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Defence manufacturer The Whiskey Project Group US has announced the establishment of its new headquarters and manufacturing hub in Edenton, North Carolina.
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The Australian veteran-founded company is expanding its manufacturing capabilities with a state-of-the-art 50-acre facility that integrates shipbuilding and warehousing, strategically located along the Chowan River.
The expansion is expected to create more than 50 jobs within 100,000 square feet of fabrication and industrial manufacturing space, bolstering The Whiskey Project Group’s (TWPG) capacity to design and maintain lightweight aluminium and composite vessels that meet the highest military and commercial maritime standards.
“We are truly delighted to open our first advanced manufacturing facility in the United States,” TWPG chief executive officer Darren Schuback said.
“This onshore expansion allows us to expedite the delivery of our next-generation Whiskey Alphas and Bravos to the US military whilst enhancing our AUKUS supply chains and developing stronger, faster, and more capable vessels for our global customers who expect nothing less than high performance.
“We are committed to investing in skilled, secure, and well-paid manufacturing jobs right here in North Carolina, prioritising local employment and supporting the community for years to come and look forward to working with the local authorities to support their long-term plans for the region.
“Our new Edenton facility, managed by Simon Rich, exemplifies TWPG’s dedication to strengthening the industrial base of our AUKUS partners through innovation, manufacturing, and the development of local skills and jobs.”
The Riverbulk Terminal will feature shipyard sustainment and maintenance capabilities while providing direct water access to local waterways and the North Atlantic Ocean.
The direct ocean access and proximity to the Norfolk naval shipbuilding precinct is expected to facilitate critical testing and evaluation capabilities in realistic operational conditions, thus enabling the design of stronger, safer, and more efficient platforms for the warfighter.
The Riverbulk Terminal in Edenton, which is strategically situated between the USMC’s 2MEF at Camp Lejeune, Fort Liberty in Fayetteville and the heart of East Coast naval shipbuilding in Norfolk, marks TWPG’s fourth manufacturing hub.
It joins Australia and New Zealand facilities, including Sydney, Yamba, and Picton. The expansion aligns with the US Defense Industry Development Strategy’s remit to deliver a more resilient, dynamic and robust industrial ecosystem and the USMC Commandant’s 39th Planning Guidance to deliver naval integration and organic mobility.
It furthermore supports the Australian government’s National Defense Strategy (NDS) to optimise for littoral manoeuvre with a long-range land and maritime strike capability.
“Ours is the most business and military friendly state in the country and eastern North Carolina is the perfect home for The Whiskey Project Group’s US headquarters and manufacturing facility,” North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said.
"We know they will find great workers and the best quality of life right here.”
The development of the Edenton site is expected to cement TWPG’s US position to deliver advanced defence manufacturing and innovation, bolstering maritime industrial capabilities and safeguarding sovereign supply chains. It is also expected to enhance naval design intellectual property and foster regional boat manufacturing expertise, local job creation, and skills and training.
“The Whiskey Project Group knows boats … and the ability to support a contract with the United States Marine Corps, to establish a world-class capability in North Carolina in the USA, is an example of what we can hope for the [Australian Defence Industry] for the future – and that’s just the starting position,” said Deputy Secretary of Capability Acquisition and Sustainment within the Australian Defence Department, Air Vice Marshal (Ret’d) Chris Deeble AO CSC, speaking at the G’day USA Defence Industry Dialogue Reception at the Australian Embassy in Washington DC.
“To establish a US footprint is the mark of what we are doing under the Defence Industry Development Strategy (DIDS).”
