Tamdhu Distillery Likely To Close

[John]

More than 30 whisky jobs could be lost after a major producer announced plans to close a Speyside distillery and maltings and scale back operations.

The Edrington Group announced it was likely to shut its Tamdhu Distillery, at Knockando, as the firm concentrated its efforts on its Easter Elchies site for The Macallan at Craigellachie, at Glenrothes, and at Highland Park in Orkney.


Edrington employs around 840 people in Scotland. The company is proposing to restructure the organisation, however, in response to the current economic downturn.

Chief executive Ian Curle said when Edrington announced its annual results in June that there had been reduced demand in a number of main markets due to the global economic crisis.

He said the company remained confident about its long-term prospects, but was adopting a cautious approach in the meantime.

The proposed changes, which could come into place by April, would result in up to 31 job losses across workforces at Tamdhu, The Macallan, Glenrothes, Highland Park and at Buchley, Bishopbriggs.

All employees have been told about the plans, which are out for consultation.

The company's group operations director, Graham Hutcheon, said he hoped the proposals would ensure the long-term sustainability of its whisky operations

John