Whisky giant Whyte and Mackay has warned jobs will be lost at its distillery in Invergordon following a £15 million modernisation programme.
The plans will see the installation of an anaerobic digester which the company said will make the facility “fit for the future and transform its carbon footprint.”
Announcing the proposal, the Glasgow-based firm said: “As a result of the new technology, unfortunately, we anticipate we will require fewer people and we will be consulting with our employees to discuss this fully.”
The distillery currently employs 110 people and yesterday Whyte and Mackay said they were unable to confirm how many jobs were at risk.
A spokesman for the company said: “We are unable to comment on the likely number of redundancies at this stage due to a number of factors that will affect the decision, including those with planners and the technology specialists.
“During the consultation process we will be investigating opportunities for flexibility and re-skilling of the work force.
The anaerobic digester will replace the existing dark grains plant which was installed at the distillery in the 1970s and which the company says is currently responsible for around 60% of the carbon footprint of the site.
Once operational, the equipment will turn whisky distillery co-products into renewable energy for the site and the national grid.
The development is still subject to planning and other approvals and the plans, which are currently being finalised by Whyte and Mackay’s project team, will be submitted to Highland Council later this month.
Whyte and Mackay’s chief executive Bryan Donaghey said: “This project has the potential to transform our operations in Invergordon and make the site fit for the future.
“If approved, we will create an energy efficient distillery not only producing great Scotch whisky but also supplying renewable energy into the grid equivalent to 5,000 homes.”
Ian Mackie, production director at Whyte and Mackay Invergordon, said the development was “exciting” for the site.
He added: “Replacing the dark grains plant which is near the end of its working life will be a great step forward for the site.
“We also expect there to be significantly reduced traffic movements on site, which will be
“welcome news to all in the local area. Traffic at the south end of the site will be reduced by around 70%. We look forward to working with Highland Council, the environmental and health and safety authorities and our local community on this ambitious project.”
Whyte & Mackay Group employs more than 470 people around the world and owns five distilleries and a bottling plant in Scotland.
The company, which is owned by Phillipines- based Emperador Inc, is the fifth largest Scotch whisky manufacturer in the world, with its products distributed in over 50 countries.
