Ferguson Shipbuilders

Ferguson Shipbuilders Limited is a shipyard located in Port Glasgow on the River Clyde in Scotland. It is the last remaining shipbuilder on the lower Clyde, and the only builder of non-military vessels on the river - the company's mainstay has long been car ferries.

History

The four Ferguson Brothers (Peter, Daniel, Louis and Robert) left the Fleming & Ferguson shipyard in Paisley to lease Hamilton's Newark yard in 1902. The Ferguson's acquired the Newark yard in 1907. Ferguson's yard numbers started from the end of the Fleming & Ferguson system even though it continued to be used at the Paisley company. The company was purchased by John Slater Ltd. (Amalgamated Industries) in 1918, but returned to Ferguson control in the late 1920s. Lithgows Ltd. purchased interest in 1955 after Bobby Ferguson's death and took control in 1961. The company remained a separate entity within the Scott Lithgow group from 1969—1977. The company became part of British Shipbuilders in 1977. The company merged with the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company to form Ferguson-Ailsa Ltd. in 1980 (and used Ailsa Yard Numbers from 1985). Ferguson and Ailsa were separated in 1986, and Ferguson merged with Appledore Shipbuilders, Devon to form Appledore Ferguson. It demerged from Appledore and was sold to Clark Kincaid (HLD Group) in 1989, trading as Ferguson Shipbuilders. As part of HLD the company was acquired by Kvaerner Industrier in 1990. Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd. was sold by Kvaerner to Ferguson Marine plc in 1991. The entire shareholding in Ferguson Marine was acquired by the Holland House Electrical Group in 1995.

External links

* http://www.fergusongroup.co.uk/shipbuilding/profile.aspx