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At Altrad Babcock, we are proud to celebrate 70 years since the earliest ideas that helped shape one of the most remarkable advances in modern medicine: the use of ultrasound in pregnancy care. It’s a story rooted in industrial innovation, and one in which Babcock & Wilcox in Renfrew played a quietly pivotal role.
In the 1950s, Babcock & Wilcox was at the forefront of ultrasonic testing, a new and revolutionary method that used high-frequency sound waves to detect hidden flaws in boilers, pressure vessels, and welded joints. This non-destructive testing technique was designed to improve safety and efficiency in heavy industry, long before it was ever linked to healthcare.
But innovation often crosses boundaries.
Around the same time, a group of visionary doctors and engineers began to explore whether the same ultrasonic principles used to inspect steel could be applied to something far more delicate: the human body. Among them was Dr. Ian Donald, a Scottish obstetrician at Glasgow University who worked with engineers, some from industrial backgrounds like Babcock & Wilcox, to experiment with adapting ultrasonic equipment for medical use.
In 1955, these early collaborations began to bear fruit. Just a few years later, in 1958, the world saw the first diagnostic ultrasound images of a foetus, launching a revolution in obstetrics.
Today, ultrasound is a cornerstone of prenatal care, used to monitor foetal development, detect complications, and offer expectant parents their very first glimpse of new life. But few realise that this medical miracle began with the need to ensure the safety of industrial systems.
At Altrad, we’re incredibly proud to carry forward the legacy of Babcock & Wilcox, where the spark of innovation 70 years ago helped transform not only how we protect infrastructure, but also how we protect and care for life itself.
A commemorative plaque has been installed at the Porterfield Road entrance of the Gatehouse Business Centre at Westway, the site of the former Babcock & Wilcox factory, where Altrad Babcock remains a tenant. A civic ceremony has marked the occasion, with local councillors, industry leaders and special guests in attendance.
From safeguarding steel to seeing the start of life, this is a legacy worth celebrating.
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