the 07/25/2008

ACE move for jobs market

ACE managing director Alfie Cheyne confirmed that the company willbe relocating its two existing operations, at Montbletton andTurriff, to a new site at Pitdoulzie, about four miles south ofTurriff on the A947.The move will consolidate the firm on one siteand bring it closer to job markets in Inverurie, Oldmeldrum andEllon.

However, it could restrict job opportunities closer to home.

Mr Cheyne admitted that he commissioned studies into three sites inthe local area, but none of them met the needs of the growingcompany.

The cost of relocating to Macduff Industrial Estate withoutfinancial support from the EU or Scottish Government would havebeen prohibitive, while the former Grampian Chickens factory inBanff and Deveron Potato Growers plant at Boyndie did not fit thebill for various reasons.

He also commented that the company had experienced difficultyencouraging professionals to move to the area.

The new ACE premises will be within a 22-mile commuting radius ofBanff, Macduff, Turriff, Inverurie, Oldmeldrum, Ellon, Mintlaw andFraserburgh.

Mr Cheyne said: "It's a strategic move, and the new locationwill allow us to bring additional towns into our catchment area.

"The main reason is to capture the job market and enable us togrow the business.

"It's not good news for Banff  Grampian Chickens moved away,and now we are moving away.

"But we are out on the fringes here, and that is an issue. Wehave had problems trying to drag professionals into the area.

"We are not deserting Banff and Macduff by any means. Thepositive thing is that people will not have very far tocommute."

He added that the new site was better suited to the expansion ofthe business than the current premises at Montbletton and Turriff.

He said: "From the point of view of the physical size of thesite and the health and safety aspect, there will be better workingfacilities and a better-sized base to get all the equipment ontoone site.

"The business is not flowing as it should be, because ofspace. We are very cramped where we are right now."

Mr Cheyne estimates that it will take around 18 months to completethe move.

The entire 110-strong workforce and all the equipment will berelocated to the new base, most recently home to vegetableprocessor and distributor Truxplus, and, before that carrot growersHowegarden.

The relocation will allow for the expansion of the business, andthe creation of up to 80 new jobs over the next three to fouryears, at a rate of around 20 jobs a year.

The cost of redeveloping the 24-acre site has been budgeted at ?.2million.

The firm has already spent ?.8 million to buy the land andbuildings.

The company's income for the year ending October 31, 2007 wasquoted at ? million. That figure is expected to rise to ?1million this year.

The firm is also expanding globally, having recently won contractsin the Far East, West Africa, South America, the Middle East, theIndian sub-continent and countries of the former USSR.

Mr Cheyne says he has not ruled out the possibility of creating anoperating base in Asia in the future.

ACE Winches design, manufacture and hire hydraulic winches andmarine deck machinery for the offshore oil and gas, marine andrenewable energy markets.

shepherd_e@spp-group.com