Threat of job cuts at Bifab’s Arnish yard

Up to 140 workers at one of the Outer Hebrides’ main private employers are set to be laid off before Christmas, it has emerged as a Scottish Government minister visited the troubled yard.

However Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, said he believed that Bifab had a long term future and was “viable.”

But because the company’s yard at Arnish near Stornoway makes the transition links for offshore wind turbines it will run out of work before Christmas with no more on the immediate horizon, the company’s local manager admitted.

Neil Campbell, general manager at Arnish, and unions met with Mr Brown in the wake of the company’s near collapse.

Bifab, which employs 1,400 people in Fife and Lewis, was on the brink of administration three times recently as intensive talks to secure its future took place.

An agreement has been reached that will lift the threat of administration from the firm, and see work continue on the current contract for the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm.

A financial package to complete the contract has been provided by Seaway Heavy Lifting, SSE and the partners to the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm project, JCE Offshore.

The agreement will secure work until next April at Bifab’s mainland yards, but Arnish’s part in the current contract will end within weeks.

Mr Campbell painted a bleak picture ahead and said it was likely Arnish would revert to a care and maintenance basis soon.

Nearly half of its workers were locally based and 95% were agency staff.

Pile foundations at Bifab’s Arnish site.