by Brian Currie, Evening Times
A Glasgow firm has won an £85 million contract to transport the
massive sections of the giant aircraft carriers being built at
shipyards around the UK to Rosyth for assembly.
The contract has been awarded to family firm Henry Abram and
Sons as part of £333m of subcontracts announced today for the
Navy's new super carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of
Wales.
The firm currently employs 22 people in Glasgow but plans to
take on more skilled staff and apprentices for the new
contract.
Company boss Michael Abram said the scope of the work was
challenging but the firm had worked "very well" with the warship
builders, BAE, and the Ministry of Defence for many years on other
projects.
He said: "We now plan to employ naval architects, structural
engineers, design engineers, graduates, and administration staff to
work alongside our existing staff and consortium partners to ensure
safe and successful delivery of all cargoes to Rosyth."
Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy said: "These contract awards are
great news for Glasgow, the Scottish economy and Scottish jobs.
"There has never been any doubt how important the aircraft
carriers are to Scotland as a multi-billion pound project securing
thousands of jobs.
"This latest news underlines the importance of the UK defence
industry to Scotland."
Reproduced with the permission of the Herald and Times
Group.