June 2009 - Alabama State Port Authority

Aker Solutions
Named 2009 Alabama Medium Manufacturer of the Year
Terry Gilbreath will be responsible for keeping operations smooth throughout the Port of Mobile.
Security in both the Port of Mobile’s private and public terminals
is stronger now, he said, due to the industry’s implementation
of the Maritime Transportation Safety Act. The Port Authority
has installed security cameras, fencing, beefed up its
Port Police force and implemented other security measures
as part of its facility security plan. Another security change
was the application of TWIC, or Transportation Worker Identification
Credential, which was required for unescorted access
to port facilities starting in December 2008.
“There have been very evident changes in port security, but
there’s also been very obvious growth since 2002,” Gilbreath
said. When he was last in Mobile, construction on the new
Mobile Container Terminal had not even started, McDuffie
was handling about half the coal volumes than it handles today,
and Austal was not building Littoral Combat Ships. “The
Authority has seen new facilities, industries and services roll
into Port City,” he said.
Gilbreath explained. “Mobile still has areas to develop. And it will
continue to grow. It’s one of the reasons I’m happy to be here.”
One of the defining characteristics of Mobile is its location on
the central Gulf Coast and, by extension, the effect of hurricanes
on the shipping industry, oil transportation and offshore
oil facilities.
“Many industry watchers track how well we respond and get
ships moving again, whether it’s oil shipments for our area
gasoline refineries, coal shipments for our utilities or just other
deep-draft vessels moving into the harbor that carry vital goods for
area and regional manufacturers and retailers,” said Gilbreath.
“Getting the port up and running and restoring channel use
for ships is critical after storm events. Many consumers in our
market rely on these shipments to support the basic necessities
of life” he said.
Gilbreath was in New Orleans with the Coast Guard for Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita in 2005, making him aware of how
the Coast Guard responds to hurricanes and what to expect
as the port readies for storms. He was already on staff with
the Alabama State Port Authority for the 2008 hurricane season,
which included impacts from storms Gustav and Ike. Gilbreath
noted the port still had to fully prepare as if Mobile was
in the direct path of the storms. The storm season preparation
and operations plan, which are continuously updated by
Port Authority management, provide the framework for storm
preparation and post-storm recovery efforts. While the 2008
storms inflicted minimal damage, both storms delivered high
tide, an increased number of oil field supply vessels seeking
refuge on Mobile River, and resulted in channel restrictions
while missing aids to navigation were restored. “Storm season
requires a high level of planning, communications and
coordination amongst many players,” said Gilbreath. The harbor
master, along with Port Authority management, interface
daily with the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers and
NOAA, as well as industry groups through phone calls and
e-communications. “From what I see, the level of communications
and coordination throughout the port results is our ability
to quickly return to operations,” he said.
Gilbreath is a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy
with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. He also holds a master’s
degree in physics from University of Connecticut.
“My family and I really love the area and have always considered
it home,” Gilbreath said. “I’m honored to have been
selected for this position.”
From left, Business Council of Alabama President and CEO William Canary;
Gov. Bob Riley; Aker Vice President Marc Quenneville; and Mike Bailey,
president, Alabama Technology Network.
Aker Solutions of Mobile was honored by the Business Council
of Alabama and the Alabama Technology Network, in partnership
with the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama
and the National Association of Manufacturers, with the
2009 Alabama Medium Manufacturer of the Year Award. The
award goes to a manufacturing company that employs 100 to
399 people and has demonstrated superior performance in
the areas of customer focus, employee commitment, operational
excellence, continuous improvement, profitable growth
and investment in training and retraining.
Aker Solutions is a leading global provider of engineering
and construction services, and manufacturer of technological
products and integrated solutions. It produces subsea steel
tube umbilicals and steel tube flying leads for the offshore oil
and gas industry. Despite highly competitive market conditions,
Aker increased the profitability of its Mobile operation
and has experienced more than 50 percent return on its investment.
Aker made a $10.7 million investment in capital in
the past three years and plans for another $2 million investment
in the next year.
The Alabama Manufacturer of the Year Awards program is
an annual recognition of Alabama manufacturing enterprises
that exhibit excellence in leadership, performance, profitability
and work force relations. The awards are presented in three
size categories to ensure fair recognition of all applicants
regardless of the size of their work force. The fourth award
From left (in front) Johnny Patterson; Dan Appleton; Marc Quenneville,
holding the award; Jim Altieri; Angel Persson; and Belinda Thomason.
and category presented is the “Emerging Manufacturer” that
recognizes superior performance among manufacturers that
have been in operation for five or fewer years. Winning manufacturers
are selected by an independent panel of judges
who look for demonstrations of superior performance in the
areas of customer focus, employee commitment, operational
excellence, continuous improvement, profitable growth and
investment in training and retraining.
Other winners were:
Emerging Manufacturer of the Year
(in operation for five or fewer years):
– Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, LLC, Montgomery
Large Manufacturer of the Year
(400 or more employees)
– Teledyne Brown Engineering, Huntsville
Small Manufacturer of the Year
(1-99 employees)
Vulcan Materials Company, Fort Payne
8 Alabama Seaport • june 2009 Alabama Seaport • june 2009 9