Timber processing firm James Jones & Sons (JJS) is to create up to 19 new posts in Forres, following a £279,000 Green Jobs Fund cash injection from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
The HIE backing forms 10% of a total £2.79 million project, which will trigger the new employment and increase company turnover by around £2.79m during the next three years.
Just transition, employment and fair work minister Richard Lochhead, revealed the funding during a visit to family-owned JJS, which plans to develop a new timber manufacturing and processing facility in Moray.
JJS joint managing director David Leslie said “This support has not only enabled the development of a difficult area of ground adjacent to the current site, but has assisted with further investment that will significantly expand the production of JJ I-Joists at Forres, offer more job opportunities in the locality and see a further expansion of export opportunities beyond Europe.
“The company is planning a very significant further investment at its Mosstodloch sawmill over the next five years, which will further increase employment in Moray, develop wood as a product in Scotland and assist in the drive to net-zero.”
Many JJS staff have 40-years’ service
Any new staff joining as a result of the new recruitment drive will find themselves among several colleagues who have been with the firm for decades.
“We have high retention rates as many of our employees have been with us for 40 years,” a JJS spokeswoman told The Press and Journal.
She added: “We have celebrated three employees in the past three months who have had 40 years; it is a good company culture. On average, we celebrate that three or four times a year.”
Big employer in Moray
JJS says it is the UK’s second largest timber processing company. Two of its 27 UK plants are in Moray – Forres and Mostodloch – and employ 170 people between them.
The company provides a range of sawn timber products, and works in areas such as digital scanning technology and timber treatment.
The Forres site is said to be the UK’s largest manufacturing facility for engineered “I-joists” used in construction.
JJS is building a new facility to the rear of its existing premises in the town.
This will house upgraded processing, engineering and research and development capacity, as well as a new stock yard.
Insulated roof and wall panels are among products that will be produced there in response to increased demand from UK housebuilders developing more new low-carbon homes.
£100m Green Jobs Fund
The Green Jobs Fund was launched by the Scottish Government in 2020.
Mr Lochhead said: “The £100m Green Jobs Fund is supporting businesses in Scotland to create and maintain jobs that support low-carbon products and services, and contribute to meeting the Scottish Government’s net-zero ambitions.
“Investing in machinery, equipment and research and development will ensure the creation and growth of new green job opportunities in sectors like the sustainable timber industry.
“In addition to the new green jobs James Jones & Sons are creating, timber innovations like this help reduce carbon emissions and help move Scotland towards a net-zero future.”
All JJS UK timber processing sites, its engineered wood products plant and pallet manufacture, inspection and repair facilities have received what the company terms “substantial” investment for some years.
“James Jones & Sons is an important local employer in Forres and contributor to the region’s economy,” added HIE Moray team senior development manager Steve Richards.
“The company is embarking on the next phase of business growth, but this project is about so much more than that.
“It’s about innovation, use of new technology and reducing carbon emissions as we move towards a net-zero economy.
“Crucially, it’s also about creating many more good quality well-paid manufacturing jobs in Moray.”
