Morrison Construction

Morrison Construction was founded by Alex Morrison in Tain, Scotland in 1948.{{cite web |url=https://www.northern-times.co.uk/news/tain-construction-worker-celebrates-55-years-of-service-work-284111/ |title=Tain construction worker celebrates 55 years of service working as a joiner for Morrison Construction |date=11 August 2022 |newspaper=The Northern Times |access-date=30 January 2025}} Although ownership of the company would pass through several hands during the 20th and 21st centuries, the Morrison family maintained a presence at the business for over 50 years. During 1974, an 80 percent stake, and thus control of the firm, was sold to Consolidated African Selection Trust.

During 1989, brothers Fraser and Gordon Morrison undertook a management buy-out of the firm, acquiring Morrison Construction from Charter Consolidated along with the businesses of Biggs Wall and Shand Construction in the process.{{cite web |url=https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Alexander_Shand_(Holdings) |title=Alexander Shand (Holdings) |publisher=Grace's Guide |access-date=30 January 2025}} One of this first moves was to return the group's headquarters to Edinburgh. Despite the hardships encountered by most of the British construction sector throughout the early 1990s recession, Morrison Construction reported strong growth during this period as well as being a profitable going concern.{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/21jun91-uk-morrison-construction-groups-pretax-profits-for-year-to-march-1991-rise-20-to-5-7-million-20-06-1991/ |title = 21Jun91 UK: MORRISON CONSTRUCTION GROUP’S PRETAX PROFITS FOR YEAR TO MARCH 1991 RISE 20% TO £5.7 MILLION |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 20 June 1991 }}{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/16dec93-uk-morrison-at-1-1m-morrison-construction-profits-16-12-1993/ |title = 16Dec93 UK: MORRISON AT £1.1M – MORRISON CONSTRUCTION PROFITS |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 16 December 1993}}

In September 1995, Morrison Construction plc was floated on the London Stock Exchange, during which it was valued at almost £77 million while Fraser and Gordon Morrison each retained a 27.3 per cent shareholding.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/morrison-float-to-bolster-builders-1598523.html |title=Morrison float to bolster builders |website=independent.co.uk |first = Tom |last = Stevenson |date=29 August 1995 |access-date=23 July 2022}}{{cite web |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/morrison-heads-for-pounds-77m-market-debut-1603291.html |title = Morrison heads for pounds 77m market debut |website=independent.co.uk |first = John |last = Shepherd |date = 27 September 1995}} By this point, the firm was steadily shifting away from traditional competitive tender work in favour of other business avenues, including building and property development, civil engineering, utility and energy, housebuilding, and private finance initiative schemes.{{cite web |url = https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12089498.construction-group-places-shares-with-institutions-morrison-seeks-funds-by-going-to-the-market/ |title = Construction group places shares with institutions |date = 29 August 1995 |publisher = Herald and Times}}{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/morrison-thrives-on-non-traditional-work-27-06-1996/ |title = Morrison thrives on non-traditional work |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 27 June 1996 |first = Bill |last = Fishlock}}{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/29mar91-uk-appointments-at-morrison-construction-group-28-03-1991/ |title = 29Mar91 UK: APPOINTMENTS AT MORRISON CONSTRUCTION GROUP |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 28 March 1991}}

In September 2000, the company was purchased by Anglian Water Group Plc in exchange for £235 million; its new parent company stated that the move would permit it to provide an all-round service of designing, constructing and managing facilities.{{cite web |url = https://www.theguardian.com/business/2000/aug/25/3 |title = Anglian Water pays £262m for Morrison |publisher = The Guardian |first = Andrew |last = Clark |date = 25 August 2000}}{{cite web |url = https://www.wwdmag.com/home/news/10912514/anglian-water-buys-margin-growth-with-morrison |title = Anglian Water Buys Margin Growth with Morrison |website = wwdmag.com |date = 28 December 2000}} However, over the following three years, a series of write-downs on the firm's value were enacted. During February 2003, Anglia Water Group launched legal action against Morrison's former chairman, Sir Fraser Morrison, along with other senior figures, alleging that they had misrepresented the firm's fiscal performance to an extent that amounted to fraud.{{cite web |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2725507.stm |title = Fraud allegations over Morrison deal |publisher = BBC News |date = 4 February 2003}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2003/feb/05/4 |title=AWG sues Morrison Chiefs over 'misrepresentation' |website=theguardian.com |date=5 February 2003 |access-date=23 July 2022}} This action cumulated in a confidential out of court settlement.{{cite web |url = https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/arid-30243344.html |title = AWG settles Morrison construction row |website = irishexaminer.com |date = 6 February 2006}}

