Renewable energy specialist Absolute is to open a product showroom on Benbecula to outline new technologies to residents, farmers, landowners and businesses across the Western Isles.

The Glasgow based company said it was launching the venture after the success of a biofuels and renewable hub it launched last year in partnership with the Gall family which is located at their Glenskinno Farm near Montrose in Angus.

The new Absolute site, which is scheduled to open its doors in Balivanich on May 2, will be managed by Cailean MacDonald and David Mackay with the duo also working to install things such as biomass boilers, thermal destratification fans and wind turbines.

Absolute expects to help to supports jobs on the islands in the coming months particularly on larger scale installations.

Absolute Managing Director Mark Newall said: "The Western Isles unique locale means that the residents and business owners are ideally placed to take advantage of a whole range of renewable products such as solar, biomass and wind.

"This innovative hub is specifically designed to enable visitors from across the region the opportunity to see what options are available to them, as well to seek expert advice on the economic and environmental benefits of investing in renewables."

Absolute, established in 2007, says it has performed more than 10,000 solar installations.

It employs more than 200 people with additional offices in Inverness, Edinburgh, Dundee, Norwich, Reading, Darlington, Bristol and Ipswich.

Separately, Grangemouth based construction business Macloch Contracts has said it intends to open a satellite office in Glasgow less than a year after the company was launched.

The business has been supported by Business Gateway in Falkirk and attracted backing from the East of Scotland Investment Fund.