Scottish Business Briefing - Monday February 18
ECONOMICS
Aberdeen offices drive commercial property revival
ABERDEEN’S booming office market and the strongest take-up of space in Edinburgh in eight years have helped drive a further recovery in Scotland’s commercial property sector. New research shows that the overall take-up of office space via lettings and sales last year was well ahead of 2011 levels (Scotsman).
ENERGY & UTILITIES
Bahrain investors take control of Aberdeen oil services firm
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Hide AdInvestcorp, the Bahraini investment manager, has bought a controlling stake in Aberdeen-based energy services firm Hydrasun for an undisclosed sum. Hydrasun, founded in 1976, provides fluid control equipment for the oil and gas industry and employs about 600 people across bases in Aberdeen, Europe, the Middle East and US (Scotsman).
Everwarm turning up the heat as solar sales soar
A solar panel installation and housing insulation business has been named the fastest growing in Scotland, by a new independent research survey. Everwarm, based in Bathgate, West Lothian, came top of the Fast 50 Scotland table after posting a 561% increase in sales to £7.12 million (Herald).
Energy giant in major North Sea oil discovery
AN OFFSHORE giant has discovered a new oil field in the northern North Sea. The find in Taqa Bratani’s Darwin development was last night hailed as a massive boost to the sector – and proof that it still has “huge potential”. The discovery, 80 miles off Shetland, is the first major find in the UK North Sea for about three years (P&J).
FOOD, DRINK & AGRICULTURE
Swedish giant eyes whisky work after Glasgow takeover
Swedish printing group Elanders has bought a specialist Glasgow firm in an attempt to strengthen its position in the Scottish whisky industry. Elanders has acquired label printing company McNaughtan’s Printers, which has a particular focus on the whisky trade and works with a number of distilleries (Scotsman).
RETAIL
One in ten Scottish high street shops lies empty
RETAIL chiefs are demanding action from the Scottish Government after new figures showed one in ten shops is lying empty. The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) accused the SNP administration of failing to act on business rates, claiming some larger supermarkets were facing bills that are almost a third higher than similar stores south of the Border (Scotsman).