Press Releases

Plant Partners with Panhandle and Highland Park Schools

Pantexans will be hitting the road Friday in an effort to raise awareness about hunger in the Texas Panhandle in the second Pantex Run Against Hunger. Pantex also invited Highland Park and Panhandle schools to join them in a food drive to benefit the High Plains Food Bank.

Byron Logan and Randy Stokes, officers in the Safeguards & Security Division at Pantex, will again embark on a long-distance trek through parts of the Panhandle ending at the High Plains Food Bank’s food drive, which is being hosted at United Market Street.

The Run Against Hunger began in 2011 with a 30 mile run from Pantex to United Market Street. This year, the pair wanted to expand the event to allow others to participate and to grow awareness about the need for food in the area. The pair has added a 40-mile bicycle ride from Pantex Plant to Panhandle High School and then Highland Park High School. They will begin the approximately 20-mile run to United Market Street at Highland Park Schools. Other Pantexans will join them along the route, some during the bike ride and others during the run. They will be followed by a Bearcat, which is an armored vehicle used by Security Police Officers at Pantex.

“Randy and I wanted to do something to help people in our community who are struggling,” Logan said. “We run long distances, and we wanted to use that skill to raise awareness about hunger in our area.”

The food bank is conducting its annual food drive this week. They can take a donation of $5 and stretch it into $50 of food. The top needs this year are green beans, canned soups, canned mixed vegetables, bagged rice and sweet peas.

Any media outlet wishing to cover this effort is welcome to film along the route of the run. They plan to begin the running portion at approximately 11 a.m. running west on U.S. Highway 60, south on Lakeside Drive and west on the Interstate 40 access road into Amarillo. For safety purposes, they will leave I-40 at Ross Osage and run several smaller roads to Georgia Street. They expect to arrive at Market Street at approximately 2 p.m., where they will be available for interviews. For updates on where the run is along the route, please contact Laura Bailey at 223-8211.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program Superior STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Laura Bailey
Public Affairs
Office (806) 573.0502
Pager (806) 345-6604
laura.bailey1@pantex.doe.gov

The public face of Pantex on the Internet has a new look following a project to redesign the Website.

Pantex unveiled the new Website Monday. The site features updated information, easier navigation and new search tools. The site was created over the past several months in a joint effort between the Chief Information Officer (CIO) Division, the Public Affairs Department and an external Web development contractor.

“Completely redesigning the Pantex internet presence was a large undertaking,” said Pantex CIO Kent Gross. “The new site reflects our modernization movement and establishes a framework that we can easily build on.”

A prime objective of the redesign was to create a Website that would provide up-to-date information to the public and stakeholders in an efficient manner. The site features a new section on doing business with Pantex that will be beneficial to subcontractors and others who work with the site. Plant status and emergency information is also more easily accessed.

New content will continue to roll out on the site over the coming months as more features are added to increase functionality.

“The Website is a critical facet of our outreach to stakeholders and the general public,” said Public Affairs Department Manager Ed Veiga. “We continue to strive to provide the most useful information possible to our audiences, and this new Website will aid in that effort.”

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.
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CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

B&W Pantex was honored last week with a pair of awards for its exemplary safety record.

The President’s Award for Best Performing Business Unit and the Target Zero Award were presented on behalf of Babcock and Wilcox Technical Services Group (B&W TSG) President George Dudich.

“I am happy to honor the thousands of men and women who do the critical work at Pantex with such a high commitment to safety,” Dudich said.

The President’s Award is presented to the large site that demonstrates “Best in Class” safety performance, while the Target Zero Award goes to sites that complete the year without a lost time injury.

“The key to the outstanding safety performance at Pantex is employee involvement. Pantex employees lead numerous safety committees and initiatives,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery.

During 2012, Pantexans worked more than seven million man hours without a lost time injury and continue to lead the nuclear security enterprise in several measures of safety.

Earlier this year, Pantex was also honored with the Department of Energy’s Voluntary Protection Program’s Star of Excellence.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Applications for the Pantex Christmas Project are now available from counselors at Amarillo and Canyon public schools, the Amarillo Public Library or by calling 477-5533 and requesting an
application by mail. This year, the applications will also be available at www.pantex.com. Applications are available in English and Spanish and must be postmarked by October 19, 2012. Families in Amarillo and the surrounding area are eligible to apply.​

Pantex employees have been supporting the Pantex Christmas Project for more than 55 years.
The Project will serve approximately 150 children and a number of elderly individuals. Selected
families receive food, and each child will receive clothing and toys. Notices will be sent to
families informing them if their application has been accepted. Families will be assisted one time
only and are asked to not submit an application if they have received assistance from the Project
in the past.​

Please help us call attention to this important opportunity for families that may need assistance
this Christmas.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Plant honored with Star of Excellence Award for outstanding safety record

B&W Pantex has once again been honored by the Department of Energy Voluntary Protection Program (DOE VPP) for its exemplary safety record.

