Latest news with #MacGregor
The Herald Scotland
30-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Ross County chairman sells three firms to Mitsui of Japan
The Port of Nigg, the multi-sector energy facility and green freeport, Global Energy (Fabrication), a multi-site fabrication and manufacturing business, and Global Energy Services, a provider of scaffold and access teams, have been taken over by Mitsui & Co Europe, a subsidiary of Mitsui & Co, together with Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL). The value of the deal was not disclosed. But it represents Matsui's first big investment in a major Scottish ports facility which will pave the way for 'significant new investment' at Nigg, supporting long-term skilled employment and economic growth in the Highlands. Mitsui has been an investor in Mr MacGregor's GEG (Holding) since 2012, when it acquired a 25.5% stake, and has since been a 'valued shareholder and strategic partner' in its growth. Mitsui will own 51% and MOL 49% of the three companies further to the acquisition. Following the divestment of the three business units, GEG (Holding), operating as Global Energy Group, will continue to offer services at The Port of Nigg through its supply chain companies Global Port Services, Global Crane Services, and Global Wind Projects, and supply labour on a project-by-project basis. Apollo, the Aberdeen headquartered energy engineering company, also remains part of the Global Energy Group portfolio. GEG (Holding) will retain the rights to the Global Energy Group name and continue to operate its businesses from locations such as The Port of Nigg and Invergordon Port Facility. It will retain its offices in Inverness, [[Aberdeen]], and Edinburgh. Mr MacGregor said: 'We are hugely proud to be passing on the baton at The Port of Nigg having spent much of the last decade establishing it as a truly world class multi-energy facility. Having worked closely with our trusted investor, Mitsui, since 2012 we believe the time is right to let them drive the next stage of development at Nigg - and we believe they are the correct custodian for a facility that provides so much employment and prosperity for the Highlands. 'Under their guidance the port will continue to grow and develop - providing long term, secure, skilled employment opportunities for generations to come, as well as driving Scotland's energy transition. We look forward to continuing to work with them through our companies that service and deliver projects at the port, including Global Port Services, Global Crane Services, Global Wind Projects.' Speaking on behalf of Mitsui & Co, Makoto Takasugi, chief operating officer of Iron & Steel Products Business Unit, said: 'We are privileged to take on the stewardship of The Port of Nigg and the associated energy services businesses, building on the strong foundations developed by Roy MacGregor and the Global Energy Group team. For over 13 years, as a shareholder and board member, we have witnessed the impressive growth of Global Energy Group and the strategic importance of Nigg in the UK's energy industry. 'We look forward to carrying forward that legacy, working with the skilled local teams across the three companies for years to come - servicing the huge demand for offshore wind power - as we grow our role in energy transformation across Scotland, the UK and Europe.' Speaking on behalf of Mitsui OSK Lines, Masayuki Sugiyama, managing executive officer said: 'We are delighted to announce our participation in The Port of Nigg and its associated energy services businesses, forged through years of dedication by Roy MacGregor and the team. We extend our deepest respect for their unwavering commitment. 'The Port of Nigg plays an indispensable role in the UK's energy transition, particularly in offshore wind, and holds substantial potential for future growth. In partnership with Mitsui, which has supported Global Energy Group for the past 13 years, we are fully committed to leveraging our expertise and experience in maritime operations to contribute to the long-term development of the Highlands and to accelerate a more sustainable future.'
Hamilton Spectator
25-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Hampton craft distiller ‘made everyone's life quite a bit better'
The founder of Ole Foggy Distillery helped form welcoming spaces both as a community builder and part of the province's craft alcohol scene, friends say. Aaron Murray died on July 18 at age 52, his family announced in an obituary this past weekend. Murray co-owned the craft alcohol business, which launched in 2021, with wife Christina Campbell-Murray and served as a community volunteer and organizer. 'He made everyone's life quite a bit better,' said Luke MacGregor, co-owner and brewer at Gridiron Brewing in Hampton. The two companies joined forces this year to combine their two craft taprooms in one space, known as The Porch, in the Ole Foggy space on 370 Main St. As a friend, MacGregor described Murray as a 'really, really nice guy to everyone who knew him' who would help out anyone. 'He was fun to hang out with, fun to have a drink with, always in a good mood,' MacGregor said. 'Even towards the end, he was really positive every day. He was the eternal optimist, as far as the business goes, as far as everything else goes.' MacGregor said he first met Murray four to five years ago when the latter was working to launch the distillery, which MacGregor thought would be a 'great addition' to the scene. 'I reached out to him at that point, I think he was importing sugar and getting prepped to open,' MacGregor said. 'We chatted a little bit and quickly became good friends,' he said. Murray was a part of the Craft Liquor NB industry group and helped push for fair treatment for craft alcohol producers from New Brunswick Liquor and the province, MacGregor said. 'The distillery world is quite a bit smaller than the brewery world,' he said. 'He was heavily involved in that.' One of Murray's strengths as a distiller was 'very creative recipes,' according to MacGregor. 