Agricultural, industrial gas and offshore handling expert Ritchie officially opened its new plant extension in Suttieside in mid February, providing greater manufacturing capacity, reduced operating costs and five new jobs for the company, which has been trading in Forfar for over 130 years.
The valentines day opening was marked with speeches from Tony Walker, the company’s Managing Director, Peter Hughes, Chief Executive of Scottish Engineering, and Ruth Leslie Melville, MBE, the Provost of Angus.
Other dignitaries in attendance included Charlie Stewart, director of growing businesses for Scottish Engineering Tayside, Allan Mitchell of the newly reformed Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce, and a number of Ritchie customers including Dominion Gas and Swire Oilfield Services.
An additional highlight was the burying of a time capsule as planned, representing a snapshot of life at Ritchie in 2008, while the company’s vision for the future was also noted as Walker stressed the emphasis for developing manufacturing processes, incorporating new techniques and investing in production equipment. Walker went on to preview plans that the company has to expand its product range by introducing a renewable energy offering and following speeches, a number of Ritchie customers accompanied the local dignitaries on a factory tour.
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