Acquisition

Fisher (James) & Sons PLC
07 February 2008





Thursday 7 February 2008


                 JAMES FISHER ACQUIRES JCM SCOTLOAD FOR £2.985M 


James Fisher and Sons plc ('James Fisher' or FSJ.L), the leading marine service
company, announces the acquisition of the privately owned UK based JCM Scotload
for £2,985,000 cash. JCM Scotload is estimated to have a minimum of £1.0
million of free cash in the company at completion. The acquisition is being
funded from existing resources.

JCM Scotload designs and manufactures a range of load measurement instruments
for the offshore oil industry. The company was founded in 1994 to provide repair
and calibration services for load measurement and has since developed a range of
products which are sold and rented to the industry, these include tensile,
compressive and shackle load cells. The company, which has 11 employees, is
based in Aberdeen and sells its products to the major oil production centres
worldwide. The company will become a subsidiary of Strainstall Group Limited,
which also designs and supplies monitoring and load measurement systems and has
many clients in common.

JCM Scotload's unaudited pre tax profits for the year ended 31 March 2007 were
£325,000. The two founders of the business, Jim Murray and Mark Jones will
remain with the company.


Tim Harris, Chairman of James Fisher, said:

'This new acquisition complements the activities of Strainstall providing a
wider range of standardised product. The company has grown through its good
reputation in the industry. I am delighted Jim Murray and Mark Jones have agreed
to join us.'



Jim Murray, Managing Director of JCM Scotload said:

'We have reached the stage when being part of a larger group will help us expand
our already successful business. I look forward to joining forces with
Strainstall and the James Fisher Group.'

EC Hambro Rabben & Partners Ltd acted as corporate finance advisors to James
Fisher.



For further information, please contact:

James Fisher and Sons plc       Tim Harris       Chairman            020 7614 9508
www.james-fisher.co.uk

Strainstall Group Limited       Chris Caws       Managing Director   01983 203 601
www.strainstall.com

JCM Scotload Limited            Jim Murray       Managing Director   01224 877 007
www.jcmscotload.com

EC Hambro Rabben & Partners     Peter Donald                         020 7355 4100
www.echambrorabben.co.uk        Petter Hagland

Financial Dynamics              Richard Mountain                     020 7269 7121




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