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Byers praised for quality parts in nuclear project

By Bill Moss, Published: September 17, 2012

Shaw AREVA MOX Services, which is building the Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, S.C., has recognized Hendersonville-based Byers Precision Fabricators as a 2012 MOX exemplary supplier for outstanding performance.

The MOX facility will play a significant role in the government's nonproliferation program by converting weapon-grade plutonium into fuel to generate electricity for homes and businesses. Byers supplies important precision equipment called "glove boxes" that will be used in the fabrication process to produce the MOX fuel. The glove boxes are manufactured at the Byers plant in Hendersonville.

"As we build this first-of-its-kind nuclear facility, it is essential that we have outstanding business partners to supply high-quality equipment that meets the rigorous standards of a nuclear project," said Kelly Trice, president and chief operating officer of MOX Services. "Byers has consistently demonstrated a commitment to quality and met the high expectations of the MOX project."
Byers is a family-owned company that has been operating for 70 years. The company is a precision metal fabrication facility serving clients in a variety of industries including nuclear, power generation, aviation/aerospace, military, transportation, medical and consumer goods.

Shaw AREVA MOX Services, LLC, comprised of Shaw's Environmental & Infrastructure Group and AREVA, has a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to design, build and operate a facility to convert surplus nuclear weapon-grade plutonium into reactor fuel for use in commercial nuclear power plants. The work supports NNSA's nuclear nonproliferation program to eliminate surplus weapon-grade plutonium in the U.S. Under a 2000 agreement, the United States and Russia will dispose of 68 metric tons of surplus plutonium, enough material for approximately 17,000 nuclear weapons.