Richard Livett is feeling very chipper about his latest business investment. He has a busy life and a successful business undertaking outdoor work around his Glenborrodale home on the Ardnamurchan peninsula.

Many of his contracts involve clearing woodlands and developing pathways, and this creates a lot of wood waste, but he has come up with a commercial and environmentally friendly method of getting rid of it – by providing fuel locally in the form of woodchips.

Previously, the waste was chipped and simply left on site, but Richard did a bit of research and found a wood chip boiler system at Acharacle Post Office that he could supply.

Richard added: “The post office work isn’t particularly profitable, but I was always aware that it was the beginning of a more useful development.”

However, Richard’s chipper was not making life easy for him, as the wood had to be hand-fed into it.

He has now bought a specialised tractor and crane to speed up the job. It set him back around £34,000, but Lochaber Enterprise and the HIE Network chipped in with 40 per cent of the expenditure, including £8,500 from the Woodfuel Development Programme.

Richard said: “I’ve been doing this for three years, using an ancient tractor. The new equipment means I can produce chips reliably and in the required quantities.

“The money has made all the difference – I could not have done it otherwise.”

Now, he is hoping that he will be able to bring in more work – and he has his eye on one contract in particular.

Richard explained: “I’ve had some interest, and I’m hoping to be in with a chance of supplying the new AcharaclePrimary School, which has still to be built.

“I’m confident for the future,” he added.

Lochaber Enterprise shares Richard’s confidence, and was delighted to help him.

Robert Linton, development manager with Lochaber Enterprise said: “In developing this aspect of his business, Richard is taking advantage of waste which is readily available within Ardnamurchan. In doing so, he is providing a sustainable heating resource for the post office and hopefully other businesses too, as well as tidying up the environment. We wish him every success with this venture.”