Forsyths
Forsyths is a Scottish fabrication company producing custom distillation equipment and oil, gas and renewables hardware for distilleries, energy operators and engineering firms, combining coppersmithing, pressure-vessel fabrication, engineering design and turnkey project delivery.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1890
- HeadquartersScotland, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Forsyths does
Forsyths Ltd is a privately held Scottish fabrication business and the fabrication arm of the Forsyth Group. Its two core markets are alcoholic beverage distillation and oil and gas, with additional activity in renewables, green hydrogen, pharmaceutical and specialty chemical fabrication. It serves distilleries ranging from start-up producers to global spirits companies, as well as oil and gas operators, engineering firms and industrial customers requiring pressure vessels, skid units, reels, structural steel, tanks and pipework.
The company builds custom copper distillation equipment including pot stills, column stills, hybrid stills, condensers, spirit safes, fermenters, mash tuns, tanks and receivers. Its technical base combines traditional coppersmithing and hand-hammering methods dating to 1890 with modern fabrication in carbon steel, stainless steel and exotic materials such as titanium, duplex, super duplex, Hastelloy and Monel. Engineering work uses SolidWorks for 3D modelling and construction drawings, Finglow for pressure-vessel design and STAAD Pro for structural analysis, while oil and gas capabilities include DNV-approved large-diameter reels up to 12 metres and more than 200 approved weld procedures.
Forsyths makes money through quote-based custom equipment fabrication, turnkey distillery delivery and associated engineering, installation, commissioning and maintenance services. Revenue is project-based rather than subscription-based, with direct enterprise sales to distillery owners, oil and gas operators and engineering companies, supported by industry events and international hubs such as Hong Kong for Asia Pacific and Kells for Ireland. No public pricing or revenue figures are disclosed, which limits precision on margin structure and customer-level economics.
Forsyths firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forsyths
- Legal name
- Forsyths Ltd
- Website
- https://forsyths.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1890
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Forsyths is a Scottish fabrication company producing custom distillation equipment and oil, gas and renewables hardware for distilleries, energy operators and engineering firms, combining coppersmithing, pressure-vessel fabrication, engineering design and turnkey project delivery.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forsyths industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Equipment Fabrication
- NAICS
- Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391)
- SIC
- Steel Pipe & Tubes (3317)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pipe & Tube Manufacturing (Seamless & Welded OCTG/Line Pipe/Structural Tube) (IMAKABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Pump & Compressor Packages (Skids, Booster Sets) (IMAHANAG)
Keywords
Where Forsyths is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Scotland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Forsyths business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom equipment fabrication and sale: Design, fabrication, and sale of custom distillation equipment (pot stills, column stills, condensers, fermenters, tanks, etc.) and oil & gas equipment (pressure vessels, skid units, reels, structural steel). Revenue is one-time project-based for large custom equipment orders.
- Turnkey distillery projects: Complete turnkey distilling project delivery from raw materials to new make spirit out, including process design, mechanical design, fabrication, installation, commissioning, and after-sales maintenance. Single point of contact across all group companies.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Forsyths product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forsyths designs, fabricates and sells custom industrial equipment for the alcoholic beverage and oil & gas sectors, including distillation equipment, pressure vessels, skid units, reels, tanks, pipework and structural steel. It also delivers turnkey distillery projects covering process design, fabrication, installation, commissioning and maintenance support.
Product overview
Forsyths is a fabrication company serving the distillation, oil & gas, and renewables industries. The product portfolio centers on manufacturing custom distillation equipment (pot stills, column stills, hybrid stills, condensers, spirit safes, fermenters, mashtuns, tanks, and receivers) alongside comprehensive engineering services including process design and turnkey solutions. Oil & gas offerings include pressure vessels, storage tanks, pipework, large diameter reels for subsea cables/umbilicals, skid-mounted modular process units, and structural steel fabrication. The company also provides services for renewable energy and green hydrogen projects. Products are manufactured at multiple Scottish facilities with exports to distilleries worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- JB Vats: Wooden washbacks and vats brand, part of the Forsyth Group brand portfolio
- Grants
- Forblast
- McCormacks
- G&A Construction
- Castlehill Services
- Northern Fabricators
- The Station Hotel
- McKerron & Milne
Products and services
- Pot Stills
- Column Stills
- Hybrid Stills
- Condensers
- Spirit Safes
- Fermenters
- Mashtuns & Grain Cookers
- Process Design
- Turnkey Services
- Tanks & Receivers
- Pressure Vessels
- Site & Shop Built Tanks
- Site & Shop Pipework
- Reels
- Skid Units
- Structural Steel Fabrication
- Mechanical Design
- Services for Renewable & Green Hydrogen
- World's First Mobile Whisky Distillery
Quantifiable outcome
- Mobile whisky distillery capable of producing 400,000 litres of pure alcohol per year
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Forsyths
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Forsyths technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Forsyths partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- PM GroupcorePM Group served as EPCM (Engineering, Procurement, Construction Management) on the Chun'an Distillery project in China for Angus Dundee Distillers PLC, working alongside Forsyths and local contractors.
