The new owner of Falmouth Docks has promised a brighter future for its workers, with plenty of good things “coming down the pipe”.
Speaking to the Packet at the docks today (Friday), Simon Gillett, founder and group chief executive of Balaena, which has bought the APCL Group, said: “It means a brighter future for Falmouth Docks – investment, growth, and an expanded offering for our customers and for employees.”
He said the major deal is set to bring investment, jobs and apprenticeships to the town’s maritime sector.
“We’re bringing scale to Falmouth Docks – the size and capability to handle problems across defence and commercial sectors and deliver real solutions for our customers,” he said.
Balaena, a maritime engineering and shipbuilding group with operations including a yard in Padstow, has acquired the APCL Group, which operates A&P Falmouth and the Falmouth Docks and Engineering Company.
The move creates one of the UK’s largest ship repair and shipbuilding networks, with 12 dry docks across sites in Falmouth, Tyneside and Birkenhead, as well as Gibraltar.
“We’re not here to cut back. You don’t buy companies to shrink them, and that’s not the plan at Falmouth Docks at all,” said Mr Gillett.
“We’ve already spent £150 million to get to this point, and now we’re moving into a phase that will unlock a major capital investment programme across all the yards.
“Be excited. Be very excited. There’s good things coming down the pipe for Falmouth Docks.
"We’ve started to kind of 'open the kimono' a bit with the management team here. I think they’re starting to share the vision, and over the coming months you’ll start to see a lot more coming from here."
He said the enlarged group would strengthen Britain’s maritime capability while expanding commercial ship repair and refit services across offshore energy, cargo, cruise and ferry sectors.
Balaena has confirmed plans to invest in modernising APCL’s facilities, expanding ship repair capacity and developing low-emission propulsion systems.
"It’s incredibly exciting. I live in Cornwall, my kids go to school in Cornwall," said Mr Gillett. "I have offices in Cornwall, and here we are now owning the biggest maritime facility in Cornwall. So, very exciting."
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He said over the coming months people will start to see a lot more coming from Falmouth Docks.
He also owns a former Royal Navy dockyard in Gibraltar, which is very similar to Falmouth in style and size, as well as a boatyard in Padstow.
A national skills and apprenticeship programme is set to be launched with colleges and maritime training bodies.
The combined business will employ more than 2,000 people across its sites, including Falmouth.
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