Amid the Scottish Parliament election campaigning last week, a couple of positive and non-contentious stories stood out on the business and economic front.
Business Editor Ian McConnell analyses these two manufacturing success stories.
While the Scottish Parliament election has probably dominated at least as much of the conversation in the business world as anywhere else north of the Border, there have been plenty of other things going on.
As is natural in the fray of election campaigning, there has been much negativity as various politicians have tried to score points, sometimes spuriously.
So thankfully there has been some positive and non-contentious news on the business and economic front over the last week.
After last Monday’s bank holiday, what was the working week for many got off to a bright start last Tuesday with heartening news from a major Scottish fabrication yard which has had more than its fair share of ups and downs over years and decades.
Spanish state-owned group Navantia, which acquired the yard at Methil in January last year, christened the Seahorse transport barge at the site last Tuesday.
It hailed this as a “significant step forward” for the Methil yard.
And it had some great news on the employment front, in an area in which the labour market has often been difficult for people.
Since Navantia acquired the Methil yard, the headcount at the site has grown from about 180 to 260.
And Navantia revealed last Tuesday it is on a recruitment drive to fill a further 110 roles at Methil.
Included in this is recruitment of 15 apprentices, to join the existing class of 54 apprentices at Methil.
As I reported exclusively in The Herald last summer, Navantia at that stage revealed hopes of at least doubling the workforce at Methil to between 350 and 400 within the following two or three years.
And it highlighted a possibility then that the headcount could rise as high as 600, depending on the work that came into the yard.
Navantia bought the Methil operation and a fabrication yard at Arnish on the Isle of Lewis in January last year following Harland & Wolff’s fall into administration. The acquisition also included the Harland & Wolff yards in Belfast and at Appledore in Devon.
And Navantia’s confidence that it could use its experience and market presence to boost a Methil yard which has its own significant strengths was plain last summer.
Abel Mendez Diaz, commercial director of Navantia Seanergies, said then: “I have always been aware of the capacities of Methil because…we were competitors in the past. We lost projects against Methil. Beatrice [wind farm] is one of them that comes to my mind. I was very happy to be able to offer the capacities of Methil now under the Navantia portfolio.
“When I visited the place, I was surprised in a way because I didn’t know about the capacities regarding substations for example. I only knew about the developments made in the recent years in jacket foundations, but I realised that the yard was capable of much more.”
Navantia said last Tuesday: “The christening of Navantia UK Seahorse marks a significant step forward for Methil, reinforcing its role in the UK’s defence industrial landscape and supporting a pipeline of skilled jobs and future opportunities.
“By integrating its proven programme management and advanced digital tools into its UK operations, Navantia is ensuring robust delivery and long-term success for the Methil site.”
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The Spanish group last year highlighted Methil’s “growing role in the fabrication of offshore wind components - including jackets, monopiles, substations and complex transition pieces”.
Hopefully, the Methil yard will go from strength to strength from here, and it is certainly encouraging on this front to hear Navantia’s positive tone.
In my column in The Herald on Friday, I observed: “It was great to hear the update from the owner of a major Scottish fabrication yard on progress and plans this week.
“Of particular cheer was a very significant rise in the workforce, in an area which has not had its challenges to seek in the wake of industrial decline accelerated by former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher.”
The column concluded: “Long-term success for Methil is surely what everyone wants to see, for the yard and its workforce and their families and the local economy. Such success is also important in a broader Scottish economic context.
“And it is fantastic to see employee numbers growing at Methil as work comes into the yard. Especially so given how hard many people at the site have worked over years and decades to try to ensure the yard has a prosperous future.”
Elsewhere last week, there was good news in a totally different manufacturing sub-sector but one in which Scotland also has a proud history: luxury textiles.
Results unveiled by Johnstons of Elgin revealed the family business powered back into profit after winning valuable business in the US in spite of the challenges posed by President Donald Trump’s tariff moves.
The firm posted a £4.1 million annual profit for 2025 after losing £0.3m in the preceding year.
This bounce back into profit was achieved even though the company saw a 5% fall in the value of total sales, to £89m from £94m, which it said reflected recent softening in the luxury sector.
Johnstons, which was founded in 1797 and has factories at Elgin in Moray and Hawick in the Scottish Borders, produces a range of goods including cashmere cardigans, throws and scarves.
It sells products under its own brand and supplies goods for sale by customers under their own names, including prestigious fashion houses.
The Scottish textiles industry as a whole has not had its troubles to seek in recent decades, with huge job cuts.
So there is no doubt the success of the venerable Johnstons of Elgin against such a difficult backdrop is cause for celebration.
