As promised, shipyard uses its foundry facilities to destroy guns Updated: March 3, 2008 03:47 PM EST Northrop Grumman employee Kevin Forrest loaded weapons into an induction furnace for melting in support of a Newport News Police Department initiative to reduce the number of guns in the Hampton Roads area. Higher Resolution Image Northrop Grumman employee Katie Farris was one of several volunteers who dismantled the weapons before they were melted in the foundry's induction furnace. Higher Resolution Image Go to the WAVY Blogs and blog this topic As promised, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Newport News used its foundry facilities on Saturday to destroy hundreds of guns taken off the streets during an extremely successful buyback program conducted by the Newport News Police Department. They issued the following news release describing the destruction: Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) used its foundry in Newport News, Va., to melt more than 1,200 weapons on March 1 in support of a Newport News Police Department initiative to reduce the number of guns in the Hampton Roads area. Volunteers from Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding participated in the weapons destruction program. They dismantled various guns and knives that were either seized by police or turned in during a recent weapons buy-back program. Once the weapons were dismantled, they were loaded into an induction furnace for melting. The furnace, which is typically used to make steel castings for aircraft carriers and submarines, reached temperatures of up to 2,800 degrees and melted the weapons in about eight hours. The molten metal generated was transferred from the furnace to a ladle. An overhead crane carried the ladle to a pouring station where workers poured the molten metal into molds. Northrop Grumman plans to use the molds to cast a propeller for the USS Monitor replica on display at the Mariners' Museum in Newport News. "I, along with the entire department, greatly appreciate the assistance that Northrop Grumman has provided in this and many other crime fighting efforts," said Newport News Police Chief James D. Fox. "We look forward to continue working together to make Newport News a safe city." "We were pleased to support this worthwhile cause," said Bob Gunter, vice president of operations at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. "This project continues our strong partnership with the police department and with our community. Our employees spend a great deal of their time volunteering here at Newport News and at our Gulf Coast shipyards, and this is just another great example of how they respond when our community needs support." The foundry was established in 1856 and was purchased in 1902 by the shipyard. Since then, it has produced quality castings for hundreds of commercial and U.S. Navy ships and has also supported hydro-electric projects like the Hoover Dam. It is capable of producing eight million pounds of castings annually, weighing from one pound to 70,000 pounds. The foundry encompasses approximately 11 acres and is the largest foundry on the East Coast. http://www.wavy.com/Global/story.asp...av=menu45_2_10
Re: As promised, shipyard uses its foundry facilities to des I'm sure the subjects in Newport News feel very safe now . . .
