Business is booming at the European Marine Science Park (EMSP) near Oban, with the arrival of two new companies.
Aquaculture firm Fusion Marine and ALIenergy (Argyll, Lomond and the Isles Energy Agency) have moved into the park’s Malin House.
They join 10 other businesses, including micro-algae technology specialist Xanthella, which is expanding into new laboratory facilities.
The arrival of more new tenants at Malin House, which opened in 2014, sees the number of employees based in the building increase to more than 30.
Development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) invested £7.5million in the facility at Dunstaffnage to help boost the local economy.
Morag Goodfellow, senior development manager at HIE, said there was growing commercial sector interest in the site.
She said: “We’re delighted to welcome the new tenants to Malin House and the expansion in the range of marine expertise they bring to the park.
“The EMSP is recognised internationally as a prime location for marine science and related industries.
“Malin House is designed to accommodate the needs of a wide range of occupiers, to encourage collaboration between tenants and to promote links with education and research led by the Scottish Association of Marine Science (Sams).”
The park was built next to Sams to take advantage of its leading place in the marine science world.
Fusion Marine managing director Stephen Divers said: “We have moved our administration function from Barcaldine to Malin House, which will enable us to benefit from the synergies created by being part of the cluster of scientific expertise at Dunstaffnage, aiding in aquaculture research and development programmes.”
ALIenergy manager Lynda Mitchell said: “Our company works in community renewals and local energy, including algal solutions for the local energy economy.
“Malin House is a great base for us, especially for networking with other marine based businesses.”
Photobioreactor business Xanthella has been a tenant in the building since it opened.
