James Jones & Sons Limited (JJSL) has begun the opening stage of a £21m expansion at its Mosstodloch operation in Moray, the first step in a longer-term masterplan that is ultimately expected to create 14 new jobs.

The initial phase has secured up to £315,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) towards its costs, supporting investment in automated machinery for advanced timber manufacturing.

A new 4,000-square-metre building will house two additional production lines to further process timber for the construction, fencing and packaging markets.

The lines will enable more advanced processing, including resawing and post pointing, helping the firm raise output, improve efficiency and produce higher-value timber products for UK customers.

General manager for JJSL Sawmills in the north of Scotland, Robert Mann, commented: "This initial investment phase is a very exciting step in the continued development of the Mosstodloch site. Not only will this bring new capacity to our production it will create a more modern and safer working environment and enable us greater flexibility in meeting our customers' needs with high quality and exceptional service.

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"Investments of this scale require Scottish Government's support with new planting and restocking of productive woodland to secure the long-term viability of these types of projects."

Senior development manager with HIE in Moray, Steve Richards, said: "We've been working with James Jones & Sons for several years. The company is a major employer in Moray and has strong potential for further growth.

"This latest project is about long-term sustainable growth. It will help safeguard skilled jobs, create new opportunities and support the company's transition to net zero. It will also strengthen Moray's role in a sector that's important to Scotland's construction supply chain.

"I'm very pleased we've been able to provide support and look forward to seeing the new facility take shape."

The new building is ergonomically designed and will feature biomass heating; the new machinery will consume less energy, and the structure is designed to accommodate solar panels. Together, these measures support JJSL's transition to net zero.

Family-owned JJSL operates 29 sites across the UK and 25 in Australia and New Zealand, employing around 2,100 people. Nine sites are in Scotland, including two in Moray, where about 105 staff work at Mosstodloch and 48 at Forres. The company is among the UK's largest timber processors by volume and is widely recognised for innovation in the sector.

Industry forecasts point to substantial growth in timber frame and off-site construction systems by the end of the decade, driven by demand for low-carbon housing, modern methods of construction and faster build times.

On completion of this phase, JJSL will be well placed to meet rising demand and capture the benefits of the predicted market growth.