A Fife contract manufacturing firm is set to help bring the long history of Stonehenge to a brand new audience.
Dunfermline’s Greenfold Systems has been named as preferred bidder on a major contract to provide 15 carriages for a transport system to ferry tourists the two kilometres between the world heritage site’s new visitor centre and the historic stone circle on Salisbury Plain.
The contract, which is expected to be rubberstamped within a matter of days, will be a significant milestone for a company which was only formed just over two years ago following the collapse into administration of Simclar International.
Greenfold’s owners a group of investors including Bill Taylor and Ivan McKee, and company managing director Bob Waterson stepped in to buy out some of Simclar’s assets from the administrators, saving around 60 jobs in the process.
The firm found its feet after securing an extention to a long-term agreement Simclar had with Falkirk bus and coach builder Alexander Dennis to manufacture and supply coach side and roof panneling.
Greenfold has since increased its workforce to around 80 and its plans for further expansion have now been backed by a £400,000 regional selective assistance (RSA) grant from Scottish Enterprise.
The company operates from two buildings at Pitreavie Business Park, offering a combined total manufacturing space of 35,000 square feet.
Activities include the manufacture of high and sub-level electro-mechanical assemblies, the production of sheet metal components as well as low volume cable, and hand populated printed circuit board assemblies.
Finance Secretary John Swinney toured the company’s base yesterday and was shown how the government-backed grant was being spent.
Mr Waterson who had worked with Simclar for 20 years prior to its collapse said he was proud that Greenfold had been chosen as the preferred bidder for a contract related to such a major and significant site.
He belives Greenfold is now looking forward with confidence, despite having to fight for contracts in seriously competitive marketplace.
“We are delighted and really encouraged by the securing of new business, and we can see a very positive future for a team with a very positive attitude in Dunfermline,” he said.
“From where people were two years ago to where we are now is extremely encouraging and shows what we are capable of doing here even in a very difficult time.”
Mr Swinney said supporting entrepreneurship was a “key priority” for the Scottish Government.
“It is clear that innovation must be recognised and encouraged across the entire business base, and I am pleased that support from the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and its agencies are working hard to support manufacturing jobs in Scotland,” he said.