(Oxford & Fayetteville, N.C.) Fort Bragg and all other U.S. military posts worldwide are under a directive by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to substantially reduce petroleum consumption beginning with its non-tactical fleet, according to the Biofuels Center of North Carolina. The overall goal is to reduce consumption by 30 percent by 2020 using 2005 as the baseline year for comparison. Fort Bragg is on target to reduce non-tactical petroleum consumption by over 50 percent by 2013. In addition, the 2005 Energy Policy Act’s mobile source emission reduction targets can be met and exceeded with Fort Bragg’s fossil fuel reductions. The effort is driven by a Presidential Executive Order and specific Department of Defense directives to address the realization that fossil fuel dependence is a paramount national security and national economic security issue. (more…)

(Raleigh, N.C.) Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE: MLM) today announced that it has delivered notice to Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE: VMC) of its proposal to nominate five independent director candidates for election to Vulcan’s Board of Directors at its 2012 Annual Meeting and has filed a preliminary proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the proposal. Martin Marietta’s nominees are proposed to fill the Vulcan directorships whose terms are scheduled to expire in 2012. (more…)

(Raleigh, N.C.) Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE: MLM) issued the following statement in response to a recent announcement by Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE: VMC): Ward Nye, Martin Marietta President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “The announcement made by Vulcan today in response to our business combination proposal does not change our view – and we believe, the view of many Vulcan shareholders – that our offer represents a compelling opportunity for Vulcan’s shareholders and all of its other constituencies. Vulcan misses the point by ignoring the significant incremental value creation inherent in this combination. (more…)

(Charlotte & Cary, N.C.) U.S. troop level decreases in global hotspots and shrinking armed forces budgets will lead to increased competition and a change in business operations for military contractors in North Carolina and throughout the nation, according to defense industry contracting expert Lea Strickland, MBA/CMA/CFM/CBM/GMC. A more strategic and tactical approach to streamlining operational infrastructure and developing professional, properly-designed proposals to better secure contracts are two areas in focus as the new year approaches, Strickland said. (more…)

(Raleigh, N.C.) Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE: MLM) announced that it has delivered a letter to the Board of Directors of Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE: VMC). As previously announced, on December 12, 2011, Martin Marietta commenced an exchange offer to effect a business combination with Vulcan that would create a U.S.-based company that is the global leader in construction aggregates with a footprint reaching across North America. As of December 9, 2011, the last trading day prior to the offer, the combined market capitalization was $7.7 billion and the combined total enterprise value was $11.4 billion. The combined mineral reserves of the two companies would be 28 billion tons. (more…)

(Wood Dale, Ill. & Goldsboro, N.C.) AAR (NYSE: AIR) announced today that it was selected by the team of Kawasaki Heavy Industries and ShinMaywa Industries to manufacture cargo handling systems for the Kawasaki C-2, formerly the C-X aircraft. The C-2 is Japan’s next-generation military transport aircraft slated to replace its aging C-1 fleet. AAR is manufacturing systems for two initial production aircraft, with delivery expected to be completed in calendar year 2013.  The systems are being produced at AAR’s Cargo Systems Division at its Goldsboro, North Carolina manufacturing facility. (more…)

(Charlotte, N.C.) The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) (NYSE:BWC) announced today that its subsidiary Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc. (NFS) has been awarded a $114.7 million contract for the manufacture and delivery of fuel and support activities for the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. (more…)

(Durham, N.C.) Cree, Inc. (Nasdaq: CREE), a market leader in LED lighting, announces that more than 930 LR6(TM) six-inch LED downlights and LR24(TM) LED lay-in luminaries have been installed at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base as part of an overall renovation currently underway. Located outside of San Diego, Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps, serving as its prime amphibious training base for nearly 100,000 Marines. (more…)

(Cary, N.C.) International strategic business consultant Lea Strickland, MBA/CMA/CFM/CBM/GMC, has been selected to lead a class of the North Carolina Military Business Center (NCMBC) Defense Contractors Academy on the subject of becoming a government contractor. Designed as a hands-on workshop, the October 25th session titled “Cost Estimating & Proposal Developments” will be a strategic and tactical discussion of the elements of proposals, how to develop costs, and the strategic and financial implications of becoming a government contractor. (more…)

(Morrisville, N.C.) Montie Design, an innovative concept-to-marketplace product design and development firm, recently participated in the North Carolina Defense Business Association (NCDBA) Breakfast with a Prime event August 25th as one of the presenting companies. Held at the Research Triangle Park Archie K. Davis Conference Center, Breakfast with a Prime featured a main presentation by renowned government contracting group IEM and was well-attended by representatives of private businesses, local government and universities. (more…)

(Research Triangle Park, N.C.) The U.S. Navy has awarded Entegrion, the life sciences development company focused on expanding the therapeutic potential of the human vascular system, an extension of up to $9.84 million on an existing contract to develop a multi-functional resuscitation fluid. The Navy’s Office of Naval Research (ONR) is funding the life-saving resuscitation research over the next two years to investigate the potential for combining various technologies in order to develop a means that is more effective for resuscitating combat casualties than single component strategies. (more…)

(Charlotte, N.C.) The Charlotte Mecklenburg Workforce Development Board announces that BAE Systems is beginning its planned Charlotte expansion and is searching for qualified applicants to work in its new human resources and finance shared services center in Ballantyne. (more…)