for MMC’s proven modular construction process.

“This is a terrific investment by Fincantieri and represents the commitment they’re willing to make to continue quality shipbuilding at Marinette Marine,” said Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin following the March groundbreaking ceremony. “It’s an investment in the men and women employed there, in the community that is so supportive of this company, and in their ability to give the Navy a well-built LCS at a competitive price.”

In the first phase of the investment program, the shipyard installed higher-capacity overhead cranes, plasma-cutting tables and pipe-bending machines to increase efficiency and capacity.  In the third phase of improvements, the facility will strategically improve its panel line production facility and construct a new blasting and paint building.

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