Fairbanks Morse Defense buys naval supplier Welin Lambie

Welin Lambie Ltd designs and manufactures crane-like davits that launch and recover boats from ships or shore-based installations. (Welin Lambie)

US naval engine builder Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) has expanded its offering by acquiring UK-based Welin Lambie Ltd, which designs and manufactures crane-like davits that launch and recover boats from ships or shore-based installations.

The acquisition, which follows FMD's purchase of naval motor provider Ward Leonard in January and naval valve manufacturer Hunt Valve Company in September, brings FMD “one step closer to becoming a full-service provider for our core marine customers so we can better support their mission-critical operations”, FMD CEO George Whittier said on 8 December.

Welin Lambie's products are installed on platforms such as US Navy aircraft carriers, amphibious vessels, and littoral combat ships; US Coast Guard cutters; and Royal Saudi Navy frigates. FMD sees future unmanned ships as a potential growth opportunity for Welin Lambie, “as davits that launch and recover crafts and mission packages are expected to be increasingly critical in uncrewed environments”.

Welin Lambie, meanwhile, is expected to benefit from its new owner's greater resources, including a 150-person field service team. “We're looking forward to expanding our presence under the Fairbanks Morse Defense brand,” Welin Lambie managing director and former co-owner Norman Rose said.

The addition of Welin Lambie, which has 34 employees, increases FMD's workforce to about 950 people. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Welin Lambie was founded in 1901 and operates from a factory in England's West Midlands county. It serves both military and commercial customers and has built davits for several famous ships, including the British passenger liner Titanic, which sank in 1912, and a replica used in the popular 1997 film ‘Titanic'.