en.Wedoany.com Reported - Scottish seafood wholesaler Scot Live Shellfish has successfully delivered a higher-specification shellfish processing facility by not appointing a main contractor, keeping project construction costs at £900,000. The project manager told Project Scotland that this approach made the most of a limited budget.

The company is constructing a new building at its Highland base in Alness. The facility will be equipped with specialized plant and equipment, aiming to enhance the company's efficiency and environmental credentials, and is expected to create 10 local jobs.

The company revealed that quotes for delivering the project via a main contractor averaged around £1.8 million. However, by adopting a director-led approach, working with a group of specialist subcontractors, and under the direct leadership of the project management company and Scot Live Shellfish's managing director, who collaborated closely with subcontractors, the company ultimately reduced total expenditure to £900,000.

The project is a rebuild on the original site rather than an expansion. A fire in 2022 destroyed the company's previous factory, temporarily shifting its business towards fresh and frozen shellfish instead of the lucrative live shellfish trade. Gosia Kozlowska, a director of Scot Live Shellfish, stated that the new facility is nearing completion and employees will once again have a workplace.

Given the company's importance as a local employer and the need to protect Scottish agricultural products, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) provided £225,000 in support for the project. The company currently employs 25 local staff, a figure expected to rise to 35 within the next two years.

The new facility, similar in size to the burned-down factory, will be equipped with advanced blast freezing, packaging, and energy-efficient cooling systems. This will help streamline operations and transform the existing site into a dedicated facility for processing scallops. The project is expected to be completed in September and is led by Stephen McCluskey, Chief Partner at Hamilton-based SPMCC (Surveying, Project Management and Construction Consultancy). He noted that the subcontractor and director-led approach made project progress smoother, especially given its specialized function.

Scot Live Shellfish's senior team and shareholders comprise experts in fisheries, transport, refrigeration, and global markets, and their expertise was applied to shaping the project. The constant presence of shareholders, particularly Gosia and factory manager Alex Mason, allowed for numerous rapid modifications during the construction phase, with timely feedback provided to contractors. Modifications mainly involved layout, lighting, and temperature control, aimed at improving sustainability performance and the building's performance in both summer and winter. The site is also equipped with solar panels and a battery energy storage system, helping to improve the company's carbon footprint and sustainability, while providing employees with more flexible workspaces and better conditions.

This approach also enabled the company to appoint specialist subcontractors, including local firms Allan Stewart (civil and groundworks), WM Services (galvanized steel structure and cladding), KGB Electrical, and Lawson Refrigeration. Specialist companies for internal paneling and food processing engineering were also contracted. Due to severe salt spray corrosion in the coastal town, galvanized steel was used throughout the new building.

Stephen stated that the final cost is likely to be roughly in line with the initially expected budget figure, noting that the £1.8 million quote had shocked shareholders, but the high-quality subcontractors ultimately delivered a better product for the client. Once the new facility is operational, output will increase, and Scot Live Shellfish will continue to supply Scottish produce to UK and European markets.

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