Jun 13 2007
General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics, will establish assembly operations for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles in Anniston and Oxford, Ala., and beginning mid-June will increase employment there by 270. In addition, General Dynamics will invest approx. $2.6 million in capital improvements to the facilities.
The main production site for assembly of MRAP vehicles will employ 220 new workers in an 80,000 square-foot leased portion of a BR Williams-owned building in Oxford. A supporting production site in Building 169, on Anniston Army Depot, will employ 50 new workers. General Dynamics Land Systems currently employs 240 workers on the depot building Fox and Stryker combat vehicles.
The assembly operations are being created to support a $244.5 million work order awarded on April 30 by Force Protection, Inc. (Nasdaq: FRPT) to assist with the production of 1,000 vehicles for the U.S. Marine Corps' Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle program. Force Protection and General Dynamics have formed a joint venture, Force Dynamics, to share in the production and program management of the contract. The Alabama sites will add production capacity for Force Protection's Category I 4x4 and Category II 6x6 Cougar vehicles.
Anniston Army Depot will partner with General Dynamics and perform a share of the MRAP work. General Dynamics also contracted with BR Williams to operate a warehouse in Oxford to support the new production operations.
General Dynamics currently employs approximately 700 workers throughout Alabama. These new positions will increase total General Dynamics employment in the state to nearly 1,000.