Talks over wind turbine factory

Vestas plans to run down production at the Campbeltown plant

Talks are being held to try and save 92 threatened jobs at Scotland's only wind turbine factory in Argyll.

Danish company Vestas confirmed last month that it planned to end production at its factory, near Campbeltown, and invest in a plant in the Isle of Wight.

Production at the site is due to be run down over the next few months.

The Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the Unite union have been trying to find a way to save the Machrihanish factory.

Donnie Macaulay, of HIE, said there was a good case for Vestas staying there.

"We're confident that if the circumstances are right that an operation of this sort can work effectively in Argyll," he said.

Record demand

"We're working towards encouraging the company that that can happen.

"The company, of course, must have the confidence from its knowledge of the market place that it can achieve that too and these are the ends we're working towards."

Vestas announced the closure last month as it said demand for its wind turbines was up 67% on 2007.

Kenny Jordan, of Unite, said he hoped the company would retain some capacity at the Argyll site.

"We would hope that a concentration could be on retaining whatever we can - as a manufacturing facility at the site.

"However, we do understand that the company is approaching this meeting as a formal consultation."

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