Jobs saved as Barr Group sells factory

CONSTRUCTION firm Barr Group has sold its Solway Precast concrete factory in South Ayrshire to a consortium led by the plant’s former managers.

Barr Construction unveiled plans to close the plant in March with the loss of 60 jobs. But production has now restarted at the site, which provided 300 bridge parapets used in the M74 motorway extension and which will now employ ten people.

Managers Andrew Gillon and David Murdoch have received backing for the purchase from John Barr, who was one of the founders of Barr Group before it was sold to Northern Ireland-based Trench Holdings in 2007.

Barr had remained with the group following the sale as technical director but is standing down to concentrate on Solway.

The consortium has also received £250,000 in financial assistance from South Ayrshire Council and Scottish Enterprise.