AMPP Leadership Participates in Historic White House Meeting on Strengthening U.S. Shipbuilding

AMPP met with White House NSC staff to advance U.S. shipbuilding through workforce development, research, and advanced materials protection.

WASHINGTON, DC, DC, UNITED STATES, April 23, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), the global authority on materials protection and performance, took a historic and critical step forward in national defense advocacy today as CEO Alan Thomas and Chief of Advocacy Helena Seelinger met with staff from the White House National Security Council (NSC) to discuss how workforce development, research, and advanced materials protection are essential to revitalizing America’s maritime industrial base and strengthening the future of U.S. shipbuilding.

The meeting focused on how AMPP’s internationally recognized workforce training programs and expansive technical resources can help address the skilled labor shortage in the shipbuilding sector. AMPP also outlined how technology and innovation in surface preparation and coatings—when integrated early in the design and build phases—can reduce the cost of protecting maritime assets, enhance durability, lower lifecycle costs, and accelerate project delivery for both military and commercial vessels.

“AMPP offers proven solutions—from skilled workforce development to cutting-edge research and technical standards—that can help strengthen the domestic shipbuilding supply chain,” said Thomas. “By prioritizing materials protection in the design and construction phases, we can build more resilient vessels, extend asset life from the start, and reduce long-term costs, while supporting the broader goals of maritime readiness and industrial growth.”

AMPP reaffirmed its commitment to a whole-of-government approach, engaging with agencies such as the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Energy (DOE), and the NSC to help meet the administration’s long-term shipbuilding goals. With a global reputation for certification, training, and technical innovation, AMPP stands ready to support national efforts to strengthen maritime resilience and industrial capability.

“Being part of the conversation at this early stage ensures that the expertise AMPP brings—especially in workforce readiness and materials performance—can help steer and accelerate federal goals,” Thomas added. “We look forward to ongoing collaboration across agencies as this important work progresses.”

As the only organization recognized by the International Maritime Organization for corrosion control expertise, AMPP delivers training, certification, and standards supporting military and commercial shipbuilding. In 2024 alone, AMPP issued over 65,000 credentials to workers in the maritime sector and trained more than 12,000 individuals across 38 countries.

ABOUT AMPP
The Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) is a global leader dedicated to the protection of assets and the performance of industrial and natural materials. Established in 2021, AMPP brings together nearly 150 years of combined expertise from legacy organizations to advance solutions that enhance safety, security, and sustainability across industries. Serving more than 36,000 members in over 140 countries, AMPP is the largest organization of its kind, providing innovative standards, certifications, training, and resources. Headquartered in the United States with offices in Houston and Pittsburgh, AMPP also operates regional offices in Brazil, Canada, China, Dubai (training center), Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. www.ampp.org

Jennifer Kramer
AMPP: Association for Materials Protection and Performance
+1 330-714-8302
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