Gael Force Group has acquired a 75% stake in the Corpach Boatbuilding Company in a move which could strengthen the west of Scotland’s boatbuilding industry and see the introduction of steel feed barge building on the west coast.
With potential to expand workforce and capabilities at the boatyard, Inverness-headquartered Gael Force Group will continue to support existing operations at Fort William-based Corpach and plans to build a new range of steel feed barges for aquaculture customers. Scottish producers of farmed salmon could benefit from an innovative, competitive and home-built substitute to imported steel feed barges, many of which are currently manufactured in Eastern Europe.
Gael Force Group managing director Stewart Graham commented: “We look forward to working with our colleagues at Corpach to grow the existing business as a first-class boat builder and achieve our long term objective of offering an innovative Scottish built substitute to imported steel barges.
“Additionally we see this development as strategically critical to Scotland’s boat building and servicing capability and also for Lochaber’s exciting development plans too.”
Corpach Boatbuilding Company, which has 22 employees, has specialised in the construction and repair of commercial boats together with other engineering and fish farm related services since its inception in 1992. It is experienced in the construction of steel craft and the repair and modification of seagoing vessels in steel, aluminium, wood and GRP.
The acquisition adds to Gael Force’s well-established concrete barge building facility in Inverness.
