The former oil fabrication yard at Arnish on the outskirts of Stornoway will once again become a site of manufacturing activity as wind tower manufacturers, Cambrian Engineering, announces its move to the island.

Western Isles Enterprise (WIE), part of the Highlands & Islands Enterprise Network, has today (Monday) announced its support for the £5.7million project, which will create around 65 jobs for the island.  They have assisted the project with a financial package totalling £2,640,000.

Cambrian Engineering will use the main fabrication workshop at Arnish Industrial Estate to manufacture wind turbine towers and foundations for the offshore renewable energy sector. The development on Lewis will complement the company's existing tower factory at Bangor in Wales, which has supplied 95 per cent of towers for UK onshore wind farms since 1999 and employs 60 people. 

The facilities at Arnish are ideal for this type of large-scale engineering with good sea access and cranes capable of lifting the high tonnage structures.  The site can be brought into use in a short timescale, allowing Cambrian Engineering scope to start production around the end of the year.

By 2010, the Government is aiming for 10 per cent of electricity to be generated from renewable sources. Around 500 offshore turbines have been planned for construction by 2006 and further planned onshore installations in the UK, particularly Scotland, represent an even greater number.

David Williams, Cambrian Engineering's managing director, believes this move to Lewis will enable them to respond to this increase in demand:

"There is an increasing requirement for more and larger wind turbines to generate electricity without damaging the environment. To meet the demand for the large support structures, we needed to expand at a dockside manufacturing facility and Cambrian and WIE have agreed a package intended to achieve this.  The site will be superbly equipped and is ideally located to service the needs of high capacity land-based wind farms, but especially offshore projects to be built off the east and west coasts of the British Isles and Eire.

"Scotland is seen by the industry sector as embracing and supporting these opportunities by encouraging deployment of available, proven and commercially viable wind power technology, together with the supply side industries.  Other renewable technologies will, as they become commercially viable, have a head start in such environments where support is evident and where integrated infrastructures, supply chains and skills have been developed.

"Backing for this initiative has come both from Cambrian's customers, who are keen to see the development of UK supply chains, and especially from Developers who want the benefits from their initiatives retained in the UK. 

"We anticipate that this venture at Arnish Point will aid the establishment of the Western Isles as an energy innovation zone harnessing the massive wind, wave and tidal resources."

As the site of former Lewis Offshore Ltd, Arnish has played a key role in the economy of the Western Isles in the past, and Murdo Maclennan, Western Isles Enterprise chairman, welcomes this major development: 

"Arnish has been empty since the closure of Lewis Offshore Ltd and this development will re-establish it as a significant manufacturing centre, creating a much needed boost to the island's economy.

"This development is just part of our masterplan for the site.  We have a highly skilled workforce on the island and we now have the facilities to match.  We hope that this development will help establish the Western Isles as renewable energy manufacturing centre and act as a catalyst to attract more industries to Arnish."

Cambrian Engineering will lease the site from Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) who took a head lease over the Arnish Industrial Estate from the Stornoway Trust earlier this year. HIE has committed to a £4.89million overhaul of the industrial estate in a bid to cater for a variety of sectors.  The large workshop will be upgraded as part of this facelift and there will also be improvements to roads, water and electricity supplies.

Sandy Cumming, chief executive of Highlands & Islands Enterprise said:  "The Western Isles is one of HIE's highest priority areas and our recent multi-million commitment to the Arnish upgrade is further proof of that. 

"Cambrian Engineering is a well established company serving a growth industry and I am pleased that we have managed to attract tenants of this calibre to Arnish."