A BIOTECH company could create more than 100 new green jobs in Grangemouth with plans submitted for a new production facility.
MiAlgae – which repurposes whisky industry by-products to grow microalgae as a sustainable alternative to fish-derived Omega-3s – has put forward proposals for a new facility which it says will increase production volumes and create jobs in the process.
Located close to distilleries, the company is hopeful the new site will help it scale up its sustainable production model.
If given the green light, the new facility will enable the company to address the increasing demands from aquaculture and pet food markets, which are seeking sustainable and ethical sources of marine Omega-3s.
MiAlgae is also exploring new markets including meat alternatives, nutraceuticals and livestock feed.
The company is keen to now see the Grangemouth site plans approved as quickly as possible.
Douglas Martin, founder and managing director of MiAlgae, said: "Grangemouth has incredible potential for us as we look to the next stage of our growth.
"This location offers an ideal position to support our scaling efforts and meet the increasing demand for our 'biotech for good' solutions, with the creation of green jobs across engineering, production, and research and development.
"We are confident that this new facility will help build a greener future and bring high-quality, sustainable jobs to the local community.
"The area has a rich industrial history, and we’re proud to contribute to its evolution."
The company is involved in Project Willow, which is encouraging green industries to establish themselves in Grangemouth.
Project Willow is a joint venture between the UK and Scottish Governments and Petroineos which is looking at more than 300 different technologies to identify what Grangemouth could best do in future.
Petroineos announced plans last year to close down the oil refinery in Grangemouth and transition it into an import terminal, keeping only around 65 of the 500 jobs.
It was confirmed in recent weeks that 377 workers have accepted voluntary redundancy, with a further 28 compulsory redundancies.
On the back of British Steel being nationalised by the UK Government this week, SNP politicians have been pushing for Labour to consider doing the same for Grangemouth.
Martin added: "MiAlgae is at exactly the right stage of growth to contribute to the success of Project Willow. We are proven at scale, there is market demand for our product and we’re championing biotechnology in Scotland.
"We’re looking forward to working closely with local stakeholders and the Scottish Government to make this vision a reality."
