An award of £60,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has helped Black Isle Bronze to improve infrastructure and purchase equipment to extend the range of projects the firm can undertake.
The project also included extending the workshop roof height, upgrading the electricity supply and investing in a larger sand storage silo.
Black Isle Bronze is looking to build on its reputation and continue to attract and fulfil orders from across the world. The investment in expanding the business infrastructure will result in larger bronze casting commissions and it is expected that three jobs will be created in the next two years.
Established in 1994 by Farquhar Laing who hails from the Black Isle, the business is one of the UK’s leading bronze foundries and employs 16 people at Balmakeith Business Park in Nairn.
It uses both lost wax and sand casting techniques, meaning the business can undertake both very large and very detailed commissions that many other foundries would be unable to accept.
Commissions over the years include the Mercat Cross in Inverness and Tree of Life at Cawdor Castle as well as the high-profile full-size bronze sculpture named ‘Poppy’ at Royal Ascot racecourse – a tribute to war horses that lost their lives during World War One.
A landmark sculpture for the foundry was Rugby Players – The Core Values, which is one of the largest sculptures in the UK and situated at the south stand, Allianz Tickenham Stadium. It was all sand cast in silicon bronze with internal duplex steel support and is a permanent monument to the skills of the foundry team in Nairn.
Peter Allen, development manager at HIE’s Inner Moray Firth team, said: “This is a great example of a business that has grown from small roots to become an international leader in its field. From a small team of talented staff, some of the projects they have successfully undertaken are staggering. We’re very pleased to support the company’s latest expansion plans, which will improve the use of technology, create jobs, increase productivity and lower carbon outputs.”
Farquhar Laing, said: “The support we have received from HIE has been crucial, helping us to increase production and giving us the space to focus on using the best materials by our skilled staff working in Nairn all year round. The expansion will enable us to have the space to expand we’ll be able to employ more people.”