January 8, 2019 – Supply Chain by the Numbers

You are currently viewing January 8, 2019 – Supply Chain by the Numbers

​EB’s Year-End Town Hall was held at King’s Highway on December 17, 2018. Attendees and webcast viewers heard presentations from various members of the leadership team, including Jeff Geiger, Terry Fedors, Maura Dunn and Blair Decker. Prior to the town hall, a survey was sent out asking EB employees which topics they would like to receive an update on. Based on feedback, one of the most requested topics was the current state of EB’s supply chain.

Blair Decker, Vice President of Supply Chain, Materials and Strategy, included the following slide in his presentation. And while it may look like a simple series of numbers, Blair explained what each figure represented, demonstrating how crucial the Supply Chain organization is to the continued success of Electric Boat. See the explanation for each number below.

586 (~4%) = 1.78 B (>30%): The Supply Chain organization consists of 586 employees, making up roughly 4% of EB’s population. This group generates roughly $1.7 B worth of sales, making greater than 30% of the company’s revenue.

3,000 to 6,000 (was 17,000): There were 17,000 suppliers in the vendor base when we finished the 688 and the Trident program. EB went through a prescriptive draw-down of the supply base, leaving 3,000 suppliers. Now, in a time of growth, we’re hoping to grow the supplier base to around 6,000 suppliers.

750 – 1,000 is the number of requisitions that the inventory management organization generates every week.

> 90,000 is the number of transactions that occurred in the organization last year (The highest number of transactions in the last 30 years.)

42 months is the longest lead-time component that we buy for the ship (Main Propulsion Unit).

<1% of material comes from off-shore (Our product is essentially 100% made in America).

329 is the number of critical suppliers that we have in our industrial base.

“75% is a scary, scary number for me, and that’s the number of single and sole-source suppliers that we have in our vendor base. So at any given point in time, if one of those single or sole-source suppliers should go away at the most inopportune time, it creates a huge, huge amount of challenge for us from a business perspective if we have to recreate that capability or that capacity.”

98% is our percentage of material availability to work-order start for VA Class Block IV. 93% is the Columbia number.

~ 2 ½ x is the amount of material volume increase that we’re going to face from where we are today to where we’re going to be in the mid 20’s.

100% of people at EB get influenced, impacted or supported by the supply chain organization every day.

Pathways to the Deep Officially Opens at Mystic Aquarium

On Monday, May 11th, we officially cut the ribbon on Pathways to the Deep, a brand-new interactive exhibit at Mystic Aquarium that connects ocean science, technology, exploration and careers through hands-on learning and discovery. This collaborative effort between General Dynamics Electric Boat, Mystic Aquarium, the Submarine Industrial Base and Build Submarines was created to spark curiosity and...Continue reading→

Electric Boat featured in ADC’s ‘Homefront’ Video Series

General Dynamics Electric Boat is featured in the latest episode of the Association of Defense Communities’ (ADC) Homefront video series, which examines military communities across the country.  The episode highlights Electric Boat’s long-standing partnership with the U.S. Navy, the generations of shipbuilders who power our mission and the opportunities ahead for the next wave of...Continue reading→

Rayha Report Ep. 19: Operations Leadership Hiring Initiative

In his latest Rayha Report, EB President Mark Rayha speaks with Chief of Talent Acquisition Meredith Kyle on the ways the company is boosting operations leadership hiring. Joining them is Konrad Wennberg and Mike Simmons, who provide insight on their internal moves from engineering to operations supervisor positions.​

Lauren Knapp Honored with Victoria Soto Memorial Award

We are proud to celebrate Lauren Knapp for being named a recipient of the prestigious Victoria Soto Memorial Award, presented by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut. This recognition highlights Lauren’s exceptional commitment to mentorship, community engagement and making a meaningful difference in the lives of young people. The Victoria Soto Memorial Award honors individuals...Continue reading→

Groundbreaking Ceremony Held for New Warehouse in North Stonington

Electric Boat broke ground Wednesda​​y on a new warehouse that will support shipbuilding operations in Groton and Quonset Point. The 480,000‑square‑foot facility, located at 45 Frontage Road in North Stonington, will streamline how material moves across different work sites. Electric Boat purchased​​ the 55‑acre property from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in 2025. The project...Continue reading→

Lessons From the Loss of USS Thresher (SSN 593) on April 10, 1963

​Photo by EB Employee Patrick “Pat” M. McCarthy, Principal Program Representative, Quality (D421). Electric Boat Shipbuilders, On the morning of April 10,1963, USS Thresher began her deep dive in 8,400 feet of water 220 miles off Cape Cod. During the dive, an unexpected message was received by USS Skylark, her escort ship: “Experiencing minor difficulties,...Continue reading→

Rayha Report Ep. 18: CT and RI Legislative Briefings

EB President Mark Rayha delivered Legislative Briefings to congressional delegations and local leaders in Connecticut and Rhode Island on Monday, March 23. See the latest installment of the Rayha Report for a recap of the events. ​​