Forscot chairman Ed Gillespie said the study highlighted the potential benefits for the local, Scottish and overall UK economy.

"This report will help us to achieve our next objective of raising a further 5m-10m, which will be used to secure the site," he added.
The project, located in Invergordon, north-east Scot-land, will use Sitka Spruce as its main raw material, which is native to the area.

Gillespie said the company was in talks with potential industry partners and invest-ors, including manufacturers, merchants and suppliers. The deadline for securing the next round of funding is expected to be February.

The study estimated that, during construction, up to 1,200 jobs and an income of 214m a year will be created. Once the mill is operational, this is expected to increase to 4,800 jobs and 106m. Directly, the plant will provide 500 jobs.

Gillespie said that Forscot would boost the value of the renewable Scottish forestry industry by offering growers competitive prices, which would help to cut the UK's reliance on imported pulp.

Ross and Cromarty Enterprise commissioned Ref-erence Economic Consultants to carry out the study.

Project impact
- The project will create over 6,000 jobs in the UK

- Once operational, income from the mill is estimated at 106m per year

- Displacement is expected to be low: 165-370 UK jobs

- The pulp mill will produce 550,000 tonnes per year of A+ northern bleached softwood kraft pulp (NBSK)

- It will produce 420,000 tonnes of paper per year