Founded 2002 | ||
 | ||
Railroad signal international product spotlight
Signal International, LLC is a Mobile, Alabama based marine construction firm specializing in the construction of large ocean going structures such as offshore drilling rigs, production platforms and barges. The company also has operations in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and Orange, Texas.
Contents
Corporate
The company was formed after the acquisition of Freid, Goldman, Halter in 2002. In 2010 the company acquired Bender Shipbuilding and Repair in Mobile, Alabama. The purchase came after Bender filed for bankruptcy. The cost was $31.2 million. Dick Marler is the President and CEO. In 2005 the company hired over 300 workers for a single project to create a floating hotel to serve offshore workers. In 2014 Signal was awarded a $4.5 million doallar government contract to repair and refurbish a navy product tanker. The firm employed an additional 150 workers for that contract.
Controversy
In 2008 the company was sued in United States federal court. Allegations centered on 12 guest workers who claimed that Signal forced them to live in squalid living conditions. In May 2013 suits were filed by 83 other workers with similar claims. In August 2013 the Southern Poverty Law Center filed additional suits representing 500 more workers. In February 2015, a federal court jury awarded $14.1 million in damages to 5 workers arising from the original suit.