The HALO Kilmarnock and XLCC have entered into an exclusivity agreement that is expected to see the Sales and Project Delivery Headquarters of subsea cabling manufacturing company, XLCC, being established at the award-winning The HALO Enterprise and Innovation Centre Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland.
The agreement enables the businesses to work together, ensuring that Scotland is at the forefront of creating new employment opportunities and growing the supply chain for the renewable energy sector. This partnership could result in more than 300 high-quality jobs being brought to the town.
XLCC will build the UK’s first high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable factory in Hunterston, Ayrshire, creating 1,200 jobs (including 300 in Kilmarnock) in a key hub for the country’s Net Zero industry. The company has already established its Training Academy in Irvine, working with Ayrshire College to develop the apprentices whose skills will play a critical role in building the infrastructure at the heart of the energy transition.
At The HALO Kilmarnock, the partners are also exploring the creation of a Green Economy Sustainability Centre which will include a Green Accelerator and an Education Hub for SME businesses and entrepreneurs.
The HALO regeneration project is set within the former 28 acre Johnnie Walker bottling plant and is at the forefront of creating an innovative and sustainable economy. By providing a sustainable community approach, deploying low carbon, digital and clean energy technology, this mixed-use development is now creating jobs, economic growth and skills development powered by clean energy in the heart of Kilmarnock.
The HALO has attracted attention from not just UK-based organisations but an international audience which is keen to understand how what has been achieved in Kilmarnock can be replicated globally.
Dr Marie Macklin CBE, founder and executive chair of The HALO Kilmarnock, said:
“XLCC and HALO Kilmarnock have a successful track record of working together since 2023 when XLCC chose HALO as the base for its apprentices before moving to its Training Factory in Irvine in 2024, for which I performed the official opening.
“This initiative puts us at the forefront of driving new, just transition opportunities for the former industrial heartlands of Ayrshire. I look forward to working with XLCC and our key stakeholders, including private sector partners, Scottish Enterprise, East Ayrshire Council, the UK and Scottish Governments, to deliver for all in our communities at pace.”
XLCC CEO, Ian Douglas, said:
“XLCC is delighted to be teaming up with HALO to establish its Sales and Project Delivery Headquarters at The HALO Enterprise and Innovation Centre in Kilmarnock. XLCC wants to create 300 highly skilled roles at this site bringing the total number of jobs in Ayrshire to 1,200. We look forward to working closely with HALO Kilmarnock and the local community in the coming months and years as we build a business critical to delivering the energy transition.”
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