HYDE-SMITH ANNOUNCES $22 MILLION TO SUPPORT PASCAGOULA FOUNDRY
Dept. of Defense Invests in Maintaining the Only Privately-Owned Foundry in the Nation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today announced a $22 million federal investment to maintain the Rolls-Royce Naval Foundry and Machining Center in Pascagoula.
The Defense Department funding agreement with Rolls-Royce is intended to maintain and expand the foundry, which produces propellers and main propulsion systems for U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and commercial vessels. The Pascagoula foundry is the nation’s only privately-owned foundry capable of casting large propulsor systems to the Navy’s standard.
“This award will help build the capability and capacity of the Rolls-Royce foundry for our national security needs. The investment emphasizes the importance of this Mississippi facility in strengthening the American shipbuilding industrial base,” Hyde-Smith said. “With these improvements, the foundry will increase its ability to cast and finish large propellers to meet the Navy’s quality standards.”
The investment is associated with CARES Act funding provided to the U.S. Department of Defense for Title III Defense Production Act activities. The award to the Mississippi foundry will support installation of state-of-the-art machine tools, which will compliment a planned expansion of foundry by Rolls-Royce.
According to the Defense Department, work on this endeavor will begin this month and extend over 36 months.
The Jackson County Economic Development Foundation, Jackson County Board of Supervisors, area legislators, and Mississippi Development Authority have worked actively to sustain and expand the Pascagoula location.
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