Vital manufacturing jobs may be on their way back to Angus, as a stricken business has had its assets bought by a successful Scottish firm.
The assets of 40-year-old Forfar firm Ross and Bonnyman are now owned by Ross and Bonnyman XL Ltd, part of XL Group, a technology company that has its headquarters in Aberdeen.
It is hoped manufacturing will restart in haste at the plant in Robert Street, with up to 30 jobs being mooted for a reduced operation.
While any announcement of work for Angus is welcome, it will only partially mitigate the loss of 80 jobs at the beginning of February.
Provisional liquidator Ken Pattullo of Begbies Traynor said: “This is the best possible outcome in the circumstances, with the prospect of the factory reopening and new jobs being created.”
Despite local fears about the prospect of a company coming in and stripping the firm’s assets, the liquidators had always maintained that there were “significant” discussions over the production side of the business.
XL Group is described as a “multi-discipline technology company” specialising in business solutions and IT, so Ross and Bonnyman XL’s foray into Forfar represents a diversification that may herald more jobs, should it prove successful.See Saturday’s Courier for reaction and more in our news and business sections