Vigor Industrial

Vigor Industrial LLC
Company type	LLC
Industry	Shipbuilding and Shiprepair
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon
Number of locations	7
Area served	North America
Revenue	$400 million to $500 million (2013)
Owner	Frank Foti
Number of employees	1,800 (2013)
Subsidiaries	Vigor Fab; Vigor Alaska; Vigor Marine; Washington Marine Repair; Vigor Shipyards; Vigor Machine; Oregon Iron Works; Specialty Finishes; Vigor Ballard
Website	vigor.net

Vigor Industrial (commonly known as Vigor) is a U.S.-based provider of shipbuilding, shiprepair, and industrial services, with its headquarters situated in Portland, Oregon. The enterprise manages seven operational sites throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, featuring ten drydock facilities, over 17,000 feet of pier infrastructure, and employs upwards of 2,000 personnel.

History

Originating nearly a century ago from Todd Pacific Shipyards in Seattle (founded 1916) and Kaiser Shipyards in Portland (established 1942), Vigor Industrial was created under the leadership of entrepreneur Frank Foti after his acquisition of Cascade General in 1995. The company's formal inception occurred in 2000 when it procured the Swan Island yard from the Port of Portland, backed by investments from Cammell Laird PLC, Transamerica Capital, and Heller Capital.

Vigor pursued growth through a series of strategic acquisitions: Washington Marine Repair located in Port Angeles was acquired in 2002; Marine Industries Northwest in Tacoma joined in 2010; Todd Pacific's operations across Seattle, Bremerton, and Everett were integrated in 2011; followed by Alaska Ship & Drydock in Ketchikan in 2012. In May 2014, Vigor merged with Oregon Iron Works, establishing it as a fully owned subsidiary and broadening its manufacturing scope.

In March 2015, the company expanded its product range by acquiring Kvichak Marine Industries, an aluminum workboat manufacturer based in Seattle. A pivotal moment came in late 2017 when Vigor secured a $1 billion contract to build landing craft for the U.S. Army, selecting Vancouver, Washington as the production hub—significantly enhancing its footprint within defense shipbuilding.

July 2019 marked another milestone when private equity firms The Carlyle Group and Stellex Capital Management agreed to acquire and merge Vigor Industrial with MHI Holdings LLC. This move strengthened Vigor’s competitive position and extended its global reach.

Vigor Industrial companies

Vigor Industrial comprises several subsidiaries that serve distinct sectors within the maritime industry:

Vigor Fab specializes in new construction projects across the Pacific Northwest with facilities located in Portland, Oregon, as well as Seattle and Everett, Washington.
Vigor Alaska provides new-build fabrication, heavy industrial work, ship repair, and maintenance services out of Ketchikan, Alaska.
Vigor Marine focuses on commercial vessel repair operations spanning Portland, Seattle, Tacoma, and Everett, Washington, with mobilization capabilities extending to Hawaii.
Washington Marine Repair delivers topside repair services at its Port Angeles location in Washington state.
Vigor Shipyards supports maintenance contracts for both the US Navy and US Coast Guard at sites in Seattle, Everett, and Bremerton, Washington.
Vigor Machine offers turbine servicing and machining solutions from its Portland base as well as on-site at client facilities.
Specialty Finishes, along with its division Specialty Marine Decking, supplies specialized industrial coatings and marine decking products.
Oregon Iron Works, acquired during the 2014 merger, enhances Vigor’s fabrication capabilities.
Vigor Ballard, headquartered in Seattle and formerly Kvichak Marine Industries, constructs small vessels primarily for government clients.

Facilities

Vigor Industrial operates seven sites located throughout Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, featuring a total of 10 drydocks and more than 17,000 feet of pier frontage. Major facilities are situated in Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Bremerton, Port Angeles (WA), Portland (OR), and Ketchikan (AK). This extensive network of infrastructure enables a wide range of shipbuilding and repair services essential to the company's operational strategy.

Location	Year Founded	Acreage	Drydocks	Piers	Cranes
Seattle, Washington	1916	27.0	2 (lifting capacity up to 18,000 LT)	6 (totaling 3,000 ft)	12 whirley cranes (max 150t)
Portland, Oregon	1942	60.0	3 (lifting capacity up to 80,000 LT)	15 (exceeding 10,000 ft)	17 whirley cranes (max 134t), 1 gantry crane (600t)
Everett, Washington	1947	3.6	None	2 (1,200 ft)	7 cranes (up to 45t)
Tacoma, Washington	1976	5.0	2 (lifting capacity up to 2,800 LT)	2 (600 ft)	4 cranes (up to 55t)
Ketchikan, Alaska	1987	16.5	2 (lifting capacity up to 10,000 LT)	1 (1,000 ft)	3 cranes (up to150t)
Bremerton, Washington	1986	Functions within Puget Sound Naval Shipyards
Port Angeles, Washington	1998	—	None	2 (1,400 ft)	5 cranes (up to 200t)

Recent builds

Completion Year	Vessel Category	Vessel Designation	Shipyard	Weight (tons)
Currently under construction	Vehicle & Passenger Ferry	Chimacum	Seattle
Currently under construction	Tugboat	Crown Point	Portland
Currently under construction	Tugboat	Granite Point	Portland
Currently under construction	Tugboat	Hull 21	Portland
Currently under construction	ATB Tank Barge	Hull 22	Portland
Currently under construction	ATB Tank Barge	Hull 23	Portland
Currently under construction	Split Hull Hopper Barge	Freedom	Portland	1,325
2016	Unmanned anti-submarine drone ship	ACTUV	Oregon Iron Works	140
2015–2021	Patrol Boat	Combatant Craft Medium	Oregon Iron Works	30
2015	Vehicle & Passenger Ferry	MV Samish	Seattle	3,920
2014	Vehicle & Passenger Ferry	MV Tokitae	Seattle	3,920
2014	Factory Longliner	Arctic Prowler	Ketchikan
2013	Concrete Wear Deck Barge	Iliuliuk Bay	Portland	1,650
2013	Moorage Barge	—	Portland
2012	Covered Paper Barge	Hull 73	Portland	527
2011	Vehicle & Passenger Ferry	MV Kennewick	Portland	2,296
2011	Vehicle & Passenger Ferry	MV Salish	Portland	2,296
2011	Fuel Barge	Betsy Arntz	Portland	1,306
2011	Fuel Barge	Cauneq	Portland	225
2011	Ferry	Ken Eichner 2	Ketchikan
2010	Vehicle & Passenger Ferry	MV Chetzemoka	Seattle	2,296
2010	Fuel Barge	Anne Elizabeth	Portland	1,306
2010	SLICE Ferry	Susitna	Ketchikan
2010	Fuel Barge	Sixty-Five Roses	Portland	3,317
2009	Fuel Barge	Nathan Schmidt	Portland	1,306
2009	Fuel Barge	Lily Blair	Portland	1,306
2009	Fuel Barge	Bernie Briere	Portland	1,306
2009	Deck Barge	Ha'aheo	Portland	2,541
2009	Tank Barge	Coal Harbor No. 5	Ketchikan
2008	Fuel Barge	David Fanning	Portland	2,541
2008	Crane Barge	Left Coast Lifter	Portland	3,337
2008	Deck Barge	Kala 'enalu	Portland	2,541
2008	Deck Barge	Maka'ala	Portland	2,541
2008	Excavator Barge	OLM-0033	Seattle
2007	Deck Barge	Hou'omaka Hou	Portland	2,541

External links