Scottish transportation firm Malcolm Logistics has been awarded a multi-million-pound contract to carry thousands of tonnes of wood chippings to a new £200 million biomass plant being built in Fife.

 

Energy firm RWE npower renewables is in the advanced stages of constructing its combined heat and power (CHP) facility on the site of Tullis Russell papermakers at Markinch.

 

The 49.9MW plant will burn more than 400,000 tonnes of wood, and will need a constant supply of fuel.

 

RWE said the new contract would see Malcolm Logistics transport around a third of the overall fuel needed for the site by road from two local ports and RWE’s recently opened off-site processing facility at Cardenden.

 

The CHP facility will burn a mix of about 90% recovered wood and 10% new wood from sustainably managed forests.

 

Steve Martin, RWE NRL’s Biomass procurement manager for the Markinch plant, said it would help safeguard more than 500 jobs at papermaker Tullis Russell, and create an additional 30 jobs when it becomes operational.

 

“RWE is keen to contract with regional service providers such as Malcolm Logistics, which will continue to create new opportunities for businesses that will in turn generate investment in the local economy,” he said.

 

Jim Clark, managing director of Malcolm Logistics said: “This prestigious contract will make a very positive impact on our own business and, in turn, on the local economy.

 

“In order to service the contract we are expanding our fleet initially by five vehicles, but see this growing steadily, and opening a satellite depot close to the Cardenden site — thus generating economic benefits and employment opportunities within the region,” he added.

 

The first lorry movements are expected to begin in March as commissioning of the facility commences.