2022
Press
Releases
12.23.2022 – CH-53K King Stallion Approved for Full Rate Production
MAGNOLIA, ARK. – Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) reported that the CH-53K King Stallion, the Marine Corp’s new heavy lift helicopter has entered Full Rate Production (FRP) and deployment phase following a decision review by Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy Frederick J. Stefany for Research, Development and Acquisition.
“We have successfully demonstrated the performance and reliability of this aircraft,” PMA-261 Program Manager Col. Kate Fleeger said. “With FRP we will continue to build on the strong manufacturing, sustainment and support that has been established for the CH-53K.”
Amfuel is proud to be the single-source fuel cell supplier to the CH-53K program.
12.21.2022 – Team Investment Saves CH-53K Program Schedule, Strengthens Small Business
MAGNOLIA, ARK. – Amfuel was featured in the Naval Aviation News article, Team Investment Saves CH-53K Program Schedule, Strengthens Small Business. “Ingenuity, oversight and a capital investment by the production department for Naval Air Systems Command’s Heavy Lift Helicopter Program Office helped transform a struggling U.S. manufacturer into a modern, dependable production source for aircraft fuel cells and avoided the potential failure of a critical Department of Defense (DoD) supplier.”
According to William Winters, co-lead of the production integrated product team for the program office, the effort was to safeguard the production of CH-53K fuel cells and to sustain production of this DoD aviation-critical component. “The team applied critical-thought and outside-the-box thinking to evaluate tooling-equipment requirements needed,” Winters said.
Victoria Falcón wrote that “Amfuel’s new owners made significant investments in basic elements to keep the business operational . . . But additional help was needed quickly to refurbish Amfuel’s antiquated facilities and acquire needed equipment to sustain production rates required to meet existing DoD demand.” The improvements prevented more than $1 million in potentially scrapped fuel cells within a year.
08.25.2022 – Amfuel Featured in Manufacturing Today
MAGNOLIA, ARK. – Manufacturing Today featured an article on Amfuel’s grand transformation. Michael Accordino, President at Amfuel: “We have been in the midst of a dramatic transformation during the last four years, injecting over $50 million of capital, creating 100s of new jobs, tripling production in the first 12 months, and finally turning a profit for the company,” he reveals. “An initial injection of capital gave us life. It provided the basic elements we needed to run the business: raw materials, additional labor, and necessary consumables. Following that, we secured further investment through our partnerships with the US Government and Department of Defense, enabling us to refurbish facilities, and acquire new equipment and manufacturing infrastructure across our operations. These investments assisted to stabilize the business and allowed us to grow in an organic way. For instance, it enabled us to ramp up production of our CH-53K fuel cells, which we are sole-sourced for; prior to these investments, we produced only one 53K fuel cell per month, but now that number has shot up to six, and is soon to increase further. It might not sound like much, but that is a dramatic increase for us, and means we can better serve our clients with critical platforms such as CH-53K.”
06.27.2022 – Amfuel Nominated for The Coolest Thing Made in Arkansas
MAGNOLIA, ARK. – Amfuel was among the Top 16 in an online program by Arkansas Business and the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas that featured products of manufacturers based in the state.
Although Amfuel did not progress to the Exceptional 8 bracket of The Coolest Thing Made in Arkansas (https://coolestthinginarkansas.com) contest voting, President Michael Accordino said, “We are honored to have been part of the competition. Operating quietly in a highly specialized industry, we were surprised to have ranked that high in the state. Word must be getting out as Amfuel has made incredible strides since emerging from bankruptcy, and we are just getting started. We look forward to continuing to contribute to our great state's rich manufacturing history.”
05.21.2022 – Amfuel Places 1st in Magnolia Blossom Festival Parade
MAGNOLIA, ARK. – Work hard and play hard. Amfuel won the Best Float and Performance in the 2022 Magnolia Blossom Festival Parade with its fun “Amfreezy” theme and dance. “We put a lot of effort into our entry, and it was fun for all,” said Faith Elliott, VP. “The parade is a great way to show our community spirit.” Sadly, it was not a clean sweep as Amfuel did not win the World Championship Steak Cook-Off at the Blossom Festival. Better luck next year.
02.01.2022 – Amfuel President Appointed by Governor to Arkansas Military Affairs Council
MAGNOLIA, ARK. – Governor Asa Hutchinson appointed Amfuel President Michael Accordino to the newly created Arkansas Military Affairs Council on February 1, 2022. Lieutenant Governor Tim Griffin, a Magnolia native and candidate for Attorney General, recommended Accordino for the position. Accordino has been president of Amfuel since the group in which he serves as managing director, LB Advisors, in concert with JetCapital, purchased the assets out of bankruptcy in late 2018. Accordino said of the appointment, “I am honored to be chosen to fill this role and look forward to working with the governor and my fellow council members for the benefit of Amfuel and Arkansas.”
American Fuel Cell and Coated Fabrics Company, LLC (Amfuel) is the premier manufacturer of self‐sealing and crash resistant fuel cells for aviation and defense, support services and liquid logistic solutions. Fuel cells are specialized fuel bladders for fixed wing and vertical lift aircraft, and ground vehicles. Liquid logistic bladder solutions range in size from 5,000 gallon transportable to 1,000,000 gallon embankment tanks.
Phone: +1 (870) 234-3381, +1 (870) 235-7203 (Direct Sales Office)
Email: press@amfuel.com
Location: 601 Firestone Dr. Magnolia, AR 71753