The DOE awarded B&W Pantex the VPP Star of Excellence for its safety performance during 2011, singling out the plant as one of the top performers in safety within the DOE. This is the third year Pantex has been honored by the VPP.

“We know the honor truly belongs to the nearly 3,300 Pantex employees, their hard work and excellent safety performance led to the Star of Excellence Award,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery.

A team of Pantex employees began the push for VPP recognition in 2008, forming a committee to develop the application, which was submitted in October 2009. That effort paid off in March 2010 when Pantex earned DOE VPP Star Status. The safety performance at Pantex led to the Superior Star Award in 2011 and the Star of Excellence Award this month.

Employee involvement is a hallmark of the safety culture at Pantex, which is led by employees who volunteer on numerous safety committees and initiatives.

“The key to Pantex’s success in safety has been active employee involvement at every level, promoted by the strong leadership of our employee-led safety teams,” said Jim Stevens, Manager of the Environment, Safety, Health and Quality Division at B&W Pantex. “Safety has to become a daily standard that is factored into everything you do.”

The DOE VPP Star of Excellence Award is granted to a site that maintains a Total Recordable Case rate 75 percent lower than the industry average. Pantexans have also shown their dedication to safety by working more than 6.7 million hours without a lost time injury.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.
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CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560
gcunning@pantex.com

Plant recognized for stockpile stewardship work

More than 200 individuals on eight teams received recognition Thursday for their work at Pantex supporting the stewardship of America’s nuclear stockpile.

Deborah Monette, deputy assistant deputy administrator for National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Stockpile Management, and Joseph Oder, director of the NNSA’s Office of Nuclear Weapons Stockpile, were at Pantex Thursday to hand out the Defense Programs (DP) Awards of Excellence to members of the eight teams who distinguished themselves in areas ranging from weapon dismantlement to upgrading lightning protection at the plant.

The DP Awards were established by NNSA to recognize on an annual basis the contributions of work performed in support of the Stockpile Stewardship Program. The awards are given for significant achievements in quality, productivity, cost savings, safety or creativity in support of the nuclear weapons program.

Pantex was recognized in the following areas:

1. The Weapons Dismantlement and Disposition program exceeded planned dismantlements in several areas, including the completion of the B53 nuclear bomb a year ahead of schedule.
2. The Critical Facilities Lightning Protection Upgrade Project added enhanced protection to buildings that allowed operations to continue during periods of lightning.
3. Completion of the H1700 Container Project allowed shipment of a specific weapon component to the Department of Defense.
4. Dr. Kevin Morris developed novel procedures for high explosives analysis utilizing state of-the-art instrumentation known as Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography, resulting in significant cost savings to the NNSA while greatly reducing solvent consumption and waste.
5. The W76 Life Extension Program (LEP) Assembly Team allowed Pantex to exceed production goals on the W76 LEP.
6. The B53 Dismantlement Team overcame numerous obstacles and challenges to complete the final dismantlement of the oldest and largest weapon that was currently in the U.S. stockpile.
7. A team was recognized for establishing air conditioning capability to allow an important building at Pantex to continue to function, keeping critical projects on schedule with minimal modifications to the facility.
8. The Sanitization and Disposition of Weapons Components Team received an award for its work to reduce legacy and scrap weapons components stored at Pantex to allow for ongoing future dismantlements.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Plant established to help win World War II

The Pantex Ordnance Plant began operations 70 years ago this week, turning out conventional bombs that helped end World War II and secure the world for peace. In the intervening seven decades, the plant’s mission evolved greatly, but one thing remained the same: the pride Pantexans feel at fulfilling their critical role in helping to secure America.

As part of the 70th anniversary celebration this week, Pantex will be honoring the thousands of current and former Pantexans, as well as the communities of the Texas Panhandle that have supported the plant.

