VIDEORAY SECURES NEW ORDER FROM U.S. NAVY
Company expects positive economic impact in Pottstown
POTTSTOWN » The U.S. Navy has placed a multi-million dollar order with VideoRay of Pottstown for its Defender ROV — remotely operated vehicle systems.
It is the second order for the units placed by the Navy under a $49 million dollar contract to deliver the Navy’s Next Generation ROV. The contract expires in July 2025, and according to a VideoRay spokesman, the company expects more orders will be placed as part of the contract.
This most recent order is for a total of 17 Defender remotely operated systems, which will be used by the Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) program for defense and security operations including very shallow water, littoral mine counter measures, port security missions and hull and pier inspection.
The systems will be assembled and tested at VideoRay’s Pottstown location prior to being shipped to the Navy for worldwide operations. The company said it expects the units to be delivered before the end of the calendar year.
“This order is the culmination of years of tight integration with many Navy units in San Diego,” Scott Bentley, CEO of VideoRay, said in a press release.
Bentley added that he expects this latest order will have a positive economic impact on the Pottstown-area, in terms of additional hiring by the company and spending in the region.
“We will be very busy with this new order for several months. Our assembly and quality control occur in our headquarters in the heart of downtown Pottstown on High Street. Local businesses will benefit from this major increase in our production,” he added.
Bentley added that once COVID-19
restrictions are lifted, VideoRay expects “many visitors to Pottstown from the U.S. Navy and partner sites in the U.S. and beyond,” which the company said will bring additional revenue into the area through local hotel stays, restaurant purchases and other spending.
As part of its contract with the Navy, VideoRay not only manufactures the ROV systems, but also provides training and support to the Navy — at VideoRay’s facilities. During the pandemic, however, VideoRay had to pivot some of its operations since inperson visits have not been possible, according to VideoRay spokesman Carl Brown. Many of the services are now provided virtually from Pottstown, VideoRay’s Phoenixville Research & Development Center and employee home offices, he said.
Bentley also pointed out that several of VideoRay’s partners have made contributions to the Navy order by providing accessorized solutions for the Defender systems including best-in class sensors, tooling and software provided by Greensea Systems Inc., Blueprint Subsea, Nortek and Eddyfi Technologies, which are being integrated onto the Defender ROV platform.
VideoRay relocated its headquarters from Phoenixville to Pottstown in 2012. Bentley purchased the former Levitz furniture store at 212 E. High St. in February 2012 after working with the Pottstown Area Industrial Development
Inc. (PAID Inc.). In December of that year, after an estimated $1 million in renovations, the facility opened. Since then, according to the company, its workforce and revenue have grown “substantially.”
Bentley said the company continues to benefit from the amenities of Pottstown, including lower costs associated with operating a business and less congestion compared to larger business districts in the region.
Peggy Lee-Clark, executive director of PAID Inc. said she was “ecstatic” to learn about VideoRay’s latest order from the Navy.
“Pottstown has a strong foundation of innovators, making VideoRay a natural fit,” Lee-Clark said in the release. “Businesses like VideoRay that want to attract a skilled workforce need a location with quality of life: walkability, accessibility, recreational activities, and a rapidly growing dining and hospitality scene.” She added that businesses coming to Pottstown also benefit from an “authentic urban experience with competitive real estate prices.”
VideoRay’s underwater remote operated vehicles, or ROVs, are used by the military, governments, law enforcement and industry. VideoRay underwater robots help prevent terrorism, find and retrieve objects, inspect infrastructure both inland and offshore, and keep divers safe from hazardous conditions.
For more information visit videoray.com.
“Pottstown has a strong foundation of innovators, making VideoRay a natural fit. Businesses like VideoRay that want to attract a skilled workforce need a location with quality of life: walkability, accessibility, recreational activities, and a rapidly growing dining and hospitality scene.”
Peggy Lee-Clark, executive director, Pottstown Area Industrial Development Inc.