Acquisition

Fisher (James) & Sons PLC
16 September 2005





                           James Fisher and Sons plc

                       ('James Fisher' or 'the Company'):

                         £10.75 million UK Acquisition





James Fisher, the marine services company, announces that it has signed an
agreement, subject to due diligence, for the acquisition of the business and
related companies of the privately-owned Aberdeen and Stavanger based
partnership Monyana Engineering Services ('Monyana') for a consideration of
£10.75 million in cash. The consideration will be funded out of existing
resources.



Monyana is the market leader in refurbishing, designing and supplying a large
range of hydraulic winches and marine equipment for rental and sale to the oil
field services industry.  Its acquisition provides James Fisher with a much
increased penetration in a market segment in which its Scan Tech subsidiaries
are already active in both the UK and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea.  It
represents a major step for the Marine Services Division, as well as a
substantial expansion of the company's activities in Aberdeen and Norway,
continuing to build on the core expertise of applying operational and
engineering skills in the marine sector.



The consideration for Monyana of £10.75 million will be paid in cash on
completion. In the year ended 31 March 2005, Monyana had a turnover of £5.3
million and a pre-tax profit of £1.6 million. Gross Assets at that date amounted
to £5.3 million.



Monyana has a total of 38 employees at its main location in Oldmeldrum near
Aberdeen, together with eleven acres of freehold warehousing and storage
facilities and a regional office in Stavanger, Monyana Eurotech AS.  Monyana is
also UK agent for the distribution of products from Ingersoll Rand, the US based
winch and hoist manufacturer.



Tim Harris, Chairman of James Fisher, said:



'The acquisition substantially strengthens James Fisher's growing Marine Support
Services Division which, for the year ended 31 December 2004, contributed 46% of
the Company's operating profit against 15% two years ago and represented 27% of
assets employed.  It complements and overlays our existing businesses in
Aberdeen and Stavanger, providing quality services to the offshore industry.'



The founding partners, Jim Rogerson and Sandra Rogerson and Jake Lorimer, said:



'We established Monyana in 1984 and have grown it to become a market leader. In
James Fisher we are confident that we have found the right strategic home for
Monyana and our employees. We are committed to remaining with the business and
growing it further within James Fisher'.



Jim Rogerson and Jake Lorimer, will remain with the business and the company
will continue to operate from its original base.



EC Hambro Rabben and Partners Ltd acted as corporate finance advisors to James
Fisher for the acquisition.





ENDS




For further information, please contact:


James Fisher and Sons plc                           020 7338 5808
Tim Harris, Chairman

Monyana Engineering Services
Jim Rogerson, Partner                               01651 873 932
Jake Lorimer, Partner                               01651 873 932

EC Hambro Rabben & Partners
Eivind Rabben                                       020 7355 4100
Peter Donald                                        020 7355 4100

Binns & Co PR
Peter Binns                                         020 7153 1477/ 07768 392 582
Paul McManus                                        020 7153 1485/ 07980 541 893




                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange