Westinghouse Announces Involvement in New Ultra-Large Forging Press in the United Kingdom

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010

PITTSBURGH, March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Westinghouse Electric Company today announced its intention to become a leading participant in a major new manufacturing facility for nuclear components in the United Kingdom.  Alongside UK Government and others, Westinghouse plans to make a substantial contribution to the proposed new 15,000-ton press to be built at the Sheffield Forgemasters plant in Sheffield, Yorkshire.

This press will be one of only a handful in the world with the capability to produce the enormous "ultra-large" forgings, such as pressure vessel and steam generator components, which sit at the heart of modern nuclear power plants. It will put the UK centre-stage in the global supply chain for the expected nuclear renaissance.

Speaking alongside Lord Mandelson at today's launch in Sheffield, Mike Tynan, Chief Executive of Westinghouse UK, said: "Today's announcement is yet another tangible indicator that new nuclear build is becoming a reality for the UK and around the world. Westinghouse has long operated a "We Buy Where We Build" approach, and this news serves as further evidence of our confidence in the UK supply chain and commitment to build AP1000s here. I hope it will send a strong signal to other UK companies who may be considering the wide range of opportunities offered by the nuclear industry."

Westinghouse Senior Vice President for Global Growth and Innovation, Dan Lipman, added: "This announcement marks a major step forward for Westinghouse in developing a world-class supply chain, not just for the UK market but across the globe. We have excellent and long-established links with Sheffield Forgemasters and we look forward to strengthening those well into the future."

The specific details of the arrangement are commercially confidential. Today's announcement is subject to final due diligence which will be carried out over the coming weeks.

Westinghouse Electric Company, majority owned by Toshiba Corporation (TKY:6502), is the world's pioneering nuclear power company and is a leading supplier of nuclear plant products and technologies to utilities throughout the world.  Westinghouse supplied the world's first PWR in 1957 in Shippingport, Pa.  Today, Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately one-half of the world's operating nuclear plants, including 60 percent of those in the United States.

Source: Westinghouse