Army manufacturing centers don't shut down, do they? Not at Watervliet.

By John B. SnyderJuly 31, 2015

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8 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – What better time to do critical maintenance tasks than when the equipment is not running. Electrical Technician Jim Best, right, and Industrial Control Electronic Mechanic Joe DeCrescenzo take full advantage of the downtime to get machines running ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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WATERVLIET ARSENAL, N.Y. (July 2015) -- Long days, 90-degree heat, and no wind -- yes, it must be time for the Arsenal's annual shutdown week.

Not to get into what the correct definition or terminology of what a shutdown should be, but it should be self-evident that calling an intense maintenance and safety surge is anything from a shutdown.

For decades, the Arsenal shuts down production one week a year to properly manage a wave of vacations that occurs each summer, but more importantly, the activities during a shutdown ensure the Arsenal's machines and equipment are ready to launch into a new production year, which starts on October 1, said Col. Lee H. Schiller Jr., the Arsenal commander.

Tim Allard, who is the Arsenal's chief of the Manufacturing Support Division, said the shutdown period allows him to service hundreds of production machines, many of which are in continuous operation during the year for the production of such product lines as tubes for mortars, tanks, and for artillery systems. It is also a time for the operations directorate, which has the preponderance of Arsenal personnel, to focus on Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA requirements.

"I have 141 personnel this year who are performing maintenance and safety-related tasks that range from inspecting slings to changing air and oil filters to repairing machines," Allard said. "Although I could use all 141 personnel, I sent 28 personnel to public works to help out the rest of the Arsenal team so that they may accomplish other critical safety and maintenance-related tasks."

Mike White, the acting supervisor of the Public Works maintenance team, said the impact of having an extra 28 personnel meant all the difference between success and failure during the annual shutdown. After all, White said that he had more than 1,000 tasks to accomplish this week.

"We have more than 50 air conditioning units, 300 exhaust fans, 150 overhead doors, hundreds of other pieces of equipment that had to be inspected and serviced, as well as numerous crosswalks and parking lots that needed new lines painted," White said. "The key to our success, however, was the work we did in preparation for this week."

In addition to developing a detailed task list, an extraordinary effort was also made during the year to replace senior, well-experienced personnel with individuals who are also well-experienced and highly motivated, White said. Key people had departed due to retirements or another job opportunity.

"We truly have built a great team of self-starters who get the job done without a lot of supervision," White said. "The shutdown week also provides a great leadership experience for us as many public works team members supervise the personnel who are on loan to us this week."

Schiller added to White's comment by saying that although the shutdown is only a week-long event, the planning is a continuous activity. The planning for next year's shutdown will begin the day after the current shutdown is completed.

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The Watervliet Arsenal is an Army-owned-and-operated manufacturing facility and is the oldest, continuously operating arsenal in the United States, having begun operations during the War of 1812. It celebrated its 200th anniversary in July 2013.

Today's Arsenal is relied upon by U.S. and foreign militaries to produce the most advanced, high-tech, high-powered weaponry for cannon, howitzer, and mortar systems. This National Historic Registered Landmark has an annual economic benefit to the local community in excess of $90 million, and its 2014 revenue was about $117 million.

Related Links:

Arsenal's Newsletter called The Salvo

Story: Army Reserve Soldiers' expertise in high demand at Army manufacturing center

Watervliet Arsenal's Slideshare Page

Watervliet Arsenal's YouTube Page

Watervliet Arsenal's Twitter Page

Watervliet Arsenal Facebook Page

Watervliet Arsenal's Flickr Page