A Lochaber-based renewable energy specialist has set up a base in Fort William in response to growing demand for its environmentally friendly heating solutions.

Torren Energy, suppliers of 'green' woodchip-burning boilers, has outgrown its office in Glencoe and has moved to larger premises in Fort William to become Lochaber Enterprise's first tenant in the new advance workshops at Annat Point Industrial Estate.

The company was set up three years ago to supply, install and maintain woodchip fuel boilers and has seen turnover increase four-fold annually during that time.  It now employs 22 people, has opened an office in Edinburgh and has attracted contracts as far afield as Orkney and Cardiff.

Jim McAdam, project manager said:  "Wood energy is a cheap, green and sustainable method of producing heat, and makes use of a local resource, and the market is growing rapidly.  The opportunity to locate to Fort William was too good to miss, given its central Highland location and its proximity to forestry used to create the woodchip."

Lochaber Enterprise's property manager, Scott Dingwall, said:  "We are very pleased to have been able to help Torren Energy set up a base in Fort William.  Completion of our advance workshops seems to have come at the right time for them and I am pleased we were able to offer them ready-made premises in the area when they needed it."

Torren Energy's new site is one of five newly constructed units at Annat Point Industrial Estate on the outskirts of Fort William.  With unit sizes ranging from 50 to 195 square metres as well as on site car parking and office facilities, the workshops are suitable for small to medium sized manufacturing, assembly, craft or processing businesses.

Interested parties should contact Scott Dingwall on 01397 704326 or by email at sc.dingwall@hient.co.uk