On Thursday, all plant employees will mark the event with cake and a commemorative gift. That event will be followed up by a reception at the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce to thank community leaders who have supported Pantex over the years.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Applications for the Pantex Christmas Project are now available from counselors at Amarillo and Canyon public schools, the Amarillo Public Library or by calling 477-5533 and requesting an application by mail. This year, the applications will also be available online. Applications are available in English and Spanish and must be postmarked by October 12, 2012. Families in Amarillo and the surrounding area are eligible to apply.

Pantex employees have been supporting the Pantex Christmas Project for more than 55 years. The Project will serve approximately 150 children and a number of elderly individuals. Selected families receive food, and each child will receive clothing and toys. Notices will be sent to families informing them if their application has been accepted. Families will be assisted one time only and are asked to not submit an application if they have received assistance from the Project in the past.

Please help us call attention to this important opportunity for families that may need assistance this Christmas.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

Memorial featuring WTC steel dedicated Tuesday

Pantex dedicated a memorial containing a steel beam from the World Trade Center Tuesday to mark the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

The 42-inch piece of steel, recovered from the rubble in New York and donated to the Pantex Fire Department, is the centerpiece of the memorial, which is dedicated to all who lost their lives in the attacks 11 years ago. Pantex officials, emergency personnel and veterans from across Pantex assembled for a ceremony to dedicate the monument.

“9/11 has become a day of special commemoration across our nation,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery, speaking at the dedication. “Taking the time to remember the tragic events, and the loss of life, has been woven into the fabric of our lives; and we should never forget that day.”

The 1,600-pound monument is located outside the Pantex Fire Department. It features an engraved slab of marble honoring those who died, flanked by two white quartz towers to represent the World Trade Center towers. The monument is topped with the steel beam.

The ceremony featured the Pantex Fire Department presenting the colors and lowering them to half-staff, the singing of America the Beautiful, unveiling of the monument and final placement of the steel beam.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560

DOE honors plant for “greening” firing range

The Department of Energy (DOE) this week honored Pantex with a Sustainability Award for an initiative to make its firing range more earth friendly. This is the second year in a row the plant has received the award.

DOE created the Sustainability Awards in 2011 to recognize sites that work to save taxpayer money by improving energy, water and fleet efficiency, as well as reducing pollution and waste across the department’s facilities. This year, DOE singled out Pantex for a program that reduced potential lead contamination at the plant’s firing range, where Security Police Officers (SPO) fire thousands of rounds a year training to secure the nuclear weapons facility.

“Pantex is firmly committed to protecting the environment in everything we do. It is an honor to be recognized by DOE for that commitment,” said B&W Pantex General Manager John Woolery.

The indoor firing range was annually generating approximately 2,400 pounds of lead-contaminated waste through the use of lead bullets. Although much of the lead was recycled, about 1,100 pound of lead contaminated filters and sludge were not recyclable and had to be disposed of as hazardous waste. Additionally, lead dust released when the bullets struck targets created an airborne hazard for the SPOs.

To correct the issue, Pantex switched to a new bullet trap, abated lead in the range building and changed over to non-lead ammunition. The indoor rounds, which are generally made from compressed copper or zinc, are frangible, meaning they break into pieces upon impact and don’t create an airborne dust hazard like a conventional lead bullet.

The amount of lead waste generated by the indoor range was dwarfed by the lead generated at the outdoor ranges. Outdoor ranges at Pantex are backed by earthen berms that are covered by a layer of dolomite, a mineral that is used to trap bullets that pass through targets and strike the berms. When the dolomite layer becomes packed with lead over many years of use, it creates a ricochet hazard and must be replaced.

Normally, the nearly 1,500 tons of lead-saturated dolomite would have been sent to a hazardous waste landfill, but the team decided it would be much more environmentally sound if only the lead was sent to the landfill. The team found a contractor that could sift out the lead from the dolomite, and the recovered dolomite was reused to cover the berms.

As a result, only 24 tons of lead contaminated waste was generated and disposed, and 1,440 tons of dolomite was diverted from the landfill and beneficially reused. Although the environmental aspect of the project was the main attraction, the recycling effort also saved money, reducing the shipping and disposal costs by more than $400,000.

B&W Pantex manages and operates the Pantex Plant near Amarillo, Texas, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. B&W Pantex is also the proud recipient of the DOE’s Voluntary Protection Program STAR status for safety excellence. The company was also named one of America’s safest companies by Occupational Hazards magazine and has received numerous awards from the National Safety Council.

CONTACT
Greg Cunningham
Public Affairs
Office (806) 477-5140
Pager (806) 345-1560