A Dumfries-based precision machining and fabrication company which had traded for nearly 40 years has fallen into liquidation.
Kellwood Engineering has ceased trading after struggling to recruit skilled staff to a “sustainable level” as it looked to recover from the pandemic, while also being challenged by cheaper competition from overseas.
The business had traded successfully from its base at Catherinefeld Industrial Estate, focusing for many years on machining and metal fabrication and, more recently, as lighting consultants.
READ MORE: Big office deals give Glasgow city centre much-needed hope
Director James Maitland has appointed Donald McKinnon of accountancy firm Wylie & Bisset as provisional liquidator, with 27 jobs lost after the company ceased trading. One member of staff has been retained to assist the liquidator.
Mr Maitland said: “The reduction of work available during Covid required us to cut our workforce and, since then, a shortage of skilled time-served engineers in the area has rendered it difficult to restore employee numbers to a sustainable level.”
Mr McKinnon added: “This is terribly sad to see the demise of another manufacturing business in Scotland with cheaper alternatives being found overseas.
READ MORE: Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum named on prestigious list
“We are currently in discussions with a third party to take on part of the business and save some jobs.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel