The Highlands and Islands Forest Industry Cluster (HIFIC) is an industry-led group which has been operating for several years and is made up of volunteers from the north of Scotland’s forestry sector.
One of four regional clusters covering Scotland, HIFIC was set up to help improve competitiveness of forestry in an area extending from the Shetland Isles in the north to the Cairngorms in the South, the west coast and as far as Keith in the east.
The diversity of the north’s forest sector is characterised by several major businesses to smaller processing facilities serving local and niche products and conventional forest products industries, sawmilling and panel manufacture, together with the application of biomass for energy, are strong components of the local economy.
The next HIFIC meeting will be on 22nd April 2026 at UHI Campus, Inverness – view the presentations here.
HIFIC is the regional delivery group that links the work of Scottish Forest & Wood-based Industries (SFWI) industry advisory groups more directly with issues which are relevant to businesses at a local level. These include forecasting and production, supply chain, woodfuel and biomass, transport and logistics, skills, processing and harvesting, marketing and business development
These focus on key issues facing the industry as well as exploring potential solutions; to date, events have covered a range of subjects including transport and logistics, technology and innovation, safety and business development.
HIFIC encourages co-operation, networking and development within the industry and helps to identify new opportunities for knowledge transfer and forest industry awareness.
It also provides links between the industry and its stakeholders and provides strategic advice to HIE, as required
Highlands and Islands Steering Group
Members are: