AN award-winning Sanquhar factory is celebrating 100 years of business success.
Although Sanquhar Tile Services Limited was, in its present form, founded in 1971 by the Sidlaw Group, its contribution to the textile industry began in 1915 when the company was first registered.
The company, as it is known today, took its first breath in 1968 when Peter Bell and John Edgar started work on a PVC carpet tile. The innovative design piqued the interest of major industry specialists and, in 1971, the duo sold the business to Sidlaw Tile Services and uprooted the business from an old school in New Cumnock to Sanquhar’s Blackaddie Road.
Douglas Watters, financial director of Sanquhar Tiles Services said: “We were among the first advance factories set up when the coalmines closed in the late ’60s and we are known locally as Sidlaws even today.
“Amongst our many contracts we produced Dulux tiles for ICI, and worked with Illingworth Carpets and the Carpet International Group.
“We had a few ups and downs from 1980, when Sidlaw requested we close operations and we had to cut our staff and lower production to stay afloat.
“In 1985 Sidlaw was taken over by Heuga, but it wasn’t until late 1995 that we decided to put forward a management buy-out.”
Douglas was one of those managers who took the company in hand and, together with David Lind, production director, and managing director, the late John Smith, Sanquhar Tile Services has gone from strength to strength. Managing director Frank Williamson completes the current directors team.
“The place has changed dramatically since the management buy-out,” David
explained.
“We have invested heavily in the Blackaddie Road premises, taken on additional premises in Glasgow Road, bought new plant and equipment and upgraded everything to include tufting and latexing.
“Before we had been solely producing commission backing work. Now we have developed our own ranges and widened our customer base. There is very little of the old business left.”
Douglas added: “We have two basics: to produce a first class product and give a
first class service.
“The word ‘services’ in our company name is very important to us. Anyone can buy a cheap carpet tile from the likes of China but will have no comeback if the quality is no good or no guarantee that you will be able to match the colour if you need to order more of the same stock.
“We can turn orders around very quickly.”
Sanquhar Tile Services produces in excess of 3.5 million square metres of carpet tiles a year and is the only commercial carpet tile manufacturer left in Scotland today.
Moreover, it is the second largest private employer in Upper Nithsdale, employing 112 people, some of whom have been working with the company for over 40 years.
“We don’t have a huge turnaround of staff,” said David. “Many of our workers have been here for over 30 years. People who come here to work tend to stay.
“We like to think we look after our staff and, in turn, they are very loyal and flexible. If it wasn’t for them, we certainly would not have been able to adapt and grow.
“It was John’s aim to try and provide as much employment as he could on a local
level. It is good that we have been able to continue that.”
And Douglas added: “For the future we hope to be in a position to provide as much employment as possible at a good wage for local people and we look forward to the next 100 years in business.”
PICTURE
Celebrating success: Douglas Watters and David Lind of Sanquhar Tile Services.
Story supplied by The Nithsdale Times
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