A LONG-ESTABLISHED engineering firm is making waves by diving for business.

Burgess Engineering, based in Dover, is the first company in the South East -- and only the second in the UK -- to invest in the latest underwater hull-cleaning gear approved by the US Navy and Coastguard.

Burgess, founded 40 years ago and enjoying a new lease of life after changing ownership, employs six divers to clean hulls and polish propellers.

The team has already won its spurs preventing seals getting into the cooling system at Dungeness power station.

"We have used the equipment before but we always had to hire it from the Dutch," said managing director David Warren.

He says the firm will need more divers as demand for this specialist work increases. He intends seeking young volunteers from his own workforce for underwater training.

These are heady days for a company that went bust in 1996 but has bounced back after a bold rescue act by Mr Warren, a travel industry pioneer who first inspired the "Cross the Channel for a pound" idea with P&O.

The former Master Mariner did not know a lot about engineering but was optimistic that Burgess had enough going for it to ensure survival.

At the time, Mr Warren's holiday company The Travel Market -- its Ferry Travel Club division has 60,000 members -- was a tenant of Burgess, occupying the top floor of the then ailing firm's offices in Channel View Road.

He met receivers and decided the chance of acquiring the whole Burgess operation for £350,000 was too good to miss. He took on 40 staff and £60,000 of Government cash to save jobs.

In a remarkable turnaround, he and his team have cranked up the engineering side, and formed two new divisions, marine and rail, to take advantage of market opportunities.

Mr Warren axed workers that were not up to scratch and hired replacements. Only 10 of the original workforce are still with the firm. But the payroll has soared to 200, with turnover around £10m.

The rail division employs around 100 people, including new MD David Blackmore. It works closely with Ashford-based Balfour Beatty and is part of a partnership bid for a valuable Channel Tunnel Rail Link maintenance contract.

On the marine front, apart from diving, Burgess is a fast ferry specialist, looking after catamarans. The new Dover-Boulogne service might bring extra business.

The engineering division is building bridges, including one for a Southern Water reservoir at Hastings, two footbridges over the Hythe Canal, and stairways at Ashford International Station.

Burgess, worried about the general shortage of engineering skills, has set up its own training school, taking on four training staff.

"We've tried apprenticeship schemes but we just can't get people to do it," Mr Warren, who has previously worked for Trinity House, Dover Harbour Board and P&O Normandy Ferries.

"Most youngsters want to come in and earn as much as they can and go home. They have no long-term aims, they just want a quick buck for today."

Mr Warren is bullish about the future despite intense competitive pressure on the engineering sector.

"I'm confident we can make it work. There's enough business in the pot, and there are ships coming and going all the time.

"There's not a lot of investment in new tonnage but hopefully they will keep the ships going a bit longer."