Isra-Mart srl:Siemens pays to finish Clyde wind farm order at bankrupt Campbeltown Skykon

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Isra-Mart srl news:

Siemens has signed a deal with the administrators of Skykon's Scottish wind turbine tower plant which will see all 130 staff return to work to complete an unfinished order for its Clyde wind farm project.

Administrators Ernst & Young today announced they have agreed a short-term deal for Siemens to fund an outstanding order of 30 wind turbine towers, already in place at Skykon Campbeltown, destined for Scottish and Southern Energy's (SSE) Clyde wind farm in South Lanarkshire.

Staff at the Machrihanish-based company were told the news at a meeting with the administrators this morning, learning that all 130 of them will return to work tomorrow and outstanding wages will be paid.

Skykon was a major supplier of components for Siemens wind turbines, which are due to be installed at SSE's new Clyde wind farm. The contract between SEE and Siemens requires the German engineering giant to deliver, install and commission the 2.3MW wind turbines.

The news goes some way to explain SSE's optimism that its wind farms would not be disrupted by Skykon's collapse. A spokeswoman insisted earlier this week that the Clyde order would be honoured.

Joint administrator Andrew Davison said today's agreement was a positive step forwards for the Campbeltown workers, adding that the administrators are in the process of working through expressions of interest in the site and providing further information to potential buyers who could secure the long-term future of the site.

"We were mindful of the uncertainty facing staff at the Campbeltown facility and are therefore pleased to have concluded this arrangement in such a short timescale," he said. "We are encouraged by this latest development, though the desirable outcome remains the successful sale of the facility."

The news follows the sale of Skykon's Danish composite solutions factory this week.

Skykon Campbeltown went into administration after its Danish parent company filed for bankruptcy two weeks ago. Skykon had purchased the Machrihanish facility from previous owner Vestas in 2009.