Fastnet Highland Ltd is set for growth thanks to a major investment of £364,800, including a grant of £72,960 from HIE Lochaber, towards new equipment that will revolutionise the grading of prawns at its Fort William base.

The company is one of the UK's largest producers of whole fresh scampi, offering the full supply chain from boat to customer, and fulfilling a high demand for frozen scampi from Spain, France and Italy.

The purchase of the four lane grading machine will improve profitability by increasing grading accuracy and streamlining production. This will help the company to retain its significant share of the UK prawn processing market with high quality product at a competitive price.

"Increased demands on an ever decreasing labour pool means that hand grading is no longer commercially sustainable," said Peter Hamling of Fastnet Highland Ltd. "Trawled prawn is mostly landed on three days of the week, requiring high volume processing in a tight timescale. The investment in new plant will allow us to respond quickly to seasonal variations, with an extremely efficient and cost effective production process."

Scotland is estimated to net 90% of the total European catch of prawns, with shellfish representing 41% of the value of all seafood landings in the Highlands and Islands.

HIE Lochaber development manager Helen Cameron said: "Growing competition for seafood supplies is reducing profit margins for processors, with long term survival increasingly dependent on higher throughput and more efficient production methods.

"The recent investment in grading equipment will help the company emerge as a stronger player in the European marketplace."