SMS has acquired all the assets and works in progress of Burgess Marine who recently went into administration.
The ship repair operations in Lowestoft, Poole and Avonmouth will continue as usual with all the current teams employed immediately and will operate under the brand SMS.
Negotiations are currently taking place within the two Royal Navy bases at Portsmouth and Devonport for SMS to continue working within these high security areas and it is hoped that many of the staff previously employed on the military sites will be re-hired should SMS be able to provide the required security levels.
Unfortunately, the facilities at Portchester and Dover will not be saved as operating costs at these sites do not make them viable and they have consistently lost money for years.
SMS has also purchased the entire shareholding in Global Services and Global Newbuilds a successful supply chain company operating in the Superyacht and commercial vessel market. The current Managing Director Richard Gardiner and his team will continue to run those businesses with Peter Morton and Chris Norman of SMS joining the Board.
Chris Norman Managing Director of SMS says,
"It is always sad to see so many people lose their jobs at any time let alone just before Christmas and we are pleased to have been able to save as many as possible.
On-going negotiations may mean that over the coming weeks we can get permission to operate within the Royal Navy Bases which may mean we can employ evenmore ex Burgess employees.
SMS will now be able to assist ship owners from Lowestoft to Avonmouth to maintain and repair their vessels and with the combined workforce of SMS and our sister companies Wight Shipyard and AMC have close to four hundred skilled shipwrights ready to undertake all the trades required to keep a modern fleet operational."
