FEBRUARY is going to be an exciting month for a developing Ballingry company.

On Thursday a television film crew was at the Navitie Farm base of Ivan Wood and Sons and Peel Tech, and later this month the two companies will be involved in the finals of a major Scottish industrial competition.

Then as the progress of the fresh food producers continues in the spring a new warehouse will be built beside the existing plant.

Malcolm Wood, who has helped steer both companies on a highly successful path, is delighted with the way 2017 has started.

He told the Times: "The visit from the camera crew from the BBC 2 Bitesize programme was a surprise.

"They were doing a piece on Sustainability and Sociability and had heard about our innovative production system and wanted to know more.

"They interviewed members of the workforce at the Ivan Wood side of the business which produces fresh vegetables which go straight to the catering industry and were also interested in the Peel Tech system".

Peel Tech is a new innovation concept which allows all food companies undertaking potato processing such as fish and chip shops, fast food outlets etc, to meet their discharge requirements under the new Government legislation on Waste Regulations enforced by SEPA January 2014

It works by taking the waste from a typical potato peeler separating the waste skin and compacting the potato starch to allow the operator to easily remove the waste for recycle use.

Added Malcolm: "The programme will be broadcast in April, they told us, but before them we have the Interface Knowledge Connections for Business finals in a couple of weeks time."

Ivan Wood have been nominated in the Success Through Sustainability category while Peel Tech are in the Success Through Innovation category.

Said Malcolm: "It is great news for the companies to be nominated in these sort of awards and also one of our employees Lee-Anne McGee has been nominated for an IKC awards for her work in implementing a Food Quality Management System, so