Gael Force, Ferguson among winners at the Highland Business Awards

Suppliers to the aquaculture sector were among the winners at the Highland Business Awards, held in Inverness on Friday.

Jacques Huysamer of marine engineering and support business Gael Force Group was named as Young Employee of the Year, while Alasdair Ferguson, Group Managing Director of Ferguson Transport & Shipping, was the winner of the Business Leader of the Year award.

Mowi Scotland was shortlisted in the Global Growth category, and renewable energy specialist RI Cruden was named as the overall Business of the Year.

Gael Force’s Huysamer has been involved in the next-generation design of the SeaSight aquaculture camera double winch and he has also partnered with the Technical Development Manager to oversee the destructive testing of the new SeaQureLink Ultra mooring ring component for supporting safer, more secure offshore fish farming.

He has also been developing a cabling system for a net winch system which will provide customers with a safer cable installation inside their sea farm pens.

Commenting on the win, Jacques Huysamer said: “Hitting my first-year anniversary at Gael Force Group on the same week as the Highland Business Awards has been capped off by winning the award! I am grateful for all the personal development opportunities that the technical environment at Gael Force has given me. Being shortlisted for the award in the first instance was as much a reflection on the experienced team around me, so it is a proud moment for us all.”