International malting giant Boortmalt has announced a £12 million investment in its plant in Buckie in a move expected to create new jobs. The Belgian company, which in the UK trades as Pauls Malt, aims to ramp up output from the site by 50% to support growing demand for malt in Scottish whisky distilling and brewing. Boortmalt said production capacity would grow to about 90,000 tonnes per year. The expansion is already under way and scheduled for commissioning by the end of 2021. Group chief executive Yvan Schaepman said: “This significant investment into our malting facilities in Buckie is a signal of our confidence in the future of the market and recent performance of our customer base. “The new capacity will allow us to increase production and do so in a more sustainable manner.” According to Boortmalt, the investment will positively impact its sustainability credentials by reducing the distance malt and barley will be transported – helping to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. A modern new kiln is expected to brings its own benefits to energy efficiency, thanks to more economical burner technology.

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