Bluefin kicks off construction of new facility

28th July 2010 - 12:33 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

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Bluefin Robotics a world leader in the design and manufacture of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), is pleased to announce that the company has officially begun work on building a 54,000-square-foot facility in the Quincy Shipyard. The company plans to relocate there in the fall.

To support the renovation, 28 subcontracts were awarded to various trades to refurbish the aging building for AUV development, production and testing. All subcontracts were a result of a competitive bid process held by the company's construction manager, Commodore Builders. Additional meetings were held between Bluefin's senior management and representatives from the electrical, plumbing and pipefitters unions to address specific concerns regarding the bidding process and solicitations. Overall, bidders were evaluated on quality of work, price, and schedule. Twenty-four of the subcontractors are union shops and these subcontracts represent 74 percent of the total subcontracted value.

"I am pleased that many of the jobs were awarded to companies employing union workers. It was clear that all the contracted companies were eager to provide quality services at an excellent value," said David P. Kelly, President and CEO of Bluefin Robotics.

Bluefin's move to Quincy doubles the high-tech company's space, and for the first time, merges operations under one roof. The new location provides the Cambridge-based firm with direct access to the ocean for marine operations, which is currently conducted in East Boston. The move will co-locate engineering, production and marine operations functions, streamlining testing and demonstration phases of the business.

Source: Bluefin

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