18 . Glasgow Business January/February 2013
From its heyday in shipbuilding, Glasgow has built itself a formidable reputation in engineering
THE VITAL SPARK
G
lasgow was once the world leader in manufacturing and engineering, taking in orders from across the globe for its famous Clyde-built
ships, assembled by a workforce which steadily grew to 100,000 at its peak. Although this shipbuilding base is nowhere
near the scale it once was, Glasgow is still firmly on the map when it comes to its engineering prowess, home to major players in the sector. To tell a long story, the first successful
experiments using steam engines to drive boats took place on the Forth and Clyde canal, leading the way to an invention which revolutionised travel on water and changed the way people viewed the size of world. Steampower was quick to catch on, with 42
steamships completed between 1812 and 1830 on the banks of the Clyde, with engineers from the surrounding towns supplying all the machinery required to complete such a mammoth feat. With wooden shipbuilding becoming
usurped by the preference of using iron, Robert Napier was the man who took the skills of the Clyde shipbuilders to an international audience, winning contracts from all over the world while securing resources from the large amounts of coal and ironstone found locally. By 1913, more than 100,000 people were
employed across the 38 shipyards and related industries along the Clyde with over half of the world’s shipbuilding production taking place in the city. Unfortunately, the Clyde’s
output declined significantly, following a short boom aſter the First World War, where a spike in orders led to a shortage of demand against a backdrop of a struggling global economy and an order book mainly compiled by the
government as the country went to war in 1939. Technology was also against the shipyard, as the jet aeroplane became a quicker and more convenient mode of transportation for freight, much to the peril of the firms struggling to make a living along the Clyde. Glaswegians are an extremely resilient
people, never willing to cower in the face of a challenge. Since the decline of the Clyde, the city has become home to some of the biggest names in engineering, with the Weir Group and Aggreko forming part of an impressive roster. Holding the title of world’s largest temporary
power provider is certainly no small feat. Founded in 1962, Aggreko now has offices all over the world, securing business from power stations, film studios, major sporting events and the aſtermath of natural disasters. Aggreko, which has a large production facility in Dumbarton, has earmarked £150m in capital investment for the first half of 2013, hoping to expand its operations. Another major operator within the city
is the Weir Group. A FTSE100 global engineering solutions provider focused on the minerals, oil, gas and power market, the group designs, manufactures and provides support services for pump and flow control, accredited as market leaders in a number of areas. Founded in 1871 and now employing more
than 14,000 people in over 70 countries across the world, the business operations are split across three main arms – Weir Minerals, Weir Oil and Gas and Weir Power. Te company is yet another
feather in the city’s cap; standing alongside firms such as Howden, BAE Systems, Clyde Pumps, Halcrow and
Rolls-Royce each making
their own individual mark on the city’s manufacturing and
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