Curtiss-Wright, Manufacturing

Curtiss-Wright relocated its Steam and Air Solutions business unit to Summerville, SC into a new building being built in the Charleston Trade Center.

The facility is a 134,000 SF steel structure enveloped with precast concrete panels and is expandable up to 174,000 SF total. 100,000 SF of the building is dedicated to the manufacture and testing of steam turbines for the U.S. Navy. The remaining 34,000 SF will house offices for general management, product engineering, project management, quality, finance, sourcing, and manufacturing technical support. The general and private office areas are served by multiple break areas, a large cafeteria space, training and large meeting rooms, locker room, and exercise room.

The manufacturing area is designed around three crane bays that provide almost 100% coverage of the entire manufacturing area by a large 70-ton bridge crane and two 20-ton bridge cranes. There is a large pit under the largest crane that is 70′ long x 20′ wide x 15′ deep where the turbines are pressure tested with steam generated by a large boiler. Large metal milling equipment required close coordination of building footings and equipment footings with all other underground utilities.