The U.S. Department of Transportation (Maritime Administration) has announced that Ellicott Dredges, LLC of Baltimore, Md. has won a grant for $1.75m to help finance capacity expansion for manufacturing dredgers. Ellicott's project, entitled "Efficient Dredge Building," will create and retain over 20 jobs and will increase Ellicott's crane capacity and modernize its machining capabilities. It will also help pay for modern welding equipment and state-of-the-art IT systems for manufacturing and engineering.
Ellicott is among 70 successful award winners out of almost 500 applicants under a MARAD program to promote productivity at leading U.S. shipyards. Ellicott, the largest U.S. dredge builder, was the only dredge supplier to receive a MARAD award.
The modernization of Ellicott's Baltimore plant will complement its brand new dredge building facility in Wisconsin. Director of Manufacturing Robb Thomas added that Ellicott will now use its new 3-D design software (Solidworks) via direct interface between design engineers and factory floor, and between plant locations as well, to minimize dredge construction time.