Simons and Lobnitz -
Shipbuilders
William Simons and Company began business in
Greenock in1810, moved to Canada in 1812, returned to
Greenock in 1818 and finally settled in Renfrew in 1860. It
pioneered the development of a tool for deepening and
clearing the river bed and its inventor was a Mr. Andrew
Brown who became a director of the company. In 1959 Simons
joined forces with Lobnitz and the following year these two
companies became part of G & J Weir & Company of
Cathcart, world famous pump makers. Together the combined
workforce amounted to two thousand men. In 1964 the business
became part of A & J Stephens of Linthouse but by 1969
it had disappeared.
During World War 11 Lobnitz, apart from
shipbuilding, designed and built 'Mulberry Harbours',
with piers to take men, tanks and heavy guns and other
equipment ashore. Each weighed about a thousand tons. The
harbours were tested for a year on the Solway Firth and
brought into use by the military, one being put in place on
a Normandy beach codenamed Gold Beach, the nearest
towns being Arromanches and Port en Bessin, just
after the Allied landings on D-Day [June 6th 1944]..
It was seriously damaged in a storm [19-22 June] but
was still useable
The Queen Mary
[Many Renfrew people helped to build her,
my father and uncles among them]
[Published courtesy of
Renfrewshire Council, Education and Leisure Services]
Babcock and Wilcox
In 1897 a Clydebank boiler making company
with a workforce of 1000 men and needing larger premises,
moved to Porterfield Road, Renfrew. The company grew over
the years providing Renfrew with stable employment. Today
the total workforce numbers in the region of 6000
people in Renfrew with the Company employing 16000 people in
Britain and more overseas. Today they manufacture nuclear
plant and equipment and many other engineering products. The
company's Research Station employs about 300 people and is
involved in chemical, and metallurgical analysis.
Scottish Cables
Founded by William Fraser in 1938 the
present company is part of BICC and manufactures electrical
cables
Hillington Industrial Estate
In 1937 the Industrial Estate at Hillington
was opened, bringing many companies like Rolls Royce to the
area and again providing Renfrew with opportunities
for employment..
Renfrew Airport and Coats Mill
in Paisley provided more jobs for Renfrew people as did the shipyards
in Clydebank and Govan and the many shops,
offices and small factories nearby.
[Crane photograph courtesy
of Freefoto.com]
