The Kintyre Forum

Thought it might be apt to create a new thread on this....

A deal has been struck which will save almost 100 jobs at the Vestas wind turbine factory in Kintyre, BBC Scotland understands.

Danish company Skycon has agreed to take over the plant at Machrihanish, near Campbeltown.

It will be given government financial assistance to adapt the factory for larger scale production needed to meet Scotland's renewable energy targets.

Vestas revealed in August that it was in financial difficulty.

The factory employs 92 people and is a cornerstone of the local economy.

Negotiations began soon after Vestas management announced they were to close the plant.

In December it was confirmed that Welcon - which is a subsidiary of the Danish Skycon group - was in talks to buy the plant as a going concern.

It is now understood that a deal has been finalised that will see it take over the factory.

First Minister Alex Salmond is due to join other guests at the factory on Thursday afternoon, when the official announcement is expected to be made.

Sources also believe the deal will include the firm being given government financial assistance to expand the plant so it can make much larger wind towers to help speed up Scotland's move towards more renewable energy production.

It is claimed this could ultimately lead to up to 400 workers being employed at the site.

Fantastic news! Must be a relief for the current staff and sounds like its going to be bigger and better than ever. Fingers crossed!

Brilliant news for the area.... Hopefully more jobs will come in the town.area very soon....

Good to see large companies investing in this area....

maxmix

Good news, I'm glad for the people that are already working there.

Will be interesting to see if these extra jobs transpire, and if so, how many locals will benefit.
ie. will skilled labour be brought in from elsewhere.

I would assume (hope!) that they will use locals and train them up - same way Vestas did. They are never going to go straight up to 300 people, more likely batches of people taken on and trained up bit by bit.

I wonder if any of those worked for Vestas but moved away, either with Vestas or to a competitor, might be keen to move back to Kintyre?!

This is indeed great news indeed for the town and wider area. Hopefully Kintyre can be at the forefront of the push towards renewables, perhaps some R&D work as well as manufacturing can be transferred also.

However, without wishing to pee on anyone's strawberries........

Does anyone know how much the Govt are putting in?
How much are Skycon actually investing? (i.e. Non-recoverable investment)
What's the minimum period they must stay before they're allowed to walk away, penalty free?

Maybe Mr Salmond will have all the answers tomorrow!

Lets hope it is going to be a long term investment.

Sheik Yir Erse wrote:..However, without wishing to pee on anyone's strawberries........
Does anyone know how much the Govt are putting in? ...

I think one of the primary conditions from Skykon, that was important in the negotiations, had to do with the infrastructure. Perhaps the missing (promised) ferry-link ??
Would be good, not only for Skykon, but the area in general, if Mr. Salmon had news about a new transport link this afternoon. Can't wait to go and hear what he has to say

Danish newspapers said this morning, that Skokon has invested 280 mill DKK, (approx 35 mill GBP) in the takeower, and are planning to build a new factory next to the existing. Skykon sees GB and Ireland as an upcoming market, and sees Campbeltown as a good center for supplying these markets.

""Does anyone know how much the Govt are putting in?
How much are Skycon actually investing? (i.e. Non-recoverable investment)
What's the minimum period they must stay before they're allowed to walk away, penalty free?"

Quite frankly, who cares about the first two questions? Lets hope someone can answer the third and lets hope it is the answer we are all looking for.

Great news indeed.

I am reading a report online of Mr Salmond's comments re Skycon and nowhere does it say that he is at Machrihanish. Was it too windy for his transport to land? Is he there? Do we know anything about the Troon ferry yet? Delighted that Skycon have come in and hope that, should the ferry start up, the fares will not be too prohibitive for joe public.

"THERE SHOULD BE DANCING IN THE STREETS OF CAMPBELTOWN TONIGHT"
Those were some of the words from Mr. Salmond himself today at the Vestas plant in Machrihanish. And if just half of the plans mentioned there is true, then I'll do the same

As he said, last week this area was the second hardest area in Scotland to find work, with relatively most people looking for the fewest jobs. But with this new chapter, Campbeltown could show GB the way out of recession !!!
Strong words from Mr. Salmond, but it was backed up with numbers of jobs being created, not only on the Skykon factory, but also the ambitious offshore windfarms projects that is supposed to put Scotland right up there, within renewable energy. So the wind industry can do for the west coast of Scotland, what the offshore industry has done for the economy on the east coast.

Skykon itself will expand the factory and create 200 - 300 new jobs within the next two years. Add the jobs for subcontractors, and at least as many in connection with setting up and servicing the windfarms at sea

It seems like the Skykon managent have had better success with comitting the authorities to the project, and I felt a wee bitterness or irony in the comments from the leaving Vestas manager. Between the lines it was like someone had never fulfilled the promises to Vestas. Anyway, the end seems to be very prospective for Campbeltown, so congratulations everyone.

There was no news about any ferry link, but the harbour facilities is going to be improved, not only for pleasing Skykon, but i relation to the mega large sea windfarms embarkments etc.

Great news.

Any word on the road between the factory and Campbeltown? If they are going to be shipping bigger towers they will probably need to upgrade the road.

Malky

Great news for all the workers their just now and for all the future workers

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/gla ... 965266.stm