NCFD Fireboat dedication and demonstration

The North Charleston Fire Department (NCFD) dedicated and demonstrated the Lowcountry's first fireboat at North Charleston's 4th of July Festival.

The 32ft purpose-built fireboat was named in memory of Retired North Charleston Fire Chief W. Frank New who lead the department from 1973 to 1985.  The fireboat joined the NCFD fleet as "NCFD Marine 1."

The fireboat, model FireStorm 32, was built by Metal Craft Marine in Kingston, Ontario.  It is powered by dual Cummins diesel engines, each rated at 480 horsepower, which were manufactured at the Cummins Turbo Technologies facility on Leeds Avenue in North Charleston, SC. Its top speed is 43 knots or nearly 50 MPH and can pump more than 2,000 gallons of water per minute through 4 water monitors mounted on the roof, bow and two on the aft deck.



The fireboat can traverse and operate in very shallow water due to its shallow draft and jet drive configuration.  The aft deck provides an oversized dive platform/recovery deck, which provides water level working space for deployment and recovery. The cabin is equipped with VHF, radar integrated with GPS, infrared capabilities and high output scene and spot lights for night operations.

The fireboat dedication was part of North Charleston's 4th of July Festival, which boasts a full day of top level musical entertainment and family and children activities.  The Festival concluded with the largest show of fireworks in the State of South Carolina.

North Charleston Fire Department to dedicate and demonstrate area’s first fireboat at 4th of July Festival

The North Charleston Fire Department (NCFD) will dedicate the Lowcountry’s first fireboat at North Charleston’s 4th of July Festival with a short ceremony on Wednesday, July 4, 2012 at 3:00pm along the Cooper River at Riverfront Park. NCFD will showcase the fireboat’s capabilities immediately after the ceremony.

The 32ft purpose-built fireboat will be named in honor of Retired North Charleston Fire Chief W. Frank New who lead the department from 1973 to 1985. The fireboat will join the NCFD fleet as “NCFD Marine 1.”

The fireboat, model FireStorm 32, was built by Metal Craft Marine in Kingston, Ontario. It is powered by dual Cummins diesel engines, each rated at 480 horsepower, which were manufactured at the Cummins Turbo Technologies facility on Leeds Avenue in North Charleston, SC. Its top speed is 43 knots or nearly 50 MPH and can pump more than 2,000 gallons of water per minute through 4 water monitors mounted on the roof, bow and two on the aft deck.

The fireboat can traverse and operate in very shallow water due to its shallow draft and jet drive configuration. The aft deck provides an oversized dive platform/recovery deck, which provides water level working space for deployment and recovery. The cabin is equipped with VHF, radar integrated with GPS, infrared capabilities and high output scene and spot lights for night operations.

The fireboat dedication is part of North Charleston’s 4th of July Festival, which boasts a full day of top level musical entertainment and family and children activities. The Festival concludes with the largest show of fireworks in the State of South Carolina.

Cummins Turbo Technologies expanding in North Charleston, $19.5 million investment expected to create 76 new jobs

Cummins Inc. is expanding its Turbo Technologies operations in North Charleston with a $19.5 million investment that is expected to generate 76 jobs.

Cummins Turbo Technologies, which designs and manufactures turbochargers for diesel engines, is adding a new building and expanding its office space at its campus in the Palmetto Commercial Park in North Charleston. As part of the expansion, Cummins is building a 125,000-square-foot warehouse. Another 10,000 square feet of new office space will be added to the existing building and 10,000 square feet of existing space will be renovated.

“We are excited about the chance to expand in Charleston County. South Carolina has provided an excellent environment in which to do business, and this expansion will help us to better serve our customers. We appreciate all the support we’ve received from state and local officials,” said Cummins Turbo Technologies Plant Manager Willis Pugh.

“It’s another great day in South Carolina when a company like Cummins Turbo Technologies chooses to expand here. We celebrate the company’s $19.5 million investment and the 76 new jobs they will create in North Charleston. South Carolina’s business-friendly climate continues to attract job-creating investments like this one,” said Gov. Nikki Haley.

