A family-owned Lochaber transport group has taken control of one of the largest sawmills in Europe near Fort William.
Ferguson Transport & Shipping (FTS) has snapped up BSW Timber’s sawmill in Corpach for an undisclosed sum.
FTS hailed the deal as “a momentous and exciting development” as the firm ads the 18 acre site to is operations in the area, which includes its headquarters, workshop and warehousing in Corpach and further warehouses in Spean Bridge.
FTS, which says it has nearly doubled the number of staff it employs in recent years, plans to make the site into its “logistics hub” in Corpach. The firm said it will consolidate some of its operations on the site as well as look to attract other businesses to establish operations on the premises, which includes offices, 160,000 sq feet of warehousing, a large hardstanding and a weighbridge,
BSW Sawmills had acquired the site in 2006 following the closure of the Belgian-owned Arjo Wiggins paper mill on the site.
The Berwickshire-based timber company, which saw profits rise 80% to £9.2million last year, had invested £25million to expand its operations there in 2010.
Alasdair Ferguson, group managing director of FTS, said: “This further investment and commitment by the company is an exciting new development which will allow for further growth within the company, and give us the necessary room we need to expand in the Corpach area and in some cases consolidate some of our existing activities in the area on to the one site.
“We will also look for other possible partners in due course, for example, in manufacturing to fully utilise the space we have available and where we can offer full logistical support.”
Howard Jones, group finance director of BSW, said: “I am delighted that our Kilmallie site has been sold to a local Scottish company that is expanding their operations and hence employment in the West Highlands.
“Ferguson Transport & Shipping are a strategic partner of BSW Timber and this transaction further cements that relationship.
“I am sure that they will make as good use of the site as we have in the past.”
FTS is one of the largest independent transport and distribution companies in the Highlands & Islands. The group’s operations facilities on the Isle of Skye, Kyle of Lochalsh, Inverness, Invergordon, Grangemouth, Glasgow and Penrith. The firm also operates port and warehousing facilities at Kishorn and as well as work out of Mallaig, Oban, Tarbert Loch Fyne and Campbeltown.