During early 2006, the business was split into three divisions, Morrison Construction, Morrison Facilities Services and Morrison Utility Services; the latter two businesses were retained for a time by Anglian Water Group, while the construction division was acquired by the rival construction firm Galliford Try in exchange for £42 million.{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2933419/AWG-sells-building-arm-to-Galliford.html |title= AWG sells building arm to Galliford |website=telegraph.co.uk |date=2 March 2006 |access-date=23 July 2022}}{{cite web |url = https://www.investorschronicle.co.uk/content/d5dc0517-dea9-539c-acd3-4b085ad0dc3f |title = Galliford Try snaps up Morrison |website = investorschronicle.co.uk |date = 10 March 2006}} Two years later, Morrison Utility Services was divested by Anglian Water Group, the management of which were seeking a return to being a pure utility company.{{cite web |url = https://www.heraldscotland.com/default_content/12459131.awg-sells-morrison-utility-services-division/ |title = AWG sells Morrison utility services division |date = 8 March 2008 |publisher = Herald and Times}} Finally, in 2012, rival contractor Mears Group purchased Morrison Facilities Services from Anglian Water Group for £24 million.{{cite web |url = https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/contractor-buys-troubled-rival-for-24-million-33655 |title = Contractor buys troubled rival for £24 million |website = insidehousing.co.uk |date = 8 November 2012 |first = Nick |last = Duxbury}}{{cite news |url=https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/morrison-buy-out-is-biggest-move-in-mears-history-33662 |title=Morrison buy out is 'biggest move' in Mears' history |date=8 November 2012 |newspaper=Inside Housing |access-date=30 January 2025}}

Throughout the early 2010s, Galliford Try backed Morrison Construction's plans to expand its central Scotland building business.{{cite web |url = https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/morrison-construction-plans-expansion |title = Morrison Construction plans expansion |website = theconstructionindex.co.uk |date = 20 March 2013}} Various types of civil works were undertaken by the firm during this period; such projects included windfarms, schools, and flood defences.{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/contracts/morrison-construction-wins-6-7m-of-civils-work-18-02-2010/ |title = Morrison Construction wins £6.7m of civils work |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 18 February 2010 |first = Michael |last = Lane}}{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/contracts/morrison-construction-seals-28m-flood-defence-deal-03-09-2012/ |title = Morrison Construction seals £28m flood defence deal |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 3 September 2012 |first = Tom |last = Fitzpatrick}}{{cite web |url = https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/sections/news/morrison-construction-scoops-57m-orkney-islands-schools-deal-06-01-2011/ |title = Morrison Construction scoops £57m Orkney Islands schools deal |website = constructionnews.co.uk |date = 6 January 2011 |first = Greg |last = Pitcher}}

Major projects included the Kylesku Bridge, completed in 1982,{{cite journal |journal=The Journal of the Institution of Highways and Transportation & HTTA |volume=32 |issue=1 |first=H.S. |last=Stears |title=The Kylesku Bridge - Design and Construction |pages=16–20 |date=January 1985}} the Dornoch Firth Bridge, completed in 1991,{{cite web |url=https://www.rossandcromartyheritage.org/home/easter-ross-communities/edderton/edderton-places/transport/dornoch-bridge/ |title=The Dornoch Firth Bridge |publisher=Ross and Cromarty Heritage |access-date=19 January 2025}} the Landshut Bridge, completed in 2014,{{Cite magazine |date=March–April 2014 |title=A bridge to the future |url=https://www.newsteelconstruction.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/digi/2014pdf/1403NSC.pdf#page=16 |magazine=New Steel Construction |volume=22 |issue=2 |page=16 |access-date=30 January 2025}} Nucleus, the Nuclear and Caithness Archives, completed in 2017,{{cite web |title=NDA archive: Nucleus (the Nuclear and Caithness Archives) |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/nda-archive |publisher=British Government |access-date=11 June 2018 |language=en}} and the Queensferry Crossing, completed in 2017.{{cite news |url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/archive/two-consortiums-invited-to-bid-for-forth-crossing-contract-30-11-2009/ |title=Two consortiums invited to bid for Forth Crossing contract |date=30 November 2009 |newspaper=New Civil Engineer |access-date=30 January 2025}}

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• {{cite book |url=https://www.carnegiepublishing.co.uk/product/morrison-story-1948-2019/ |title=The Morrison Story 1948–2019 |first=Malcolm |last=Noble |year=2019 |publisher=Carnegie Publishing}}

Category:1948 establishments in Scotland

Category:British companies established in 1948