A Shetland boat-building and engineering company has increased its workforce and is aiming to expand into international markets amid growing demand for its workboats.
Six new jobs have been created at Malakoff after the firm opened a new facility at Greenhead Base, in Lerwick, earlier this year.
The first boat to be built at the site, a 45-foot workboat for Cooke Aquaculture, is due to be completed soon. It is the first large steel vessel to be built by Malakoff since 2011 and the company says it is confident it can attract more commissions from the local aquaculture industry and beyond.
The new fabrication facility is more than 80,000sq ft and can house up to three workboats under construction at the same time.
The company is also known for its Voe Boat range of small, durable aluminium workboats that can be configured to suit a variety of roles.
Following the recent expansion of the business, it is planning to develop and market the boats internationally.
Malakoff, which started out as a blacksmith and boat builder more than 100 years ago, now offers a variety of specialist services, including project management and engineering for the marine, aquaculture and energy industries.
Earlier this year, development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) approved £214,486 towards the cost of building modifications at the Greenhead Base facility, equipment, and training.
Malakoff project manager Ryan Stevenson said: “Malakoff has had a long-term aim to establish a boat building department for a number of years.
“This is an exciting expansion and is in keeping with the company’s heritage and experience. The new department will hopefully prove a useful asset to local boat operators and we hope that it will also generate more orders from outside of Shetland.
“It has been essential to have the support of HIE in developing the new workshop and we are very grateful for their continued assistance.”
A grant of £120,000 from HIE will support staff training and development at the company over the next three years.
The funding will cover all aspects of the organisation, from management and leadership to welding and marine specialist training.
Katrina Wiseman, head of business growth at HIE in Shetland, said: “Malakoff has in-depth experience of the design and construction of larger steel workboats and the early days of salmon farming in Scotland.
“The company has previously launched mono-hulls, multicats and catamarans, all of which were built to the highest marine standards and display exceptional durability.
“Investing in training and development at Malakoff will ensure there is a highly skilled, engaged and productive workforce which is essential to the growth of the business.”
Malakoff’s history can be traced back to the 1900s as a trading company specialising in marine activities, mainly on the Shetland islands. The marine engineering business was established in 1924.
The current owners acquired the company in 2003 as part of a management buyout from its previous shareholders, Malakoff and William Moore, who had run it since 1972.