Wood-based panel manufacturer, Norbord, has played host to Fergus Ewing, Rural Affairs Secretary at the Scottish Parliament, at their site near Inverness, which is undergoing a £95m expansion and modernisation programme.

Mr Ewing praised the part that Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and Forest Enterprise Scotland (FES) played in giving Norbord the confidence to invest.

Karl Morris, Managing Director of Norbord Europe, said: “An investment of this scale is undoubtedly a major undertaking. The FCS projections for timber supply in the north east gave us the confidence to embark on our ambitious programme that we anticipate will double production capacity at Dalcross”.

Mr Ewing said: “The Scottish Government fully supports this recent expansion programme by Norbord. It will bring economic and job creation opportunities for the area and boost the Scottish forestry sector. It is a significant investment that is very welcome news, and I am pleased to see the speed with which progress has been made.”