The future is now : BIW shipyard looks to cut costs to win major Coast Guard contract

Bath Iron Works is trying to lower its production costs to be competitive with other shipyards in trying to win the U.S. Coast Guard contract to build up to 25 offshore patrol cutters. General Dynamics, BIW’s Falls Church, VA-based owner has already invested in shipyard improvements, including a Trades Learning Center, which helps train the new shipbuilders expected to replace the 40% of its current workforce who will be retiring within the next 10 years. Outsourcing components that are found at a cheaper price than BIW can make themselves is another solution, however Jay Wadleigh, president of Local S6 of the Machinists Union at BIW, questions that outsourcing will lower costs. The union will either accept, reject, or make a counter proposal of the company’s outsourcing proposal by January 30, 2015