Too many of the stories around Scotland’s fabrication yards over the years and decades have been dismal: threats of closure which have often crystallised, job losses, hard times, and so on.

There has been so much uncertainty for huge numbers of workers in this sector, at various locations, over the decades. Where there have been hopes of revival, sometimes these have been dashed.

Much has changed over the decades for the fabrication yards, with a lot of the focus in recent times having been on renewables.

And it has been difficult to shake the feeling that the renewables boom has not generated as much as might have been expected for Scotland in contracts and jobs.

After arranging an interview with two senior executives responsible for the fabrication yard at Methil in Fife, following its change of ownership, it was difficult to know quite what to expect.

Spanish group Navantia, which deserves credit for reassuring messages and actions particularly around job security after taking over the Methil site and the fabrication yard at Arnish on the Isle of Lewis in January following the collapse of Harland & Wolff, had not said that much about its future plans.

Chatting to the general manager of the Methil yard, Matt Smith, and to Abel Mendez Diaz, commercial director of Navantia Seanergies, what offered much encouragement was the detail of the strategy, the scale of the ambition and the positive tone about what could be achieved.

It is important to have all of this as the yard looks to the future.

Mr Smith views the Methil site as being on “probably the most significant up” in his 12 and a half years at the yard.

He said: “I’ve stayed with this yard through all sorts of troubles and I’m staying with it now because of the fact that I can see the potential for the success of the yard becoming what it used to be and what it should be again.”

Mr Smith sees potential to increase the headcount at........

© Herald Scotland