Construction has begun on a new £24 million beef processing facility in Dumfries and Galloway, which is expected to create around 250 jobs during the building phase.
R H Irving Construction is leading the development at Ecclefechan on behalf of Pickstock Telford.
South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) is supporting the project with £4.7 million in funding, representing one of the economic development agency’s largest investments to date.
Around 25 apprenticeship opportunities are expected to be created during construction. Once operational, the facility is forecast to support 90 permanent jobs, with scope for further employment in the future.
The development is intended to strengthen Scotland’s red meat processing sector while supporting farmers, rural employment and the wider food supply chain.
Designed as a modern, lower-carbon food production facility, the site will feature anaerobic digestion, combined heat and power technology and solar energy generation.
The measures are expected to improve energy resilience and generate renewable power on site, while reducing the distance livestock must be transported for processing.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site, attended by representatives from Pickstock Telford, SOSE and Dumfries and Galloway Council. The facility is expected to become fully operational in early 2029.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy Stephen Flynn said: “This investment demonstrates how modern food production, lower-carbon operations, innovation, skills and rural economic growth can be successfully brought together.”
He said the project would help Scotland attract inward investment, create rural employment and retain more value within the country’s livestock sector.
Greg Pickstock, managing director of Pickstock Telford, said the company wanted to establish long-term relationships with Scottish farmers while supporting high standards of animal welfare.
He said: “We can build a more sustainable and resilient food supply chain for the future.”
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Mr Pickstock said the development would also create skilled employment, support apprenticeships and provide new career opportunities for young people in an area with a strong farming and food production heritage.
SOSE chair Russel Griggs described the development as a major industrial investment for the South of Scotland.
He said the organisation’s involvement had helped unlock millions of pounds in private investment, while the project would deliver long-term economic benefits and strengthen Scotland’s food and farming sector.
