A Kinross-shire company has launched a bid to save a wind turbine manufacturer and secure 70 Scottish jobs.
Icon Energy of Milnathort has emerged as a prospective bidder for Proven Energy, which called in the receivers after discovering a defect and suspending sales of its flagship model.
The move has won the backing of Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire. She has written to administrators KPMG endorsing the bid by Icon Energy, which is seeking to ensure that the jobs, the name and the technology associated with Proven Energy remain in Scotland.
Ms Cunningham said: ”Icon Energy, who are based in my constituency, are trying to put together a rescue package to purchase Proven Energy, to get it back into production with immediate effect and with a view to retaining and re-employing up to 70 people.
”I am aware that there is also interest in purchasing Proven from two other non Scottish-based companies and there is a strong possibility that if either of them were to be successful we could see the company effectively asset stripped.
”It is extremely important that the jobs, the company and the technology are kept in Scotland and I am firmly of the view that of all the bidders I am aware of, only Icon can offer that and I hope that will be recognised by those who will determine the fate of the company.”
Proven Energy, which has a manufacturing plant in Ayrshire and an administration and design office in East Kilbride, called in KPMG as receivers.
Immediate redundancies affected 55 staff while 20 were retained to help prepare the business for a sale.
”Although Proven has achieved substantial turnover growth in recent years, the company has made significant losses as it focused on product development, making it difficult for the business to cope financially with the cost of the product failure,” said Blair Nimmo, head of restructuring for KPMG in Scotland.
Other turbines made by Proven are not affected, said the company, which has more than 3000 of its products installed worldwide.
Icon employs 35 people at Milnathort and it would transfer some administration jobs to Milnathort while retaining the factory at Stewarton.
Icon Energy said: ”Recent discussions with Proven’s technical experts indicates that the original fault, which indirectly led to the current situation, had been identified and a technical solution proposed.
”This demonstrates to us that Proven were fully solution focused.”