Yard wins biggest wind tower job

Nearly 50 towers for turbines are to be built at the yard

A fabrication yard dogged by financial difficulties has won its biggest order to build towers for wind turbines.

Just last month it was announced the facility at Arnish on Lewis in the Western Isles was to be run on a care and maintenance basis.

However, operators Camcal has secured an order to construct 49 towers for a Turkish onshore project.

Managing director Jimmy Ferguson said there should be work for up to 70 employees for at least six months.

He said: "This is great news for the facility. It's going to enable us to fire up the workforce again in the early new year."

Mr Ferguson added: "We will have to work day shift and night shift to deliver this order. It's quite an aggressive for us, but it will be the biggest order the yard has had with respect to turbine towers."

I would urge the Scottish Government to speed up their decisions on renewable projects in Scotland so that Arnish can similarly secure those contracts Angus Campbell Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Arnish was involved in the Beatrice offshore wind farm project, which has seen a large turbine erected in a North Sea oil and gas field

Sections for a wave machine were also constructed at the yard and then delivered to a site off Portugal.

Camcal is one of five companies that have formed a consortium to lead talks with Lewis Wind Power (LWP) to deliver services and labour if it gets the go-ahead for a major development on Barvas Moor in the Western Isles.

Angus Campbell, vice convener of the islands' council Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, said the Turkish order was "excellent news".

He said: "This demonstrates that Arnish can successfully compete for business when projects are going ahead and I would urge the Scottish Government to speed up their decisions on renewable projects in Scotland so that Arnish can similarly secure those contracts."