With its largest shipyard based in Belfast, the Harland & Wolff Group has announced that it has reached 1,000 employees across the company's facilities on both sides of the Irish Sea. 

The international shipbuilding and marine engineering business continues to actively recruit new staff to meet demand at its UK fabrication sites in Appledore, Arnish, Belfast and Methil. In addition to their commercial footprint in Aberdeen, London and Southampton.

The milestone was passed this week and comes at the end of a significant year for the business, a year in which it was awarded, as part of the Team Resolute consortium with Navantia UK and BMT, a contract to build three Fleet Solid Support (FSS) vessels.

Andrew Jackson, Harland & Wolff Human Resources Director, said: “We are delighted to celebrate hitting the milestone of 1,000 employees. This is a significant moment for our company as we look to build-upon the progress we have made over the last few years and prepare to deliver key maritime and specialist engineering programmes in line with the UK government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy refresh.

“The £77m investment we’ve received as part of Team Resolute has of course been a key catalyst in our recruitment drive and desire to transform Harland & Wolff’s yards into some of the most advanced in the world. We are welcoming hundreds of new colleagues right across the business, and in all disciplines, talent that will ensure deep and enduring links with the communities with which we work.”

The Harland and Wolff Group which among its shipyards includes the famous Belfast yard, recently announced that it has slashed expected revenues for 2022.

The shipyard group which has four yards on both sides of the Irish Sea, said supply chain problems have delayed work on some contracts.

According to BBC News, the group now expects to book full year revenues of between £29m and £31m when compared to September's forecast which was in the region of £65m-£75m.

John Wood, the chief executive said it was "disappointing that we have not met our aspirations due to timing issues". Wood however added that he was confident that deferred revenue would start getting booked in the first half of 2023.

Aside the iconic Belfast shipyard located on Queen's Island, H&W operates yards in Appledore, the north Devon shipyard (builder for the Irish Naval Service) and two sites in Scotland, Arnish on the Isle of Lewis and Methil on the Firth of Forth.

More on the story here and developments including the UK MoD naval contract.

#Turnover2015 - Harland and Wolff Group (H&W) writes the Belfast Telegraph continues to operate in testing market conditions as a diverse engineering business.

The company, a subsidiary of the Fred Olsen Energy Group, operates in shipbuilding, heavy engineering, ship repair, and floating production and drilling vessels for off-shore oil and gas industry.

Despite difficult trading, annual turnover increased in 2015 to over £66m, the highest level of the past decade. The higher turnover came in a period of much tighter trading profit margins although the end year results did show a smaller operating profit.

During the recent year the company provided services to 21 different vessels (27 in 2014). There was useful business from the continuing relationship with the Irish Sea ferry operators, Stena Line.

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