- PRA Project (Research and Architecture)corePRA Project provided research and architecture services on the Chun'an Distillery project for Angus Dundee Distillers PLC, collaborating with Forsyths as part of the international project team.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Forsyths competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Bilfinger UK: UK-headquartered European industrial services and process fabrication contractor. Comparable in UK process equipment fabrication and energy-sector services, though broader and less distillery-specialised.
Direct peers
- Arnold Holstein GmbH: German coppersmith producing handmade copper pot stills, mash tuns, distillation columns and spirit safes. Direct competitor in high-end craft distillery equipment globally.
- Subsea 7: Global subsea construction and installation contractor - relevant peer for Forsyths' world-leading large-diameter subsea cable/umbilical reel business and skid-module fabrication for offshore projects.
- Vendome Copper & Brass Works: Louisville, Kentucky-based fabricator of handcrafted copper pot stills, columns, and condensers for the distillery industry. Closest direct comparable to Forsyths in copper distillation equipment manufacturing.
- CARL GmbH: German manufacturer of distillation and rectification equipment (columns, pot stills, condensers) for distilleries and ethanol producers. Direct competitor in turnkey stills and process design.
Broad incumbents
- TechnipFMC: Large oil & gas EPC and subsea technology provider. Overlaps with Forsyths in skid units, subsea equipment, and process modules across offshore projects.
- McDermott International: Global EPC contractor for offshore oil & gas, petrochemicals and energy transition projects - relevant broad incumbent comparator for Forsyths' pressure vessel, skid unit and structural steel work.
- Babcock International: UK-headquartered large industrial engineering and fabrication services group with nuclear, marine and energy exposure - relevant broad comparator for Forsyths' UK fabrication and accredited nuclear/offshore capability.
- Aker Solutions: Norwegian-headquartered offshore and energy-transition EPC firm with fabrication yards for subsea structures and modules. Comparable to Forsyths' oil & gas and renewables fabrication footprint.
- Pfaudler: Global supplier of engineered process equipment (pressure vessels, reactors, columns) for chemical, pharmaceutical and food/beverage industries. Comparable in custom process vessel fabrication and exotic materials capability.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Forsyths social profiles
Digital presenceForsyths compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance18 records
Forsyths financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forsyths leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Forsyths subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
Forsyths funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forsyths M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Forsyths
What does Forsyths do?
Forsyths designs, fabricates and sells custom industrial equipment for the alcoholic beverage and oil & gas sectors, including distillation equipment, pressure vessels, skid units, reels, tanks, pipework and structural steel. It also delivers turnkey distillery projects covering process design, fabrication, installation, commissioning and maintenance support.
Is Forsyths a public or private company?
Forsyths is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Forsyths founded?
Forsyths was founded in 1890. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Forsyths based?
Forsyths is headquartered in Scotland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Forsyths make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Custom equipment fabrication and sale is the primary driver. The others are turnkey distillery projects.
Who are Forsyths's main competitors?
Bilfinger UK is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Arnold Holstein GmbH, Subsea 7, Vendome Copper & Brass Works and CARL GmbH. Broad incumbents are TechnipFMC, McDermott International, Babcock International, Aker Solutions and Pfaudler.
Does Forsyths have an API?
No public API is recorded for Forsyths.
What industry is Forsyths in?
Forsyths's product category is Industrial Equipment Fabrication. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAKABAI, Pipe & Tube Manufacturing (Seamless & Welded OCTG/Line Pipe/Structural Tube), with a secondary code of IMAHANAG, Pump & Compressor Packages (Skids, Booster Sets). Its NAICS code is 33391 and its SIC code is 3317.