Manufacturing In Keith

Manufacturing in Keith is, historically, based on its agricultural hinterland. The original crop, flax, a cottage industry, centralised late in the 18th Century But flax declined and wool took over. By 1805, G & G Kynoch had acquired Islabank Mills where they made tweeds for over two centuries. Recessions and foreign competition forced changes, and the firm now deals in Health Care Products far from Keith.

The old Kynoch building, however, now forms the basis of many smaller and varied industries, important among which is the Keith School of Kilt Making, designed to teach the art of cutting and assembling Kilts, already a great success. The old Kynoch trade - the weaving of high quality woollen fabrics, much of it for export - remains in the buildings in the Isle Mill Ltd., a rapidly expanding enterprise.

Flour and oatmeal milling has yielded place to distilling. Milton Distillery, renamed Strathisla, and at over 200 years the oldest Highland Malt Distillery, is now owned by Chivas Bros. The firm have added a new distillery across Station Road, at the former Mills of Keith, christened Glenkeith, while another former mill, Strathmill, produces Malt Whisky for J&B.