New hub created to support town improvement districts
A new national hub to support town “improvement districts” has been launched in the capital.
Business
Profits soar as Moray business builds on flotation success
The pace of housebuilding across Scotland needs to ramp up if national targets for affordable homes are to be met, a leading firm in the sector said yesterday.
Aberdeen firm translates success into £10 million in sales
A translation business launched in the bedroom of a house in Mannofield, Aberdeen, in 2001, is on track for smashing the £10 million annual sales barrier for the first time.
Plan to provide Scottish spirits with better protection
Scottish spirits could soon have the same protection as whisky under new proposals mooted by a newly launched trade body.
Islands of enterprise
Around 50 people from around the world are in the Outer Hebrides this week to attend the Social Enterprise Rural Symposium 2018.
The wisdom of thinking small
The UK’s leading supermarkets may still gobble up much of our spending, but “buy local” campaigns are gathering momentum and helping an army of food and drink producers around the country to survive and thrive.
Fresh focus on the recycling role of animals
Future livestock breeding should focus on animals’ ability to recycle nutrients back into the food chain, rather than on improving their lifetime productivity.
Initiative hopes to reduce the average age of people visting Scotland
The organisers of the annual Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards (Hita) have joined forces with Inverness College UHI in a drive to market the region’s appeal to younger people.
Loch Ness spirit inspires pair to launch absinthe as couple create recipe for first Scottish variety of potent tipple
A Loch Ness doctor and a retired detective have launched Scotland’s first absinthe blanche.
Construction group survives AWPR hit
Housebuilding and other gains more than offset any Aberdeen city bypass woes in annual results posted by construction group Galliford Try yesterday.
Highland smelter plans to double future capacity
The owner of Fort William aluminium smelter has said it wants to alter plans for its £120 million alloy wheel factory at the site to enable it to double its output.
Unemployment falling in north and north-east
Unemployment in some parts of the north and north-east is falling faster than national trends, new figures showed yesterday.
HIE boss hails agency’s year of ‘good progress’
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) chairman, Lorne Crerar, has hailed “good progress” by the development agency in the 12 months following a Scottish Government climb down on plans to axe its board.
Business leaders call for same-sex marriage to be introduced in Northern Ireland
Several major international companies operating in Northern Ireland have called for same-sex marriage to be introduced.
Union calls for crime probe into Carillion chaos
Individuals involved in the collapse of construction giant Carillion should face an immediate criminal investigation, a union leader has urged.
Breakthrough for city biotech startup as firm is one of the first in world to receive licence
An Aberdeen biotechnology firm has become one of the first in the world to be granted a licence to collect, process and manufacture potentially lifesaving gut microbes for faecal transplants.
In Focus: Alan MacPherson bringing something extra to business from his background
Each week, we ask small businesses key questions. Here we speak to Alan MacPherson, senior client manager at Aberdeen accountants Carnegie Knox.
Payoff for therapist who took hold of own future
Quitting your job to start your own business is always a daunting task.
Fleet of eight new Stagecoach buses to operate between Inverness and Elgin
Stagecoach has launched a fleet of eight new buses to operate between Inverness and Elgin.
Oil and gas bosses report negative impact on offshore safety from lower oil prices
Oil and gas industry bosses have reported a negative impact on offshore safety from lower oil prices despite firms’ good intentions.
Losses soar at Highlands and Islands Airports
Pension obligations has seen losses soar at publicly-owned airport operator Highlands and Islands Airports (Hial).
Building firm signs major NHS contracts
Kier Construction Scotland has netted £6 million-worth of work to upgrade mental health facilities in the north-east.
Businesses fear Scottish immigration system would increase red tape- CBI
Businesses fear giving Scotland control over immigration in the wake of Brexit would lead to more red tape for firms to deal with, the head of the CBI has said.
Businesses fear more red tape with Scottish immigration system – CBI
Businesses fear giving Scotland control over immigration in the wake of Brexit would lead to more red tape for firms to deal with, the head of the CBI will say.
Aberdeen-headquartered Water Weights taken over by Unique Group
Aberdeen-headquartered Water Weights has been taken over by offshore services provider Unique Group.
Azinor ‘could have the next Buzzard’ as it seeks 2019 partners
Bosses at UK North Sea minnow Azinor Catalyst bosses say they “could have the next Buzzard” in their portfolio.
Moray construction firm ready for future as profits leap
Entrepreneur Bill Robertson has said restructuring has shaped his huge construction, infrastructure and support services group for continuing success without him and his family at the helm.
Fixed mind-sets ‘stifling’ innovation in oil industry
Creativity is being stifled at large oil companies by the “fixed mind-sets” of employees, industry chiefs said yesterday.
Countdown on for Gold Awards extravaganza
The countdown is officially on to one of the most prestigious events in the north-east’s business calender.
North firms hail young talent
Nearly four out of five firms in the north have highlighted the importance of hiring and retaining young people to their future success.
North Sea’s largest producing oil field shut down – report
The North Sea’s largest producing oil field has been shutdown amid planned maintenance, according to a report from Reuters. Quoting trade sources, the news agency said Buzzard, which is operated by Nexen, is undergoing planned maintenance which was originally scheduled for August. To read more on Energy Voice, click here.
New licence ‘swoop’ adds to Spirit’s partner appeal
Spirit Energy’s boss has said the firm’s swoop for stakes in two North Sea licences will make it “more attractive” to potential new joint venture (JV) partners.