Wärtsilä extends service centre in USA

Wärtsilä Corporation has inaugurated a new extension to its service centre in Chesapeake, Virginia, USA. The building provides increased capacity for propeller repairs and water jet assembly, while creating a service centre for repair and overhaul of engines, propulsion equipment and shaft seals.

The principal customers for the new service centre are the US Navy, US Coast Guard and US Military Sealift Command. The service centre is also well located to serve a number of commercial shipyards, repair yards and commercial vessel and the extended premises have ample capacity to provide the wider scope of services to customers.

At present, there are 86 employees working at the Chesapeake facility, of which 29 are in the new premises. The numbers of employees will increase further as business expands over the coming years.

Wärtsilä gives top priority to quality in all its work, products and services. Thus, all new employees at Chesapeake are trained on site and at programs conducted by the US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). Wärtsilä is ISO 9001 certified, and the Chesapeake workshop uses NAVSEA-approved procedures. US Government Quality Assurance Review (QAR) is present on site too.

The new premises at Chesapeake comprise 1,950 m2 of workshop and 820 m2 of offices thus adding 102 % to the existing workshop which has a floor area of 1,900 m2. The combined production facilities total 4,670 m2 and are equipped with 7 overhead cranes from 10 to 55 tons, milling and drilling machines, lathe, hydraulic press, balance machine, propeller wrenching area and dye penetrant and quality checks areas.