Business news in brief: Scotland is best location for chemical manufacturing facilities

SCOTLAND has come out top in a study of the best locations to establish a chemical manufacturing facility. Working on behalf of Chemical Sciences Scotland, Scottish Development International compared Scotland to key competitors - Dresden, Frankfurt and Manchester - on more than 50 measures of quality and 10 measures of cost.

Caroline Strain, head of chemical sciences at Scottish Enterprise, said: "The chemical sciences sector is Scotland's second largest export market and is crucial to the economy, generating 2.7 billion every year, supporting 14,000 direct jobs and thousands more in the supply chain."

MICROSOFT HQ CUT

MICROSOFT is cutting back the size of its Scottish headquarters by halving its floorspace and converting what remains into a technology hub.

The firm was the first tenant in the former General Post Office in Edinburgh, renamed Waverly Gate, that underwent a 100 million refurbishment.

Microsoft moved into the top two floors of around 12,000 sq ft of the A-listed property in the capital three years ago, but is now vacating one floor.

The company was quick to quash rumours that it is reducing its activities. Director Derrick McCourt said: "We remain fully committed to our business in Scotland."

He added that new technology enabled the company to work more flexibly on the move in the field. "The need for a static workplace continues to change. The move also reduces our office carbon footprint."

The hub in Edinburgh will be run along identical lines to its head office in Seattle, allowing its 40 core staff and 1,000-strong registered partner firm community to collaborate with clients.

iPADS ON THEIR WAY

FIRMS eager to get their hands on Apple's iPad 2 are now hopeful it will be delivered on schedule in Scotland and the rest of the UK on Friday, following an unexpected side-effect of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

There have been warnings of delays in deliveries of the hottest tech gadget on the planet by a month or more caused by production bottlenecks and a high demand for the new tablet computer in the States.

However, the American technology giant has decided to postpone its release in Japan.

Apple is now understood to be busy diverting deliveries to Europe in time for the release date. Peter Burtwistle, managing director of Scottish technology outfit Sysnet, said it was an ill wind but welcomed the news.

"I am down to buy half a dozen for various projects we are involved in, especially in the construction sector, but did expect a delay probably due to the extra volumes they are shipping."