A COMPANY contracted to supply leading chemist Boots with commercial quantities of plant extracts, is setting up in the Highlands.
Scotland’s Enterprise Minister, Jim Mather, says he is delighted that Essentially Scottish Botanicals is being established at Kiltarlity, near Beauly.
Supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), its aim initially is to manage the large-scale production and refinement of essential oil from bog myrtle– an indigenous plant grown in the Highlands.
Prototype cosmetic products incorporating the oil from bog myrtle have already proved popular with Boots’ customers. The multi-national retail chemist now intends to include the oil in a number of other products under the name of ‘sweet gale’ – a traditional name for bog myrtle.
Essentially, Scottish Botanicals Ltd (ESB) is a subsidiary company created by American firm, Technology Crops International Inc, which has experience of extracting essential oil from a wide range of plants. It is anticipated that ESB will also be exploring products from a number of other indigenous Highland plants for sale to other beauty, pharmaceutical and food companies.
The business is based at premises in Fanellan, Kiltarlity, formerly occupied by the Lovat Water bottling plant, and anticipates employing around 22 full-time staff with a further ten jobs likely to be created in Scotland’s wider economy. It’s hoped the venture will provide landowners and crofters around the Highlands and Islands with opportunities to diversify by supplying plant material.
MEDIA RELEASE posted by Highlands and Islands Enterprise. You too can post a media release (aka a press release) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Caroline Rham
Phone: 01349 868932
Email: caroline.rham@hient.co.uk
Website: http://www.hie.co.uk
