MANAGEMENT ON THE MOVE
LOCATIONS
LAND
19 Jun 09. £28m investment at Airbus factory. Plane-maker Airbus has been awarded a £28m grant from the assembly government to ensure the future of hi-tech wing production in Flintshire. The money will be ploughed into the Broughton plant, creating a new centre to develop composite wing production.
10 Jun 09. Insitu, Inc. announced today the official opening of its Insitu Pacific office in Queensland, Australia. Insitu Pacific is
the first international expansion of the rapidly growing provider of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and services and will serve the Asia Pacific region. (Source: ASD Network)
16 Jun 09. The U.S. Army today announced that it will transfer the first 10 installations under the Army’s Privatization of Army Lodging (PAL) program on August 15, 2009. The transfer is a reinforcement of the U.S. Army’s commitment to improving its transient lodging to enhance the quality of life of soldiers and their families. Actus Lend Lease will perform the redevelopment of the lodging facilities and lodging operations will be assumed by the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Most of the Army Lodging employees affected by the transfer will receive offers of employment from IHG. Retained employees will have their Army Lodging employment honored as IHG service time. Seven of the ten affected Army lodging general managers have accepted IHG positions. The 10 Group A installations are: Fort Rucker, Ala.; Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; Fort Riley, Kan.; Fort Polk, La.; Fort Sill, Okla.; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz.; Fort Myer, Va.; Fort Shafter / Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii. Upon transfer of the lodging rooms, the project will begin correcting commercial code noncompliance issues and overhauling the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems of the existing inventory. These renovations and the conversion of five hotels to Holiday Inn Express hotels will be complete within the first two years. The end-state portfolio of hotels will be a mix of well recognized and well respected IHG brands such as: Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, and Holiday Inn Express, and renovated historic facilities. Enhanced guest services including complimentary breakfasts, pet-friendly rooms, and the IHG Priority Club frequent-stay program will start upon transfer. Through the PAL program, the Army has engaged the private sector to manage, build, renovate, maintain and operate transient lodging on Army installations. The program is modeled after the Army’s successful privatized family housing program, the Residential Communities Initiative (RCI).
MARITIME
Jun 09. Regeneration of Naval Base’s accommodation moves forward. A project to regenerate accommodation for sailors and marines at HM Naval Base Clyde has taken a step forward with the demolition of the final original housing block, which was built over 40 years ago. The £125m Neptune Regeneration Project at the Faslane base will see over 2000 maritime Service personnel moving into new cabins and has involved demolishing all the original buildings to make way for the new housing. Many of the housing blocks were demolished early in the regeneration programme, but one – the Furse block – was hard up against a road and in between newer buildings, making its demolition extremely difficult. It was demolished piece by piece using equipment with a hydraulically operated steel jaw that can break concrete and lift steel clear of the site without damaging the surrounding buildings.
15 Jun 09. General Dynamics NASSCO delivered the second ship of its State-class of product carriers to USS Products Investor, a shipbuilding joint venture led by the Blackstone Group. The ship is named Pelican State, the state nickname of Louisiana. NASSCO began constructing the Pelican State in August 2007. At a length of 600.4 feet (183 meters), the double-hulled ship has a cargo capacity of approximately 33