Götaverken
Encyclopedia
Götaverken was a shipbuilding
company that was located on Hisingen
, Gothenburg
. It was founded in 1841, and went bankrupt in 1989.
The company was founded in 1841 by a Scottish businessman called Alexander Keiller under the name Keillers Werkstad i Göteborg, and was aimed at industrial production. After bankruptcy in 1867, the company was reorganized into Göteborgs Mekaniska Verkstads AB.
In 1906, the majority of the company's stocks were taken over by Hugo Hammar and Sven Almqvist. Because of this, the company was reorganized into Göteborgs Nya Verkstads AB and the shipyards capacity was increased. In 1916 the shipyard was renamed to AB Götaverken. During the 1930s, the company had grown so much that Götaverken became the world's biggest shipyard by launched gross tonnes. In 1950 a completely new shipyard was built at Arendal
, which is also located in Gothenburg. When the shipyard was completed in 1963, it was internationally unique because most of the building was done indoors. Their old shipyard (Cityvarvet) closed down in 1968.
In 1971, the company was taken over by Salénrederierna AB. And in 1977, the state-owned shipbuilding company, Svenska Varv, took over Salénrederierna because of the Swedish shipyard crisis. During this last period of the company's history, they searched for alternatives to the traditional production of tankers and ore transporters. The company tried to aim its production towards special vessels, such as icebreaker
s, ferries and freezer ships. In 1989, the state-owed icebreaker Oden was delievered from Arendal as Götaverkens last own-made ship.
However, Götaverken Cityvarvet survived the crisis. Today the shipyard performs a few types of reparations, maintenance work, and renovation of ships. It currently employs around 140 employees. Since the year 2000, the shipyard is owned by the Dutch group, Damen Shipyards Group.
Götaverkens head office, located at Lindholmen
, was built in 1951. After the Swedish shipyard crisis and Götaverkens restructuring, the building has bein unoccupied since 1991. During 2006, the building underwent an extensive renovation for approximately one hundred million Swedish Krona
s. In the beginning of December 2006, ESAB
moved in.
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
company that was located on Hisingen
Hisingen
Hisingen is the fourth-largest island of Sweden , with an area of , and the most populous, forming part of Gothenburg Municipality, Västra Götaland County. It is bordered by the Göta älv in the south and east, the Nordre älv in the north, and the Kattegat in the west...
, Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. It was founded in 1841, and went bankrupt in 1989.
The company was founded in 1841 by a Scottish businessman called Alexander Keiller under the name Keillers Werkstad i Göteborg, and was aimed at industrial production. After bankruptcy in 1867, the company was reorganized into Göteborgs Mekaniska Verkstads AB.
In 1906, the majority of the company's stocks were taken over by Hugo Hammar and Sven Almqvist. Because of this, the company was reorganized into Göteborgs Nya Verkstads AB and the shipyards capacity was increased. In 1916 the shipyard was renamed to AB Götaverken. During the 1930s, the company had grown so much that Götaverken became the world's biggest shipyard by launched gross tonnes. In 1950 a completely new shipyard was built at Arendal
Arendal
is a town and municipality in the county of Aust-Agder, Norway. Arendal belongs to the traditional region of Sørlandet.The town of Arendal is the administrative center the municipality and also of Aust-Agder county...
, which is also located in Gothenburg. When the shipyard was completed in 1963, it was internationally unique because most of the building was done indoors. Their old shipyard (Cityvarvet) closed down in 1968.
In 1971, the company was taken over by Salénrederierna AB. And in 1977, the state-owned shipbuilding company, Svenska Varv, took over Salénrederierna because of the Swedish shipyard crisis. During this last period of the company's history, they searched for alternatives to the traditional production of tankers and ore transporters. The company tried to aim its production towards special vessels, such as icebreaker
Icebreaker
An icebreaker is a special-purpose ship or boat designed to move and navigate through ice-covered waters. Although the term usually refers to ice-breaking ships, it may also refer to smaller vessels .For a ship to be considered an icebreaker, it requires three traits most...
s, ferries and freezer ships. In 1989, the state-owed icebreaker Oden was delievered from Arendal as Götaverkens last own-made ship.
However, Götaverken Cityvarvet survived the crisis. Today the shipyard performs a few types of reparations, maintenance work, and renovation of ships. It currently employs around 140 employees. Since the year 2000, the shipyard is owned by the Dutch group, Damen Shipyards Group.
Götaverkens head office, located at Lindholmen
Lindholmen
Lindholmen is a locality situated in Vallentuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 810 inhabitants in 2005....
, was built in 1951. After the Swedish shipyard crisis and Götaverkens restructuring, the building has bein unoccupied since 1991. During 2006, the building underwent an extensive renovation for approximately one hundred million Swedish Krona
Swedish krona
The krona has been the currency of Sweden since 1873. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it, but especially in the past, it sometimes preceded the value...
s. In the beginning of December 2006, ESAB
ESAB
ESAB, Elektriska Svetsnings-Aktiebolaget , is a Swedish industrial company.-History:The Company was founded by Oscar Kjellberg, who pioneered the development of manual metal arc welding electrodes, in Gothenburg in 1904...
moved in.