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Work continues to try and save BiFab  

14 Nov 2017

Efforts are ongoing to attempt to prevent engineering company BiFab from going bust.

 

Talks are taking place with the SSE-led consortimum which has a £100 million order with Bifab.

 

The Scottish Government is also exploring what actions it could take.

 

BiFab - which is partly owned by energy giant SSE - operates the Arnish yard as well as two sites in Fife.

 

Isles MP Angus Brendan MacNeil has spoken to business minister Paul Wheelhouse who has confirmed efforts are underway to try and save the firm.

Angus MacNeil said: “Clearly I am concerned for the jobs at Arnish and I know that many families will be very worried during this period of uncertainty.

 

“The lead developer SSE and the others, in conjunction with Copenhagen Partners and Red Rock have a huge part to play, as do the Royal Bank of Scotland, the main contractors Seaway Heavy Lifting, The Scottish Government and Price Waterhouse Cooper who are all working hard to find a solution.

 

“I spoke with Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy Paul Wheelhouse MSP who assured me that a lot of hard work is going on to prevent job losses and to secure the future for BiFab.

 

“The minister assures me that the Scottish Government will leave no stone unturned and that the First Minister is anxious to see a good outcome for BiFab.”

 

Mr MacNeil added: "Ultimately I feel that BiFab is a very good engineering company who have been caught on the hook of a complex contract.

 

“It is important to bridge them through this period as they will be successful on their own two feet in the future as well maintaining and developing skills in Scotland and on Lewis contributing to the National economy directly and indirectly on a big scale."

 

BiFab is presently working on supplying 26 wind turbine foundations for the 588MW Beatrice offshore wind farm in the outer Moray Firth.