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Bifab Canadian construction giant takes over struggling yards

CANADIAN building giant JV Driver has taken over energy infrastructure firm Burntisland Fabrications (BiFab), the Scottish government announced yesterday.

The company has faced the prospect of closure since last autumn, when BiFab ran into huge financial difficulties. The Scottish government intervened with a stop-gap solution after workers occupied the yards, but the assistance was not enough to see off the threat.

Now the government in Edinburgh will have a minority stake in the company.

In a joint statement, GMB and Unite Scotland secretaries Gary Smith and Pat Rafferty said they hoped the announcement marked “the start of a very bright future for our members and their families.”

The union leaders said: "Let's be clear that this would not have been possible without the determination and solidarity of the workers and their communities.

“And of course, the continued efforts of the Scottish government and its staff in securing this investment.”

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hailed the deal as a "significant step forward in our efforts to restore BiFab to its place at the centre of Scotland's marine energy industry."

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