Cummins Turbo Technologies opened its first Charleston area manufacturing plant in 1989, operating under the name Holset Engineering until 2006. The company previously announced an expansion at the plant in July 2008. The current expansion is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter.

“Cummins has had a presence in the Lowcountry for a number of years and it’s exciting to see them grow in Charleston. We continue to see manufacturers across the state expand and create new jobs. Today’s announcement builds on that trend,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt.

Since January, South Carolina recruited more than $2 billion in investment and more than 3,000 new jobs in the manufacturing sector.

“Our heartiest congratulations go out today to Cummins on this fabulous expansion project,” said Charleston County Council Chairman Teddie E. Pryor. “Cummins and Charleston County have written three decades of great business history together, and we welcome this expansion of the Turbo Technologies campus, which we know will create great synergies and keep the North Charleston operation globally competitive. Our hats are off to the Cummins management and workforce today, and you will always find a partner in Charleston County.”

“The expansion of Cummins Turbo Technologies in Palmetto Commerce Park gives us confidence that the City of North Charleston and the greater Charleston region remains a ripe environment for businesses to flourish. We applaud Cummins’ success as an industry leader and are thankful for the sizable capital investment and new jobs that our community will receive,” said North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey.

Hiring for the new positions will be handled by Malace International. Anyone interested in applying for a job should e-mail Bryan Stewart at bryan@malacehr.com.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved a set aside grant for $150,000.

About Cummins
Cummins Inc., a global power leader, is a corporation of complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute and service engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, (USA) Cummins employs approximately 44,000 people worldwide and serves customers in approximately 190 countries and territories through a network of more than 600 company-owned and independent distributor locations and approximately 6,500 dealer locations. Cummins earned $1.85 billion on sales of $18.0 billion in 2011. Press releases can be found on the Web at www.cummins.com.

Cummins Inc. announces expansion of test facilities

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Cummins Inc. announced today an investment of $24 million over three years to expand the research and development capabilities at its technical center in North Charleston, S.C.

The Cummins Technical Center will be capable of running a variety of engines and test a wide range of fuels. Plans call for hiring 31 new engineers, mechanical technicians and electrical technicians immediately with more potential hires in the future.

"The expansion nearly doubles capacity at this site with state-of-the-art facilities to enable testing on diesel, pipe line natural gas and non standard gas engines and help the Company in its drive to be the innovation leader in the industry," said Jim Trueblood, Vice President -- High Horsepower Engineering. "We are excited to be able to partner with the State of South Carolina and expand our testing facilities right here in North Charleston."

"A package put together by state and local officials, access to a skilled workforce and community amenities capable of drawing skilled workers in the future all played an important role in our decision," said Gary Johnson, Operations Manager, Cummins Technical Center, "Having a company facility that could be renovated was an important factor as well."

Representatives of Charleston County and the City of North Charleston participated in today's announcement. "As one of Charleston County's most long-standing corporate citizens, Cummins has been a major employer in our community for the past 30 years," said Teddie Pryor, Chairman of Charleston County Council.

"This exciting news concerning the growth of the Technical Center in North Charleston is a gratifying testimonial to the company's faith in our workforce," Pryor added.

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said: "We thank Cummins Technical Center for their continued commitment to doing business in North Charleston. Cummins' research and development facility is a catalyst to our advancing high tech economy."

The Charleston Regional Development Alliance hosted the event. "Smart companies like Cummins are using innovation as a key driver of economic growth and we're pleased to celebrate their continued investment in our community," said CRDA Chairman R.M. Singletary.

Cummins is proud to be a valued employer and partner in the Charleston area and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the City of North Charleston, Charleston County and the State of South Carolina.

About Cummins

Cummins Inc., a global power leader, is a corporation of complementary business units that design, manufacture, distribute and service engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions and electrical power generation systems. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, (USA) Cummins employs approximately 40,000 people worldwide and serves customers in approximately 190 countries and territories through a network of more than 600 company-owned and independent distributor locations and approximately 6,000 dealer locations. Cummins earned $1.0 billion on sales of $13.2 billion in 2010. Press releases can be found on the Web at http://cummins.com .