Malting firm takes lid off world’s largest kiln as part of Morayshire expansion

International malting company Boortmalt has opened the world’s largest kiln as part of its multi-million-pound expansion on the Morayshire coast.

The firm has built the kiln at its Buckie malting plant and expanded its supporting buildings to support growing demand for malt in whisky distilling and brewing across the globe.

The new kiln measures 41 metres in diameter and has a capacity to hold 600 tonnes of malt per batch. It also boasts economical burner technology, designed to increase energy efficiency.

Boortmalt’s expansion, which has been completed within 12 months of breaking ground, will see malt production capacity increase by 50 per cent. It will also allow the company to purchase more barley locally in the north of Scotland, supporting local farmers.

Chief executive Yvan Schaepman said: “We are extremely confident in the future of the malting sector, and the expansion will allow us to keep up with the high performance of our customer base. In less than 12 months, our people in Buckie have built the largest kiln in the world.”

Charles Tozer, general manager UK and Ireland at Boortmalt, said: “We pride ourselves on working alongside each distiller and brewer to offer them the malt that will work best for the style of beer or whisky that they produce. We are excited for what the future holds after significantly expanding our production capacity.”

The firm operates in the UK as Pauls Malt, based in Bury St Edmunds, East Anglia and dates back to the 19th century. It has run its malting facility in Buckie since 1974, where it employs 24 people.