Former Babcock & Wilcox employees to hold 43rd annual reunion in Wilmington

Wilmington, NC (WWAY) — Former employees of Babcock & Wilcox will gather later this month for their 43rd annual reunion in Wilmington.

The reunion is scheduled for Aug. 29 at 4 p.m. at Golden Corral, located at 5130 New Centre Drive. Attendees will be responsible for the cost of their meals.

Babcock & Wilcox established operations in Wilmington in 1951, following the closures of the Wilmington Shipyard Company and Atlantic Coast Line operations that left a pool of skilled workers in the area.

The company initially operated along the waterfront before purchasing 253 acres in 1953 for a manufacturing facility. According to information provided by reunion organizers, B&W employed more than 1,200 people during its early years.

The Wilmington operation focused on industrial and marine package boilers used by industrial facilities, utilities and military vessels. B&W boilers were also installed aboard the Battleship North Carolina.

The company manufactured boilers that were shipped throughout the United States and internationally.

Babcock & Wilcox also had ties to the surrounding Wilmington community. In 1962, the company donated nearly 2 acres to the New Hanover County Board of Education for an access road and playground serving J.C. Roe School, according to reunion organizers.

Babcock & Wilcox closed its Wilmington operation in 1983. The property, located along what is now Raleigh Street, later operated under several different companies and names.

The Aug. 29 gathering will give former employees another opportunity to reconnect more than four decades after the Wilmington operation closed.