Buckie Shipyard is set to reopen under new ownership just four months after it was forced into administration with the loss of 70 jobs.
One of the last remaining traditional boat-building yards in Scotland the site closed in August after running into financial difficulties.
The good news for the town came today in a statement from joint administrators Iain Fraser and Tom MacLennan of FRP Advisory, who said that the main fabrication building and a range of plant and machinery had been sold to Macduff Shipyards Ltd., with a lease for the launching ramp adjacent to the fabrication building assigned to the company as part of the agreement.
A spokesman said: “The transactions are for an undisclosed sum.
“Macduff Shipyards Ltd is highly regarded throughout Europe for producing high quality commercial vessels in steel and aluminium of up to 35 metres. Conversions, modernisations, refits and repairs are also undertaken.
“Macduff Shipyards Ltd is part of the Macduff Shipyards Group, whose origins stretch back to 1940 and which also provides crane Hire, steel profiling and specialist engineering services.”
John Watt, managing director of Macduff Shipyards who are based 19 miles along the coast from Buckie, added: “Macduff Shipyards remains very busy and we continue to develop as a business. This facility will enable greater flexibility in our continued diversification.”
Revealing that plans are in place to recommence working at the Buckie site, Iain Fraser said: “It is a highly regarded company that has extensive knowledge of the market and of the area and we wish them every success with their new venture. My team and I at FRP Advisory would also like to thank everyone that has worked with us to preserve this important ship-building and engineering facility.”