WIREDGOV

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has welcomed a deal which will almost restore the workforce lost at the site of the old Michelin tyre factory in Dundee.

Advanced textiles manufacturer Wilkie has become the major shareholder in the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc, planning to invest up to £50 million and triple its workforce to 600. This will be in addition to just under 200 staff already on site at MSIP.

When the Michelin tyre factory closed down in 2020 with 850 jobs lost, the Scottish Government began working to retain the site as an economic hub which would bring jobs back to the region.

Ministers played a leading role in putting together a partnership with Michelin, Dundee City Council and Scottish Enterprise which invested almost £50 million to create the Parc.

Since it opened, MSIP has become a centre for innovation and skills with 16 tenant companies and 190 workers. It includes an Innovation Hub and Labs and a Skills Academy led by Dundee and Angus College. The Parc has also supported 53 new businesses through its Innovator Accelerator programme, creating more than 80 jobs elsewhere.

On a visit to the Parc with Wilkie CEO Hamish Rowan and General Manager John Reid, the Deputy First Minister said:

“When Michelin closed the doors on its tyre factory, the Scottish Government promised to reinvest in the site’s economic future. We hoped that we’d be in the position we find ourselves in today, bringing in a major employer like Wilkie with a strong Scottish heritage.

“Dundee has long been known as the home of industry, and I consider myself fortunate in having seen Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc’s transition from a spark of an idea to the business community we see today, connecting industry trailblazers with academia to bring about greener economic growth across the country.

“Wilkie will guide MSIP into its future as a major centre for manufacturing, while continuing to work with companies focused on sustainable innovation and decarbonisation.”

Scottish Enterprise is staying on as a minority shareholder to work with Wilkie, which will be relocating from its current base in Kirriemuir where it employs around 200 workers.

Wilkie has made clear its focus on expansion and that current employees are a critical part of its success. Transport will be provided for the workforce to commute to Dundee. The Scottish Government will work to support the workforce and the wider community as this transition takes place.