'Even when he was sick... it was fun to hear him talk about what they were trying new,' he said, saying as a craft producer you have to '(try) to be a bit more innovative and try to stand out against everyone else.' Under Murray, Ole Foggy 'hosted all kinds of events' at the distillery's space, bringing in things like entertainment and a food truck. 'It was a fun place to meet up with friends and have a couple of drinks,' MacGregor said. The two worked together to help host the Fundy Sea Shanty Festival after originally being brought in as vendors, MacGregor said. Rather than running two taprooms and competing, the Porch came about as the two talked about combining in a larger space. 'Considering Aaron's health and financial considerations, we don't want to go too big too fast ... we decided to move in with Ole Foggy,' MacGregor said. Both Gridiron and Ole Foggy have acted as a host to a range of musical acts, including those just starting, which is something they want to continue in the new location, MacGregor said. 'That was one of Aaron's big dreams, was to have a big outdoor space and have some bigger events,' MacGregor said, saying they'd push on that through the summer. Murray is survived by two sons, Colton and Tyler, who he 'dearly loved' and are heartbroken, MacGregor said, as well as wife Murray-Campbell. The two were often referred to as 'mom and dad' at the distillery for how they interacted, MacGregor said, and complemented each other well. 'The last time I saw Christina ... she was surrounded by all the family,' he said. 'Everyone's quite supportive, everyone's quite broken up by everything.' Murray's parents were Mitch and Joan Murray, and he is survived by brother Trevor Murray and sister Candace MacLean. He was predeceased by his son Christopher Saunders. Murray had a 'long and short' battle with illness and was back and forth between doing better and worse, MacGregor said. 'As a friend, it's a really big loss for everybody. For us, for his family, for all the people that he met,' MacGregor said. A celebration of life is planned for July 27 at 1 to 5 p.m. at The Porch, MacGregor said. MacGregor said it's a 'big deal' to his family and friends to share that with the community, who turned out in the hundreds to support a fundraiser in May. 'Those people would like to have the same kind of closure,' MacGregor said. 'This is, per his request, the send-off he wanted.' Murray did a wide range of community volunteering, including as a coach of the Hampton Huskies football team, volunteer with Little Rocks Curling and an executive of the Hampton ATV club. As a community builder, he found ways 'to make a space welcoming for everyone,' he said, from the distillery taproom to barbecues at his house to costume contests for dogs at Halloween. 'He was always looking at ways to bring people together ... trying to find common space for everyone to have a good time,' MacGregor said. Hampton Mayor Bob Doucet said Murray was a friend as well as a forward-thinking person who was 'keen and positive.' 'He wanted to see everything move forward with the town,' Doucet said, saying he'd built up the business over four years. He also noted he was a 'driver' on the ATV club's trail project throughout the town. 'If you met him, you'd like him,' Doucet said. 'He was a really nice gentleman, really kind, funny. It's just a shame this had happened this way.' One memory MacGregor shared with a chuckle was that during the festivals, Murray would 'sort of disappear,' dropping into a conversation with someone. 'Trying to reel him back in was always complex, but it was always a fun time.' MacGregor said. He was an outdoorsman and loved music, MacGregor said. Despite Ole Foggy's country image, Murray's favourite band was Metallica, MacGregor said. 'Honestly, I never have heard him ask anyone to turn any music off or down,' he said. 'He just liked listening to whatever's on, and if you could turn it up, that'd be great.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Japan Today
19-07-2025
- General
- Japan Today
‘The Hiroshima Men' is a reminder of the horrific human costs of atomic attack
This cover image shows "The Hiroshima Men: The Quest to Build the Atomic Bomb, and the Fateful Decision to Use It" by Iain MacGregor. book review By ANITA SNOW John Hersey was a 32-year-old reporter who returned from Japan with in 1946 with a groundbreaking story that challenged the U.S. government's version of its atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, showing the human consequences were far more horrific and extensive than the American public had been told. Hersey's 30,000-word piece for The New Yorker magazine focused on a few of the thousands of survivors who fell ill, and often died, from the lingering effects of radiation long after the bomb's initial impact killed tens of thousands of Japanese men, women and children. Hersey is among diverse group of men author and historian Iain MacGregor profiles in his new book, 'The Hiroshima Men: The Quest to Build the Atomic Bomb, and the Fateful Decision to Use It.' MacGregor earlier wrote 'Checkpoint Charlie,' an acclaimed history of Cold War Berlin, as well as 'The Lighthouse of Stalingrad: The Hidden Truth at the Heart of the Greatest Battle of World War II.' With the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima attack approaching next month, 'The Hiroshima Men' is a potent reminder of the extreme human costs that were wrought by the first atomic weapon employed during warfare. By profiling some key players, MacGregor pulls readers into their personal stories with visually enticing description and lively dialogue. One was pilot Paul Tibbetts, Jr., who fell in love with flying at age 12 when he rode in an old biplane that took off from a horse racing track outside Miami. He named the Boeing B-29 Superfortress that he was flying when it dropped the atomic bomb on Aug. 6, 1945, for his mother, Enola Gay. Another profile is of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the brilliant scientific theorist who inspired a team testing the atomic bomb at a secret research laboratory