£250k boost for new whisky distillery in Caithness
The HIE funding will help meet the costs of plant and equipment and help lever in significant private sector investment to the project.
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Forres firm, AJ Engineering has secured investment of up to £420,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for the project, which will see up to 36 new jobs created over the same period.
The company has expanded its manufacturing sites, adding 4.7 acres by purchasing neighbouring land which was previously owned by Moray Council.
The development will include the refurbishment of the existing buildings at the former sawmill site at Waterford and a new automated fabrication facility will be installed.
The firm is already a significant employer in the Forres area, currently employs around 80 staff at the existing Greshop Industrial sites including seven apprentices.
Owner Alan James said: “HIE has been fully involved in the development of these plans and supported us in this project with a grant for our investment in the first and second phases.
“We had previously rented the buildings and ground from Moray Council and we were delighted that they agreed to sell the site to enable our future development plans.
“This investment will make us more efficient and it will provide the company with the ability to increase its throughput but at a lower production cost. The new equipment will mean that our skilled fabricators will be available to concentrate on the more technical projects and no longer have to spend time measuring or marking beams or drilling them as the new machine will be able to do all this automatically from the details downloaded directly from our drawing office. With the skilled workforce being available we will be able to seek a greater number complex projects.”
Steve Richards, business development account manager with HIE, said: “Moray is renowned for innovation and manufacturing across many sectors and AJ Engineering is a key part of this. This is a fantastic project and a great example of a dynamic Scottish manufacturing firm pursuing its growth ambitions through innovation and automation.
“It’s also brilliant news for Forres and the wider local economy, particularly in relation to the expectations of new opportunities for young people through apprenticeships.
“We are very pleased to be able to provide support and very much look forward to seeing the new facility take shape.”
The HIE funding will help meet the costs of plant and equipment and help lever in significant private sector investment to the project.
As a result of HIE’s support, businesses in the area are set to see combined turnover rise by £22.4m, while international sales will grow by £661,000.
The new product has been developed by Dunoon-based former construction industry director Allister Wood
There was support for businesses and social enterprises to lower emissions and improve efficiencies within their operations.
As a result of HIE’s support, businesses in Moray are forecast to see combined turnover rise by more than £85m and international sales by almost £14m.
The project is expected to continue to attract innovative marine businesses, creating new well-paid job opportunities, particularly for young people, and encouraging entrepreneurship.
As a result of HIE support, businesses in the area will see total turnover rise by £14.5m and international sales by £1.9m.
Figures show HIE approved £1.5m investment across 18 Shetland projects in 2023-24
Figures compiled by HIE show that businesses and communities supported by the agency in 2023/24 are set to create or retain more than 1,200 jobs across the region.
Six talented young people working at HIE over the past two years have secured permanent positions, bringing fresh perspectives and valuable skills to HIE’s economic and community development efforts.
Beinn an Tuirc Distillery is investigating the development of two new canned ready to drink (RTD) cocktail recipes.
£250k helped leverage a further £3.6m in national investment