Japanese company to invest £200m in Scottish Highland cable factory at Cromarty Freeport

A Japanese company will invest £200m in an undersea cable factory in the Scottish Highlands.

The Scottish Government said the project by Sumitomo Electric Industries will create 150 highly-skilled, green jobs.

The factory will reportedly be located in the area of the upcoming Cromarty Freeport.

Last month, energy secretary Neil Gray visited Japan on a three-day trip when he announced the plans.

More details were released on Thursday about the plant, which will make cables to be used by offshore wind farms.

Gray said: “Sumitomo’s proposed investment in Scotland can promote rapid expansion of the renewables industry by connecting hundreds of offshore wind turbines.

“I met senior company executives in Osaka last month to discuss this investment and we are working closely with our enterprise agencies and other partners to support and ensure it delivers maximum benefit for Scotland.

“These will be highly-skilled green jobs from a business with a strong record in producing high-voltage underground cables.

“The cables and the wind turbines they connect can help reduce emissions as part of the fastest possible just transition for our oil and gas workforce.”

Neil Gray said the investment will help with the transition to renewables in Scotland. STV News

The Highland project is part of a £17.7bn package investments by Japanese firms in the UK being outlined during Rishi Sunak’s visit to the country.

The Prime Minister said: “These new investments are a massive vote of confidence in the UK’s dynamic economy, from some of Japan’s top firms.

“Working with the Government and British industry, they will create the kind of high-quality, reliable jobs and transformative local investment we are delivering around the country.

“It’s great to also see leading UK businesses seizing the huge opportunities for growth and collaboration in Japan.”

The UK Government said very few companies have the ability to manufacture undersea high-voltage cables and the investment will be “vital” to energy security

Sumitomo is also investing around £4bn in wind farm projects off the coast of Suffolk and Norfolk.