Monday business round-up: Six key stories of the day

Total's Shetland gas plant can process 500 million cubic feet per day. Picture: Guillaume Perrin

French energy giant Total said production has started from its Laggan-Tormore gas project west of Shetland. The fields will produce 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, supplying the troubled Shetland gas plant that has racked up heavy losses for oilfield services contractor Petrofac.

Scotland’s private sector economy remained just inside growth territory last month but conflicting signals emerged on the outlook for the rest of the year. Output expanded for the second successive month in January, according to Bank of Scotland’s latest purchasing managers’ index, although growth remained marginal and the report warned that job cuts were evident amid falling backlogs of work.

Two new occupiers took up space at Edinburgh Park on the western outskirts of the city. IT consultant Exception – which last month took over Dundee-based mobile app developer Waracle in a seven-figure deal – and international certification organisation DNV GL are moving from nearby South Gyle to Lochside Way.

University of Edinburgh spin-out Holoxica, which is pioneering 3D display technology, secured €1.28 million (£988m) of European funding. The grant, from the European Commission’s €740m Horizon2020 SME instrument programme, will help the firm develop its medical imaging technology, which use holographic video displays in a bid to improve surgical procedures.

Inverness start-up Mime Technologies said it had tested its new first aid technology at the opening weekend of the Six Nations campaign as it prepares for launch this spring. The firm, based at the Centre for Health Sciences, is aiming to support first aiders with its software, which has been developed to run on mobile devices that link up to “non-invasive” wireless sensors to monitor patients’ vital signs in emergencies.

Telecoms giant BT said it had started the search to replace its long-serving group finance director. The firm said that Tony Chanmugam, who first took up his post in 2008, “may step down later this year” but “no formal decision has been taken on a replacement or around the potential timing of any change”.