Jobs hope as Dover company creates UK's biggest ship repairer
Ship repairer Burgess
Marine's headquarters are in Dover
by Graham Tutthill
More jobs could be created in Dover after two companies joined
forces to create the largest independent ship repairer in
Britain.
Burgess Marine, which has its headquarters in Dover with sites
in Poole and Portsmouth's naval base, has acquired Testbank Ship
Repair - with locations at Southampton docks, Portchester near
Portsmouth, and Avonmouth near Bristol.
The deal will see 120 full-time staff work under the Burgess
Marine banner from the six sites, with a combined annual turnover
of at least £20million.
Testbank's privately-owned shares were purchased outright for an
undisclosed figure.
Staff at both companies were told of the new business
structure at a special meeting.
Nick Warren, managing director of
Burgess Marine (pictured right), said: "This was very much a chance
to warmly introduce the extended family and reassure everyone that,
by joining forces, the future with Burgess Marine is a strong one.
This is a very exciting time for all of us, at all levels."
The acquisition has taken place through a combination of funding
from HSBC bank and private cash.
Mr Warren added: "The various work streams of both companies
very much complement each other, so it made compelling business
logic for family-owned Testbank to join forces with us to create
the largest independent ship repairer in the UK by both
geographical location and the fact that we are not tied to any one
particular yard or facility.
"Whilst this is an acquisition on paper, both parties view this
as very much a friendly merger rather than anything else.
"It is one that will benefit our customers across the UK and
internationally from economies of scale, as well as providing job
security and prospects for our 120 highly skilled and dedicated
employees and over 200 sub-contractors, including in and around
Dover and Kent."
30/01/13
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