Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Inc. recently began an expansion at its Pascagoula, MS, foundry, planned to improve manufacturing capabilities and efficiencies in the production of various marine propellers and submarine propulsors.

The new, 18,000-ft² facility will have 15,000 ft² of manufacturing space. Inside will be a new 10-meter gantry milling machine for machining propellers up to 8 m diam. The new facilities and equipment will speed the machining process up to three time faster than the current rate, Rolls-Royce says.

"The expansion of this facility demonstrates our commitment to our customers," said Patrick J. Marolda, president of Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Inc. "We wanted to provide better products faster -- to be better able to compete -- and upgrading and streamlining our manufacturing in this facility allows us to do just that. Rolls-Royce Naval Marine is a long-time friend of Mississippi and of Pascagoula, and we're delighted to be increasing our presence here."

The Pascagoula foundry is already the manufacturing site of propellers for the U.S. Navy nuclear aircraft carrier (CVN) fleet, as well as for various commercial vessels. It also casts propeller blades for U.S. Navy destroyers and amphibious transport docks.