PD Ports
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PD Ports is a Middlesbrough, UK headquartered port, shipping and logistics company; owner of Teesport, and ports at Hartlepool, Howden and Keadby; with additional operations at the Port of Felixstowe, Port of Immingham, and Port of Hull.
Formerly known as Powell Duffryn, it traces its origins to a
The company was acquired in 2000 by Nikko Principal Investments Japan Ltd., a unit of
History
Foundation – Thomas Powell (1779?–1863)
The business started in Newport, Wales in the late 18th century as by Thomas Powell who had inherited the family business at the age of 14 on his father's death – in 1810 Powell acquired land in Llanhilleth and began coal mining.[5]
Powell expanded his coal business, opening several collieries in the Newport area – by 1830 Powell's business had become successful – aided by the increasing demand for coal in
From the 1830s Powell began assembling his own shipping fleet, and also invested £20,000 in the Taff Vale Railway. By the 1840s Powell's mining interests were the amongst the world's largest coal producers. Powell's Duffryn was one of Thomas Powell's companies (Dyffrn meaning literally "Valley").[5]
Powell's mine conditions were poor, leading to a number of explosions in the 1850s. In 1858 Powell cut wages by 15% resulting in strikes which were met with strike breaking methods; Strikebreaker labour was introduced from England.[5]
By 1862 Powell controlled 16 mines, which exported more than 700,000 tons of coal.[7] Shortly before his death he arranged the merger of his business interests with those of Sir George Elliott, forming the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company Ltd in 1863 with a capital of £500,000.[5] Powell died 24 March 1863.[7]
Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company Ltd (1863–1935)
In 1867 the company acquired the
The company expanded by acquisition of land and construction of pits, including the Rhymney Iron Company, the Windsor Colliery, collieries from Lewis Morthyr, the Great Western Colliery Company and the Nantgawr Colliery; all acquired in the 1920s.[5]
Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries (1935–47)
In 1935, Powell Duffryn merged with the Welsh Associated Collieries, who owned 34 collieries, and formed the joint venture company Powell Duffryn Associated Collieries, which had an output of 20 million tons p.a. The merged company included the Cambrian Wagon Works, adding an engineering arm to the business.[5]
During the
Nationalisation, Powell Duffryn (1947–2003)
In 1946 the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946 led to the formation of the National Coal Board, which took over the companies coal business – after a decade of negotiation Powell Duffryn was paid £16 million for the assets.[5]
The firm diversified, expanding its former secondary interests: engineering, fuel distribution and shipping.[5] Additional interests included timber, quarries, and brickmaking. Engineering interests included Powell Duffryn Engineering in Llantrisant and the Powell Duffryn Wagon Company.[6] Hamworthy Engineering was acquired in 1962.[5]
By the 1980s the company was showing good profitability; the
In 1998 the ship engineering arm was expanded by the purchase of "Kvaerner Ships Equipment" (KSE) for £34 million from the
In 1992 the Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority (THPA) (see Teesport and Port of Hartlepool) was acquired by Powell Duffryn Plc, 3i, and Humberside Holdings Limited in 1992; Powell Duffryn became sole owner in 1995.[8]
The company was acquired in 2000 by Nikko Principal Investments Japan Ltd., a unit of Nikko Cordial Corp. of Japan,[9][10] with shareholders accepting 570p per share, a valuation of £507 million.[11]
In the late 1990s/early 2000s the company was restructured; selling multiple business interests;[12] after acquisition in 2000 the company's engineering interests were Hamworthy KSE (marine engineering), Hamworthy Belliss and Morcom (compressors), Hamworthy Combustion, and Geesink (waste disposal equipment), representing 2500 of a total workforce of 4,200; the engineering division had higher turnover, but lower profit than the port business.[13]
The Hamworthy Bellis & Morcom compressor division (see
PD Ports (2003–)
The company's maritime and port businesses was rebranded in 2003 as PD Ports, Logistics and Shipping (PDPLS).[citation needed]
In 2004 the company was sold to stockbrokers Collins Stewart for £450 million (£170 equity, £280 million debt), followed by an immediate stock market flotation.[16][17] A bid by Babcock and Brown Infrastructure (BBI) at 150p per share, with total value £337 million was recommended in December 2005.[18][19] In November 2009,
Operations
As of 2013 PD Ports owns and operates the Ports of Tees and Hartlepool under the name
See also
- Associated British Ports
- Mersey Docks and Harbour Company
- Peninsular and Oriental group
References
- ^ "Powell Duffryn's new owner plans disposal of engineering division". The Engineer. 16 November 2000. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ "Company moves with the times". Ipswich Star. 27 February 2003. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ "Babcock & Brown completes PD Ports takeover". FreightWaves. 1 February 2006. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ "Brookfield Buys PD Ports | JOC.com". www.joc.com. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Gant 2000.
- ^ a b c d "THE POWELL DUFFRYN STEAM COAL CO. LTD". Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Service. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ a b c Morgan, Walter Thomas. "POWELL, THOMAS ( 1779? – 1863 )". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ "Company History". www.pdports.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ Osborne, Alistair (21 March 2001). "Powell Duffryn in talks to go private". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
- ^ Osborne, Alistair (21 March 2001). "Powell Duffryn on private path". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
- ^ Hughes, Chris (4 November 2000). "Powell Duffryn falls to £507m offer from private equity firm". The Independent. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ "Restructured Powell Duffryn in the market". The Birmingham Post. 5 June 1998. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ "Powell Duffryn's new owner plans disposal of engineering division". www.theengineer.co.uk. 16 November 2000. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ "£26 million disposal Deutsche Bank AG, Gardner Denver Inc, Nikko Principal Investments Ltd, Powell Duffryn plc". www.internationallawoffice.com. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
- ^ "Gardner Denver Announces Agreement to Acquire Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom" (press release). Gardner Denver. 24 August 2001. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ "Broker buys PD Ports outfit". London Evening Standard. 4 July 2004. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ "UK ports group is sold for £172m". BBC News. 5 July 2004. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ Seawright, Steven (12 December 2005). "Babcock & Brown trumps bid for UK's PD Ports". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ISBN 9780754676881.
- ^ "New Owners For PD Ports". www.ukwa.org.uk. 23 November 2009. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ "PD Ports sold for A$1 by BBI". www.bulkmaterialsinternational.com. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
- ^ "Our Locations". www.pdports.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
Sources
- Gant, Tina, ed. (2000). International directory of company histories. Vol. 31. Powell Duffryn plc, p.367.
External links
- PD Ports
- "Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Co". www.gracesguide.co.uk.