in rural New Mexico. There's also Maj. Gen. Henry 'Hap' Arnold, who led the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II and understood what could be achieved with the faster long-range B-29 bomber, which could travel farther and fly much higher than the popular B-17 that had been used on Europe. MacGregor also introduces us to Senkichi Awaya, the mayor of Hiroshima, a city founded in the late 1580s by a powerful warlord who built a castle headquarters on the shores of a strategically located bay. There are many more. The most powerful sections of the book come toward the end, when MacGregor describes the ghastly aftermath of the bombing — a gruesome hellscape littered with charred bodies and stunned survivors with skin dangling from their bodies and eyes hanging from the sockets. He then invites readers to reflect on the event's profound costs: 'I hope, looking right across the experience of this terrifying and cataclysmic event, that you, the reader, can judge for yourself whether this journey through the experiences of a city mayor, a bomber pilot, an Army general and an award-winning journalist, who all were intimately connected to Hiroshima, was worth it.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Daily Record
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Coatbridge MSP Fulton MacGregor introduces parliamentary motion hailing 'vital work' of Reach Advocacy charity
Following a drop-in session hosted by Reach Advocacy co-hosted by Mr MacGregor and Richard Leonard, Central Scotland MSP, the group gained cross-party support. Coatbridge's MSP introduced a motion in the Scottish Parliament hailing the "vital work" a grassroots charity in the town does to improve outcomes for vulnerable communities Reach Advocacy provides the only accredited advocacy training in a human rights-based approach. Following a drop-in session hosted by Reach Advocacy co-hosted by Coatbridge MSP Fulton MacGregor and Richard Leonard, Central Scotland MSP, the group gained cross-party support. However, despite this backing, and clear economic benefits of improving advocacy in Scotland, they are struggling to secure clear long-term funding. Recent research reports how for every pound spent on advocacy services, it could save the NHS £7 and local authorities £5. Mr MacGregor said: "Reach Advocacy are delivering vital, right-based support grounded in real experience. "Their accredited training is changing lives and strengthening services. "I'm proud to support them in Parliament and will continue to champion their work.'" Derek McCabe, chief executive at Reach Advocacy, added: "Scotland is facing multiple crises, where many communities need advocacy support to help them get what they are entitled to and to empower them to understand their rights." *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here. And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
Winnipeg Free Press
17-07-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Book Review: ‘The Hiroshima Men' is a reminder of the horrific human costs of atomic attack
John Hersey was a 32-year-old reporter who returned from Japan with in 1946 with a groundbreaking story that challenged U.S. government's version of its atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, showing the human consequences were far more horrific and extensive than the American public had been told. Hersey's 30,000-word piece for The New Yorker magazine focused on a few of the thousands of survivors who fell ill, and often died, from the lingering effects of radiation long after the bomb's initial impact killed tens of thousands of Japanese men, women and children. Hersey is among diverse group of men author and historian Iain MacGregor profiles in his new book, 'The Hiroshima Men: The Quest to Build the Atomic Bomb, and the Fateful Decision to Use It.' MacGregor earlier wrote 'Checkpoint Charlie,' an acclaimed history of Cold War Berlin, as well as 'The Lighthouse of Stalingrad: The Hidden Truth at the Heart of the Greatest Battle of World War II.' With the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima attack approaching next month, 'The Hiroshima Men' is a potent reminder of the extreme human costs that were wrought by the first atomic weapon employed during warfare. By profiling some key players, MacGregor pulls readers into their personal stories with visually enticing description and lively dialogue. One was pilot Paul Tibbetts, Jr., who fell in love with flying at age 12 when he rode in an old biplane that took off from a horse racing track outside Miami. He named the Boeing B-29 Superfortress that he was flying when it dropped the atomic bomb on Aug. 6, 1945, for his mother, Enola Gay. Another profile is of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the brilliant scientific theorist who inspired a team testing the atomic bomb at a secret research laboratory in rural New Mexico. There's also Maj. Gen. Henry 'Hap' Arnold, who led the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II and understood what could be achieved with the faster long-range B-29 bomber, which could travel farther and fly much higher than the popular B-17 that had been used on Europe. MacGregor also introduces us to Senkichi Awaya, the mayor of Hiroshima, a city founded in the late 1580s by a powerful warlord who built a castle headquarters on the shores of a strategically located bay. There are many more. The most powerful sections of the book come toward the end, when MacGregor describes the ghastly aftermath of the bombing — a gruesome hellscape littered with charred bodies and stunned survivors with skin dangling from their bodies and eyes hanging from the sockets. He then invites readers to reflect on the event's profound costs: 'I hope, looking right across the experience of this terrifying and cataclysmic event, that you, the reader, can judge for yourself whether this journey through the experiences of a city mayor, a bomber pilot, an Army general and an award-winning journalist, who all were intimately connected to Hiroshima, was worth it.' ___ AP book reviews:
