James Jones’ Forres site expansion project supported by HIE funding

20 April 2022


Plans to develop a new timber manufacturing and processing facility in Forres, Moray, have secured up to £279,000 Green Jobs Fund investment from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

The funding was announced by Minister for Just Transition, Employment and Fair Work, Richard Lochhead, during a visit to James Jones & Sons Ltd in March.

The £2.79m project will create up to 19 new manufacturing jobs over the next three years.

The Forres site is already the UK’s largest manufacturing facility for engineered I-joists used in construction.

In expanding this, James Jones & Sons is building a new facility to the rear of its existing premises. This will house upgraded processing, engineering and research and development capacity, as well as a new stock yard.

The HIE funding is through the Green Jobs Fund due to the low carbon and energy saving benefits of the project.

David Leslie, joint managing director, said the support of Scottish Enterprise had not only enabled the development of a difficult area of ground adjacent to the current site, but has assisted with further investment which will significantly expand the production of JJI-Joists at Forres, offer more job opportunities in the locality and see a further expansion of export opportunities beyond Europe and in addition to the new Australian contract that is underway. 

The company is also planning a very significant further investment at its Mosstodloch sawmill over the next 5 years which will further increase employment in Moray, develop wood as a product in Scotland and assist in the drive to Net Zero within the Climate change agenda.