By: Matt Manochio (Daily Record)
Published: July 21, 2011

NEW YORK CITY – 6/20/2011 – The names of those who were killed in the 9/11 attack are still covered and surround the memorial pools at the World Trade Center memorial. ASBURY PARK PRESS PHOTO BY THOMAS P. COSTELLO WTCTOUR0620K WITH VIDEO / THOMAS P. COSTELLO

ROCKAWAY — The work was hard in a lot of different ways.

Workers at Service Metal Fabricating created 152 brass plates that will outline the square memorial pools built in the footprints of the twin towers. The plates bear the names of the nearly 3,000 victims killed in 2001, and those murdered on Feb. 26, 1993, during the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

“It was very emotional at times, we had a lot of victims’ family members visit us while we were doing the work,” said Jim Moretti, who co-owns Service Metal Fabricating Inc., on Stickle Avenue.

Service Metal finished production on the plates “just a couple of weeks ago, within the month of June,” Moretti said. “I’m breathing normally again.” He credited the 30-person crew at the company, saying they took the work seriously and with proceeded with a sense of urgency.

“The hard work and the dedication of what they did as individuals and as a team here certainly was one of the proudest moments in my life,” he said.

While the fabrication work is finished, insulation work is ongoing at the site, and likely will be through August, Moretti said.

“We’re mostly done, I’d say we’re 99 percent done,” Moretti said.

Rockaway, Sept 9–Photos of Service Metal Fabricating, who will be involved in making parts of the Ground Zero memorial. Co-owner of the company Jim Moretti discusses the project._dawn benko photo/2010 / staff photo

The 9/11 Memorial occupies approximately half of the 16-acre site that had been home to the World Trade Center complex; it features two enormous waterfalls and reflecting pools, each about an acre in size, set within the footprints of the original twin towers.

Not only did Moretti’s company produce the plates that are integral part of the memorial, but also made the metal brackets and posts that will be or have already been placed into concrete and onto which the brass plates will be attached.

Service Metal won the bid to manufacture the plates about two years ago. He said architect Michael Arad did the conceptual design, while Service Metal engineered the parts.

Each victim’s name was typed into a computer, and then cut into the brass by a beam of water at 55,000 pounds per square inch.

Moretti’s company, which his father, Joe Moretti, founded in 1982, and which he and his brothers, Joe Jr. and Bill, have run since 1995, will continue to take trips from the borough into New York City, sometimes two or three times a week, until the final plate is installed.

Each plate is 10 feet long and 5 feet high, and weighs close to 1,100 pounds. The plates are being installed on a slant, the lowest point being 2 feet, 11 inches from the ground and 3 feet, 6 inches at the highest.

Morris County lost 65 people from 28 municipalities that day, and Moretti knows many of their relatives and friends will see his company’s work when the 9/11 Memorial opens in September.

“That first day, Sept. 11, will be (their) first opportunity to see this work,” he said.