Foundry goes into liquidation: Falkirk area firm wound up after 200 years in business
Over 40 jobs have been lost as one of Scotland’s last foundries has been wound up and placed in the hands of liquidators after 200 years in business.
Ballantine Castings, in Links Road, Bo’ness, presented a petition to Falkirk Sheriff Court on July 25 so the firm could be wound up and an interim liquidator appointed.
The court subsequently appointed Graeme Bain, of Glasgow-based accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael, as liquidator on July 28.
Founded in the early 1820s, the iron foundry became formally established in 1856 and has been in continuous production ever since.
The foundry has been owned and run by the Ballantine family for seven generations and has made some of the country’s most iconic ironwork – including the famous replica cannons at Edinburgh Castle.
Ballantine’s website states: “With a continual investment programme in place, a highly trained and skilled workforce and the adoption of new technologies we can assure that we will be making high quality, high integrity architectural, engineering and construction castings for many years to come.”
Back in 2021 the foundry played a crucial role in restoring the home of London’s world famous Big Ben clock.
Workers used traditional methods of cast ironwork to create integral elements of the Elizabeth Tower, which was undergoing a conservation project at that time, and remade more than 400 cast iron tiles for the roof.
The intricate decorative shields which adorn the tower were also remade in Bo’ness, including the brightly coloured thistle shield which represents Scotland.
At the time Gavin Ballantine, Ballantine Castings director, said: “Over the years we’ve been fortunate enough to work on many prestigious projects, however, the works undertaken on the Elizabeth Tower will last long in the memory.
"It’s been an honour to play our part in the restoration of such a complex, iconic national structure.”
A few years before it helped restore Big Ben’s home, Ballantine Castings was commissioned to cast steel totem poles to illustrate the history of Forth Valley.
Selected by the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI) to create 11 “markers”, the firm’s work now helps visitors find unique heritage sites around the Inner Forth estuary.
The long established business blamed an increase in energy costs for its demise.
A Johnston Carmichael spokesperson said: “The business, which specialised in supplying the architectural, engineering and construction and drainage sectors, had been increasingly reliant on support from its parent company amid increasing energy costs.
"It ceased trading shortly prior to Graeme’s appointment with the unfortunate loss of 44 jobs.
“The Provisional Liquidator has appointed Hilco Valuation Services to assist in dealing with the disposal of the company’s assets.
"The company’s trading site in Bo’ness will also be subject to a marketing and disposal process in due course.”
Graeme Bain added: “Ballantine Castings is a historic Scottish business with a long track record of supplying metalwork services to a range of largescale projects across the UK and overseas.
“Our immediate priority is to assist employees, who have been impacted by the business ceasing to trade, in making claims for sums due to them.
"We will also be working with Hilco to dispose of the company’s assets in due course and would invite interested parties to get in touch.”