Nicholson Interiors, a Southampton-based marine business which specialises in the outfit of luxury motor and sailing yachts has bounced back after the former company was purchased from the administrators in mid October.

The new owner of Nicholson Interiors is a western Australia-based company, Image Marine which is part of the Austal Ships group of ship building companies.

Austal Ships employs more than 1,700 staff in Australia and the USA. Oceanfast Yachts is also part of the group and has just delivered a £70m motor yacht to the golfer Greg Norman. Nicholsons had supplied much of the outfit for this yacht.

Image Marine has appointed one of their Australian managers, Wayne Williams, as the temporary general manager of Nicholson Interiors

during the restructuring phase. Sufficient orders have been received to keep the 50 staff of Nicholsons busy until June 2003 with further potential orders possible if they can increase their staffing levels.

At a reception Mr Williams congratulated everyone for their dedication during the successful transition period from the old to the new company. He also confirmed the need for increased staff to be employed in the new year to enable the new company to meet its current orders and to be able to grow in the near future.

Mr Williams said: "There will be a steady increase in orders coming from within the Austal group of companies both in Australia and the USA, and Europe would envisage Nicholsons will need between 15 to 20 new staff in the next twelve months.

"The new Nicholson Interiors will be well funded and competitive enterprise with excellent long-term prospects for existing and future employees.''

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