Scottish Business Briefing – April 16th 2013
FOOD, DRINK & AGRICULTURE
Distiller Burn Stewart sold for £160m
THE new South African owner of one of Scotland’s best-known whisky producers has pledged major investment in the business after a £160 million acquisition swoop. The latest in a string of big ticket transactions in the whisky industry saw drinks group Distell buy Burn Stewart from owners CL World Brands and Trinidad and Tobago-based Angostura.
ECONOMICS
Scottish firms less likely to axe jobs this year
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Hide AdSCOTTISH companies are less likely to cut jobs this year than their counterparts south of the Border, according to a survey by Barclays. In the latest sign that Scotland’s economy may be proving more resilient than the UK as a whole, the bank found that 88 per cent of Scottish companies are not planning any job losses within the next 12 months. That compares to a UK average of 79 per cent according to the survey of 700 firms.
ENERGY & UTILITIES
Craig Group in £63m North Sea shipping contract with BP
NORTH Star Shipping, part of the Craig Group marine and energy business, has won a £63 million contract with BP. The five-year deal covers services to support BP’s operations in the North Sea including platform supply and emergency rescue vessels. Callum Bruce, managing director of North Star, said: “The award of this contract strengthens our relationship with BP who we have worked with for over 25 years.
MEDIA & LEISURE
Economic boost to Ardnamurchan as guest house owners take shot at tourism venture
A Scottish international clay pigeon shooter and his fiancée have invested £275,000 to improve their rural tourism business and attract more visitors. John Macdonald and Emma Dixon took over management of the Mingarry Park Guest House, formerly known as The Clanranald, last year.
TECHNOLOGY
Dysis Medical raises £7.4m as it looks to go global
DYSIS Medical, the Edinburgh-based technology firm that has developed a scanner to help detect cervical cancer, has raised £7.4 million to fund expansion into overseas markets. The main investor is Copenhagen-based Lundbeckfond Ventures, an investment group specialising in Life Sciences that is pumping £6m into the Scottish firm
Gaming firm targets China app market
INDEPENDENT games developer Cobra Mobile is hoping for a major boost in sales as it makes its first release in the Chinese market. The Dundee company’s iBomber title is being taken into the app store provided by giant telecoms firm China Mobile. That will see it available for download among China Mobile’s subscriber base of more than 700 million people.