Global Business Expands Caithness Operation

8th March 2011

CSC, a global business providing technology-enabled solutions and services, is working with HIE to expand its Caithness workforce over the next two years.

CSC's Caithness operation previously worked exclusively within the fence at Dounreay. While retaining some staff on the site, moving their base into the Forss business park over a year ago signalled the start of a plan to grow the CSC Forss operation and diversify the business.

HIE has been working closely to support the business in its plans to target new contracts across a range of sectors. The agency is now providing £37,500 funding to support the CSC Forss growth plan which aims to create 15 new jobs in the area.

Alan Sinclair, Manager of CSC's work in the Forss business park, said: "Moving into Forss allowed us to look at new opportunities across a range of sectors. We are already recognised for our ability to deliver IT support to the very specialist nuclear industry, and now the highly skilled staff we have in the North of Scotland have proved themselves to be highly adaptable in delivering a wide range of services in new sectors.

"With the remote working systems we have developed and the skills of our workforce, we can easily service world leading companies across the UK and throughout the globe. An example would be our work with Urenco a nuclear technology company based in New Mexico. With HIE's help we have increased our competitive edge in attracting new business to CSC's global portfolio, while at the same time offering good employment opportunities within the local community."

CSC has already created extra posts at Forss, as a result of its work with nuclear clients, taking the total staff numbers at CSC Forss to 32.

HIE's Keith Muir said: "This is an example of a business which is in the North of Scotland as a direct result of Dounreay and which is now looking innovatively at how it can diversify and adapt to the changing market. Broadening its customer base allows it to be a strong, profitable and a sustainable centre of excellence.

"Instead of settling for a steady decline as the Dounreay site faces closure, CSC Forss has built on the skills of their dedicated workforce to leverage new opportunities into the wider CSC marketplace, and has already recruited three new staff. As the area seeks to diversify its economy, CSC Forss is a powerful addition to the area's business infrastructure which will be of particular interest to potential inward investors."