A COMMUNITY consultation is due to begin shortly on the first phase of a £120 million plan that will see the millions of wheels that keep British-made cars on the road rolling out of Fort William in the years ahead.
Liberty British Aluminium, part of the GFG Alliance, is aiming to make the town a key manufacturing hub for vehicle components by expanding the Lochaber aluminium smelter into a major, low-carbon engineering complex employing hundreds of people.
The planned new plant will create 300 direct and 300 supply-chain jobs as part of the first phase of investment by Liberty and sister company Simec.
Local MSP Kate Forbes and MP Ian Blackford have toured the site during a fact-finding tour, and were shown the location of Liberty’s planned components factory that will process aluminium from the smelter into high-specification alloy wheels and other vehicle parts.
Forbes, the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, said: “I am excited about Liberty’s plans for the smelter because it could make the Highlands the centre for production of car components.
“The potential for jobs is enormous and I hope the benefits of increased economic activity will spread throughout Lochaber communities.
“I’m pleased that Liberty have not just talked about plans, they’re already actively turning their plans into reality. The faster that Liberty gets started, the quicker we’ll see the benefits. I’m working closely with Liberty and others to make sure that there are no obstacles to slow down progress.
“We need jobs, more housing and better roads and I hope these plans unlock huge potential for the Highlands.”
Blackford, who represents Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said the development would be good for the entire region.
“When you look at the vision that Liberty and its management have, there is no doubt in my mind that what they are doing is good for Lochaber and the Highlands.
“Plans for the new Liberty industrial facilities in Lochaber are proceeding rapidly, with the real prospect of re-industrialisation of the Highlands bringing very much needed jobs and an economic boost.
“With this number of jobs we must take a real look at infrastructure and what will be needed, not least in providing new homes for the many people who will work here. This has to start now. We must work with Liberty to keep pace with what they are doing and ensure that a workforce can be accommodated where and when it is needed.”
Brian King, managing director Lochaber operations for Liberty and Simec, added: “We are hugely encouraged by the interest and support shown by Kate and Ian.
“This spirit of partnership is exactly what we need in order to make this venture a big success for the local and regional economy.”
Simec is supplying hydro and bio-diesel power to the plant under GFG’s low-carbon Greenmetal strategy, which involves the creation of a resilient supply chain from liquid metal, produced from recycled scrap and renewable energy, into highly-engineered products manufactured locally and funded through a pioneering financial approach.
Follow-up investments by the GFG Alliance in other operations in the area are expected to increase the number of new jobs to 1,000 direct and 1,000 indirect over the next decade.
Liberty House – part of the Liberty Industries Group – and Simec completed a £330m deal with Rio Tinto in January to buy the smelter, along with the hydro-power plants at Fort William and Kinlochleven and associated estate lands – securing 170 jobs in Lochaber.
The group has a global footprint spanning 30 countries and comprises four businesses: Liberty Commodities Group, Liberty Industries Group, Simec and GFG Investments.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here