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Scottish Business Buzz (03.09.15)

£3m contract boost for Anderson Construction

£3m contract boost for Anderson Construction

Aberdeen based Anderson Construction has announced contract wins totalling more than £3 million.

Managing Director Kenny Anderson said “We are very pleased to win these projects at a time when competition in the construction market is tough as a result of the well-publicised reduction in oil prices.

“We see a strong  market going forward, working with clients to rationalise their use of existing buildings and so maximise their output from such structures and reduce their costs. Our flexibility and experience in working with design teams and clients helps to put us in a strong position when pricing and negotiating.”

The awards include a major alteration and extension for the RSPB at their Loch of Strathbeg facility near Crimond worth more than £300,000, an extension to Grampian Transport Museum at Alford in collaboration with William Lippe Architects worth more than £275,000 and the complete reconstruction of a 19th Century four storey mansion for a private client near Whiterashes worth more than £1,600,000.

Other work includes projects for the Church of Scotland, Grampian Housing and Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. The new work follows the recent completion of work at Thainstone Mart for Aberdeen & Northern Marts, a New Boat House on the River Dee for the Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association, Harlaw Academy for Aberdeen City Council and a number of new facilities for Dolphin Drilling.

Established in 1993, Anderson Construction is based in Northfield, Aberdeen and employs approx. 40 direct employees and a further 40 through a network of local specialist sub-contractors and suppliers.


Thin Red Line Design work for Elite

Thin Red Line Design work for Elite

BfS director Jil Murphy has also announced contract wins for the design agency she founded with her husband Frazor.

Thin Red Line Design has just won the account to design and produce the product brochure for Anytime Leisure, the biggest supplier of gym equipment in Scotland.

This comes on the back of  a major piece of work for  Elite Property Solutions, the Edinburgh based company that carries out building renovation, refurbishment and interior design projects.

Jil said:”We did all the design, photography and copywriting for the brochure. We were focused on delivering high end client product/service replicated in high quality brochure – foil block logo, singer sewn binding all on top quality stock paper.”


 

Jobs security for workers at Ferguson Marine Engineering

Jobs security for workers at Ferguson Marine Engineering

Ferguson Marine Engineering, saved from administration by Jim McColl, has been named as the preferred bidder for a £97 million contract to build two new ferries for Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd’s (CMAL).

The contract to increase the CMAL fleet will secure employment for the existing 150-strong workforce. The ships, which are expected to be delivered in 2018, are designed to carry more than 100 cars and up to 1000 passengers.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who visited the shipbuilders in Port Glasgow, said: “This is an excellent result for Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited (FMEL) and I am delighted to name them as preferred tenderer for the contract to build two new ferries, the largest commercial vessels to be built on the Clyde since 2001.

“This contract will see the 150-strong workforce retained and more staff taken on at the shipyard, underlining our commitment to creating the vital jobs needed to boost local economies and help stimulate growth across Scotland.

“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting ferry users around Scotland by providing safe and reliable services, and this is the latest step to ensuring we have a fleet that continues to deliver for the communities that depend on it.”

Transport Minister Derek Mackay added: “This is a significant investment that proves Scottish shipbuilding can succeed in a competitive market, with the FMEL team submitting the highest quality bid that offered best value for money.

“The vessels themselves will be ‘dual-fuel ferries’, allowing them to use cleaner fuel and future-proofing them for the advent of tighter regulations around sulphur emissions. This announcement will strengthen our ferry fleet, ensuring they will be able to benefit the communities that need them for decades to come.”

More on this story in Daily Business.


The poll suggests Kezia Dugdale's election will have little impact

The poll suggests Kezia Dugdale’s election will have little impact

A survey for Ipsos-Mori has revealed that 53 per cent of Scots would now vote for independence.

Almost a year after Scotland voted No, the poll, commissioned for STV, suggests there would now be a decisive victory for Yes. The No vote would be 44 per cent and Don’t Knows on 3 Per cent.

It is the first time a pollster has put support for independence at more than 50 per cent.

Mark Diffley, from Ipsos MORI Scotland said: “This poll represents excellent news for the SNP, both in terms of support ahead of next year’s Holyrood vote and because support for independence has moved over 50 per cent for the first time.

“The poll highlights the significant challenges facing new Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale; Labour is far behind the SNP on the key battleground policies for next year and there is no sign yet that they are making up any ground. As the election gets closer she will hope to see Labour gain ground on policies and on public support.”

If accurate, the polling suggests the SNP are on course for a majority government next May with 74 out of 129 MSPs.

Scottish Labour would lose 11 MSPs and be returned with just 26. The Liberal Democrats would gain an MSP to win six, and the Conservatives would remain the same at 15.

Full story in The National.


 

Record year for Edinburgh's Festivals

Record year for Edinburgh’s Festivals

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe ended on a high this year, with record attendances at events across the city.

Artists performed for 5.24% more visitors, who attended 50,459 performances of 3,314 shows in 313 venues.

And the International Festival also finished ahead of previous years, with an increased audience of 19%.

Kath Mainland, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society said:”Once again artists and audiences have travelled from across the globe to be a part of this unique cultural event.

“With incredible talent from 49 countries taking part this year, the Fringe has once again demonstrated itself to be truly international and profoundly Scottish.

“The 2015 season has firmly cemented Edinburgh’s reputation as the world’s leading festival city.”

You can read more in the Daily Business.


Professor Les Charm

Professor Les Charm

Scottish businesses need to have greater international ambitions and be better at “scaling up” to have a significant economic impact.

Entrepreneurship professor Les Charm, from Babson College in Massachusetts, United States said:”It is all about the need to have bigger impact in Scotland. You can’t just do that with start-ups.

“Unless they scale they do not have the economic impact.”

Professor Charm has been working with the Saltire Foundation since 2007 and is in Scotland this week giving a boot camp to the latest Saltire Fellowship scholars.

Prof Charm will be speaking to the 25 Fellows this week at Royal Bank of Scotland’s Gogarburn headquarters ahead of them travelling to the US for a 12-week programme.

He said he will be emphasising the need to be “ambitious and courageous” while also hammering home the need for an international outlook and developing the right skills.

“We are going to be talking a lot about having to have higher aspirations for yourself, companies, the third sector and the country.

“I don’t mean it to be ambition domestically. The more we can get people to understand you have to keep looking internationally [the better].

“Forward thinking organisations are saying we need people who are thinking entrepreneurially and are willing to take risks.”

More here.


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About the author

Michelle Rodger

Michelle is a former national newspaper journalist who co-founded an award-winning IT business before launching Tartan Cat Communications. A social media and crowdfunding expert she manages media and communications for Business for Scotland.

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