Alloa-based Econ Scotland has been launched to service gritters and other vehicles for customers north of the border, including many of Scotland’s local authorities and private-sector highways contractors.

Yorkshire-based Econ Engineering (www.econ.uk.com), which manufactures more than 80% of the winter maintenance and repair vehicles used on Britain’s roads, has started the new company with an initial workforce of six people — working out of a purpose-built service hub — and plans to recruit more over the coming months.

Operations director Jonathan Lupton said: “We are firmly committed to Scotland, which already accounts for over 30% of our turnover. With the launch of our Alloa operation, we will be able to provide even better service levels and rapid turnround times for our Scottish customers.

"This £1.3 million investment in the new business and our ‘state of the art’ depot is a huge deal for us as a family-owned firm and signals the importance of Scotland to our business.”

A fleet of 117 Econ winter maintenance vehicles has been deployed on a hire basis to 14 Scottish councils and two major road contractors, in preparation for the winter weather ahead.

Econ Engineering employs 240 people at its factory in Ripon, where it manufactures winter maintenance and road repair vehicles specifically designed to combat ice, snow and potholes on British roads.

The company invests heavily in R&D and has developed high-tech on-board solutions for its vehicles that maximise safety and minimise the impact of gritting and other snow and ice treatments on the environment.