Press Releases

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland visits the B&W Research Center

BARBERTON, Ohio, April 10, 2008 Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc. (B&W PGG) welcomed Ohio Governor Ted Strickland to the Babcock & Wilcox Research Center in Barberton on Monday, April 7. The visit offered the governor an opportunity to learn more about B&W PGG's development of new steam generation and environmental control technologies, including technologies for the capture of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from coal-fired power plants.

Gov. Strickland's visit came less than a week after his office and the Ohio Senate announced plans for a $1.57 billion jobs stimulus package. The package earmarks $150 million for the creation of new jobs in the fields of renewable and advanced energy production, including the use of clean coal technology. It also calls for $250 million for workforce development programs including internship and co-op programs aimed at encouraging graduates from Ohio's colleges and universities to stay and work in the state.

During his visit, Gov. Strickland met with B&W PGG executives and toured the 55,000-square-foot Research Center to see demonstrations of some of the company's most advanced research and development efforts. Tour highlights included the Center's wet flue gas desulfurization hydraulic model, engineering labs designed for oxy-coal combustion and CO₂ mitigation and control research, and the Small Boiler Simulator II, a fully integrated small-scale research facility for testing combustion and environmental emissions control equipment.

Also attending the event were U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton (D-OH); Matt Kaplan, representative for U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH); Bob Genet, mayor of the City of Barberton; Don Plusquellic, mayor of the City of Akron; and several other elected officials and community representatives.

The Babcock & Wilcox Company - with its B&W PGG and Babcock & Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. (B&W NOG) business units - currently employs more than 2,000 in Barberton and more than 3,200 in Ohio. The company added 360 new jobs in the state in 2007.

"B&W PGG is an industry leader in the development of steam generation and environmental technologies and has had a strong presence in Ohio for more than a century," said B&W PGG President Brandon Bethards. "We're pleased that Governor Strickland and our state leaders have put a focus on advanced energy and clean coal, as well as workforce development, in the proposed economic stimulus package."

Bethards noted that B&W PGG is actively recruiting graduates from Ohio's colleges and universities, especially those with degrees in engineering and other technical fields.

"B&W PGG added 61 new college graduates to our Barberton headquarters in 2007," Bethards said. "It's important to encourage students to pursue educational opportunities that are offered at colleges, universities and technical schools - particularly in the engineering and technical fields. It's not only key to B&W's future, but to the Ohio economy as well."

Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc. (B&W PGG) is a major operating unit of The Babcock & Wilcox Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of McDermott International, Inc. B&W PGG is a world leader in the power generation industry and designs, engineers, manufactures, services and constructs steam generating and environmental equipment for utilities and industries worldwide. It is located on the Internet at www.babcock.com.

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