Moventas, the Finland-based gearbox specialist bought by Jim McColl’s Clyde Blowers for £85million five years ago, has invested in a test rig at its West Yorkshire base.

Mr McColl, chairman of the Moventas board said the project, part of a regional growth initiative with government support, meant Moventas would offer the UK’s first multi-megawatt full load testing facility.

“With 35 years of wind turbine gearbox experience, industry-leading technology and state of the art manufacturing facilities, Moventas is ideally placed to support the servicing of the UK installed base of wind turbines,” Mr McColl said.

On buying Moventas in 2011 Mr McColl had plans to establish gearbox manufacturing in Scotland, but hopes for turbine manufacture at Methil in Fife appeared to end last year when Samsung Heavy Industries abandoned its interest in a £100m plant.