Hellespont Industrials

The mammoth Hellespont Industrials was founded on July 17th, 2792. It is the single largest manufacturer of Combat Vehicles in the Capellan Confederation, in addition to being both one of the most advanced 'Mech production facilities and the primary producer of advanced armor types in the Liao state.

Overview
Hellespont Industrials was at one time the second largest manufacturer of weapons in the Capellan Confederation, giving Earthwerks Ltd. strong competition for critical BattleMech production contracts. However, at the height of the Succession Wars, Marik and Kurita attacks all but wiped out this firm's 'Mech production capabilities. In an effort to avoid total ruin, Hellespont relocated its remaining factory workers and production equipment to the more easily defensible capital of the Confederation, Sian, settling on the production of less expensive and more easily constructable Combat Vehicles, becoming the single largest producer of such vehicles in the Capellan state. The company, however, never forgot its role and during the end of Third Succession War had again taken on 'Mech research and development, primarily the salvaging and improvement of captured 'Mechs but also the development of the Raven electronic warfare 'Mech.

With the loss of yet further Capellan BattleMech production facilities during the Fourth Succession War and the technology boom brought about by the discovery of the Helm Memory Core, Hellespont received a large portion of the scant funds and resources available in the Confederation to expand its facilities and re-introduced advanced lostech. Just prior to the Clan Invasion, the company began production of a modernized Raven. After its success Hellespont used the the well-received and popular ECM 'Mech as the basis for new designs using Stealth Armor and modular Omni-Pod technology. Hellespont also produces a large portion of the advanced armor, chassis, and equipment used in other modern Liao 'Mech and vehicle designs.

The Hellespont plant on Sian was lucky during the Jihad, at least in relative terms, compared to many other industrial facilities across the Inner Sphere; while it was damaged during the various battles for control of Sian, it escaped being destroyed. How much Hellespont owes the survival of the plant to the CCAF and MAF forces on Sian and how much it owes to the influence Kali Liao had with the Word of Blake is open to debate. Despite the reduced production from the Hellespont plant, the two-year backlog of orders for Pillagers in place by mid-3081 was actually due to a bottleneck outside the control of the factory - a shortage of electronic systems produced by Ceres was actually to blame.

Although Hellespont apparently intended to close the Betelgeuse facility in 3079, the factory remained open until at least mid-3081; no longer supplying RetroTech BattleMechs, the plant was continuing to produce new UrbanMechs and had converted the RetroTech production lines into refit lines, upgrading primitive Firebees to modern standards. It was later revealed that the factory was never closed at all but continued expanded production in secret to supply the CCAF's Hidden Lion regiments with material.

Leadership
The CEO of Hellespont Industrials in 3067 as to 3076 is Mandrissa Alana Morgaine. She has been the CEO for forty years. She is currently 89 years old, she's expected to step down and turn the company over to her nephew Aaron Morgaine when she turns 90.

Manufacturing
Hellespont Industrials has manufacturing centers on the following planets:

Betelgeuse
To protect their corporation during the Jihad, Hellespont chose to reactivate their Betelgeuse facility. After the Jihad ended, the factory was once again shut down. It was later discovered during Operation Great Flood that the facility not only remained active but has expanded to produce the Yinghuochong and Firebee. Production of the Firebee was stockpiled for years in hidden depots for use in the Hidden Lion regiments.

Note: The facility on Betelgeuse suffered no losses in terms of capital and personnel, and had a production volume of 88% in 3079.

Sian
Note: Since the start of the Jihad, the facility on Sian, suffers a capital and personal losses of 50%, and the operating capacity of the factory is reduced to 82% of their main production volume in 3079.