Mount Vernon, Indiana
Overview
BWXT Nuclear Operations Group, Inc.'s (BWXT NOG) facility in Mount Vernon is located at the southwestern tip of Indiana, 18 miles west of Evansville. The plant’s location, high on the banks of the Ohio River at the hub of the inland waterways, facilitates the economical shipment of heavy metal products to destinations around the world.
Situated on a 100-acre site, our facility has 600,000 square feet of shop area and a 1,000-ton lift capacity from the shop to the river. The Mount Vernon facility utilizes very large CNC machine tools along with sophisticated welding and heat-treating equipment to produce components for naval nuclear reactors, which are used in submarines and aircraft carriers.
Examples of heavy components produced here include pressure vessels, heat exchangers, pressurizers and steam generators. Operating under stringent quality programs, our employees provide exceptional value for our customers.
Mission
Mount Vernon meets our customers' exacting standards by developing innovative solutions and executing efficient processes. We produce affordable, high-quality components and services in a safe, secure and flexible work environment, which helps ensure a rewarding future for our employees and BWXT as a whole.
Recent Accomplishments
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Manufactured more than 100 heavy components for commercial nuclear power generation and for the federal government.
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Saw continuous improvements in all facets of our business thanks to Lean Six Sigma.
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Made significant investments in state-of-the-art machine tools.
Future
BWXT NOG continues to focus on providing customers with on-time delivery of high-quality, affordable products and services. We have recently completed a three-year, multimillion-dollar capital and hiring campaign to expand our capabilities and capacities. This effective integration of engineering strength and advanced, state-of-the-art manufacturing systems will further provide customers, employees and our community with top-quality products, growth opportunities and positive business conditions for years to come.
Infrastructure
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The main manufacturing bay of the Mount Vernon facility is serviced by two 500-ton cranes, which extend over a barge dock on the Ohio River. With 1,000 tons of combined lift capacity, these cranes are accessible to ocean-going barges; they allow us to send heavy components to destinations around the globe.
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Recent and ongoing upgrades to our equipment capabilities have included multiple, large, full-contouring CNC horizontal and vertical machining centers, large gantry robotic welding centers and state-of-the-art support equipment for machining and welding.
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The Mount Vernon facility has heavy haul truck access and rail access to both its dock facility and the manufacturing areas of the plant.
Engineering Capabilities
- Applied Mechanics
- Fluid Mechanics/Heat Transfer Processes
- Metallurgy/Materials Engineering
- Welding/Robotics Engineering
- Integrated CAD/CAM Computer Systems
- R&D Programs focused on product improvement
Manufacturing Capabilities
- Various automatic, manual and robotic welding equipment and processes to support capabilities in carbon, alloy, ferritic and austenitic stainless steels, aluminum, inconel and copper alloys
- Precision machining
- Computer-controlled furnaces for heat treating and annealing
- Specialized non-destructive examination equipment for radiographic, ultrasonic, eddy current, magnetic particle, remote visual, dye penetrant and hydrostatic testing
- Portable laser tracker coordinate measuring equipment and various touch probe inspection capabilities.
- Heavy lift cranes
- Large multi-axis gantry robots
Workforce
- More than 340 people are employed at the Mount Vernon facility.
- Our Mount Vernon location boasts in-plant facilities for welding certification.
Community Impact
Our company has a long history of contributing, both financially and through volunteer support, to many local charities and civic organizations. These include local United Way, Red Cross, Relay for Life, local Chambers of Commerce, various educational/scholarship programs and other community-based initiatives.