At the age of 91, Mary Caddick, who founded maritime company, Liverpool Water Witch with her husband over 40 years ago, is stepping down and handing over the helm to her son and managing director Joseph Caddick.

Water Witch specialises in the manufacture of marine pollution control vessels and was established by Mary’s late husband, Francis, who started his career operating barges within the Port of Liverpool. He was fully aware of the problems created by harbour pollution and in 1963 he created the first ‘water witch’ vessel to help remove floating debris that washed into the dock system from the River Mersey, or from the dockside.

The prototype was such a success, that it was put into action immediately. The company quickly secured a contract to work for the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board recovering marine debris in over 37 miles of polluted docks.  Commissions from around the world followed and today the business designs and manufactures vessels for the UK and overseas markets to remove everything from weeds to spilt oil and debris.

Mary worked alongside Francis at the company from its establishment, overseeing the day-to-day management of the office and her son Joseph has been employed at the company since 1964, becoming managing director in 1975. 

Joseph said: “Although mum is retiring, I know she will still be a big part of Water Witch. We all respect her experience and knowledge and appreciate the hard work she has put into making it a success.  Our vessels are unique because they are able to cope with a range of different types of pollution, from oil spillages to weed removal.  Other companies have tried to break into the market, but because we offer a solution to a range of pollutants, we are cornering what is a growing market.  We are now working alongside Mersey Maritime to identify other opportunities and ways we can develop our business even further.”

The vessels, best described as floating bulldozers, utilise a range of attachments to deal with environmental projects. They work alongside a skipper barge, designed to hold standard garbage collection skips, which are filled with debris, then loaded on the dockside onto a skip wagon, which transports the material to an appropriate disposal site.

Water Witch vessels are constructed from Lloyds Grade A 6mm MS steel plate and have a maximum speed of 8.5 knots.  Under normal operating conditions a payload of 1000kg can be elevated to a maximum height of 3.80m above the keel without adversely affecting the stability of the craft.

Mary said: “I’m delighted to be handing over the ropes of the company, safe in the knowledge that my son and grandchildren are carrying on my late husband’s work.  We have always prided ourselves that we are a true family company and believe that is what has helped us to survive as long as we have done.  My grandchildren are already part of the business and I hope that one day my great-grandchildren will join the company to carry on the Water Witch name.”

The company is now recognised as a market leader in marine pollution control and is a member of Mersey Maritime, the umbrella organisation for the maritime industry on Merseyside. Since Water Witch started, 70 vessels have been designed and manufactured and are operating in 18 countries around the world, including the USA, Cuba, Kuwait, India, Singapore, South Africa and Hong Kong.
Ends

For further information:  

Helen Williams
Leapfrog PR
Tel: 0151 707 6988

Issued:     16 August 2004

Editor’s Note:
· The Water Witch is built and welded to Lloyds A1 requirements.  The vessel operates a range of attachments hydraulically, including a general-purpose mesh scoop, which collects surface debris and weeds.  It has a 2.5 metre cubic capacity with every lift and when fitted with a deep dig dredge unit, can dredge to a depth of 3.6 metres. Every Water Witch vessel can be equipped with special oil skimmers or MOP units as well as pressure washers and a dispersant spray unit for the treatment of spilt oil.

· Water Witch is a member of Mersey Maritime, the private sector led organisation based at the Port of Liverpool Building, which supports business development and act as a catalyst for inward investment.  The Maritime sector on Merseyside is worth £1.3 billion and employs 6,000 people in 566 companies and is one of the nine growth sectors identified and supported by The Mersey Partnership, Government Office North West and the Northwest Development Agency as vital for the future economic growth of the Liverpool City Region.