CelebratingPerthBinnBuzzShowReturns|4EarthDay|9 Staff News and Updates | 10 SUMMER | 2022
Welcome to the Summer 2022 edition of the Binn Buzz.
In this edition... Welcome from Perth ReturnsShow Local Metals Business GolfPurchasedDayChampions Local Charities Real Living Wage Accreditation EarthCelebratingDay Staff News and Updates Customer Focus: SRJ Windows 98654 1210
Another cause we were thrilled to support was our Charity Golf Day which raised some much needed funds for two amazing local charities - CHAS Rachel House and Cornhill Macmillan Centre. Thanks to all who took part and helped raised nearly £10,000, especially the businesses and organisations who donated prizes for the raffle and auction. Your support is greatly appreciated. There was a buzz of activity at the Ecopark on this year’s Earth Day - as well as showcasing a newly-commissioned and installed repurposed materials artwork called “Litter Catcher 2022”, staff were able to spend the day planting a wildflower meadow and native trees at the entrance to the Ecopark.
I was delighted that Binn Group were once again able to support the Perth Show which has been unable to take place in-person for the last two years. It was great to meet new faces and catch up with old ones, although I had a hard task judging the Best Produce Stand as the standard of all the entrants was exceptional. Well done to Johns Scone Mad who scooped the title - a well deserved winner.
Allan MacGregor CEO Binn Group
In business
InKinross.other news
from the Chief Executive news I’m excited to share that Binn Group has completed its acquisition of local metals business David Band Metals. This has allowed us to make a significant investment in our Shore Road centre with the purchase of a £250,000 state-of-theart metals handling machine, as well as safeguard employees’ jobs by recruiting them into our own workforce. This move has consolidated Binn Group’s place as the principal metals business in Perth and I’m proud to report that Binn Group has been accredited a Real Living Wage Employer - although we already pay our workforce above the Real Living Wage rate, we hope our accreditation will encourage other businesses to follow suit. In this edition we meet another one of our customers – SRJ Windows – who has progressed from sending the majority of their waste to landfill, to now recycling over 80%. I’m proud that Binn Group has been able to support them on this journey, and look forward to continuing to work with them as they make further strides to becoming even more sustainable.
Perth Show Returns
Perth Show Patron John MacGregor works the crowd!
Neil Mugg, Chef Lecturer at Perth College UHI
BINN BUZZ | SUMMER 2022
After an absence of two years following the COVID-19 pandemic, Binn Group were delighted to once again be the main sponsor of the Perth Show. Taking place on the 5th and 6th August at Perth’s South Inch the event offered livestock judging, events, food, drink and fun for the whole family. Binn Group CEO Allan MacGregor was asked to judge the Best Produce Stand at Perthshire On A Plate along with celebrity chef Jean Christophe Novelli and present the Binn Group Trophy. The winner was Bridge of Earn based Johns Scone Mad who specialise in artisan scones, with special runner-up mentions to Alan’s Chilli Products and Val’s Tablet.
Allan MacGregor with the winners of Best Produce Stand “Johns Scone Mad”, Chef Jean Christophe Novelli and Perthshire Agricultural Society Chairman Mark Mitchell
(L-R): Les Downie, Jean Christophe Novelli, Guy MacGregor and Louise MacGregor
5
Binn Group has bought over long-established David Band Metals in Perth, consolidating the group’s place as the principal metals business in Perth and Kinross.
The takeover was seen as an obvious move for Binn Group which operates a growing scrap metal reprocessing centre just several hundred yards from Band’s premises in Perth’s Shore Road.
Five employees of the newlyacquired business have been retained and absorbed into the Binn Group Shore Road centre Binnworkforce.Group
Managing Director Brian Harkins, a former President of the Scottish Metals Association, explained that the procurement of scrap metal and further processing was a core part of the company’s services.
The company’s Shore Road centre – a satellite operation of Binn Group’s Ecopark at Glenfarg – is an accredited metal processor and offers a compliant and sustainable route for all metal recycling, buying ferrous, non-ferrous and precious metals from commercial, industrial and domestic sellers.
Local Metals
Business Purchased
“We welcomed the opportunity to strengthen our market share in the business through the acquisition of David Band Metals and were delighted to safeguard employees’ jobs by recruiting them into our own workforce,” he said.
“The takeover sees Binn Group firmly established as the principal metals business in the district and highlights the key role the company plays in the UK’s multibillion-pound metals processing and recycling industry.
Further investment in the company’s Shore Road centre has included the recent purchase of a £250,000 state-of-the-art metals handling machine as Binn Group expands its operation within a global industry which recycles around 400 million tons of scrap and redundant metals each year.
Binn Group has further invested in the Shore Road site with the recent purchase of a £250,000 state-of-the-art metals handling machine
“Binn Group continues to look at other acquisitions to further strengthen our growing operation,” added Mr Harkins.
Karen Thomson, Voluntary Services Manager at Cornhill Macmillan Centre where they provide bespoke specialist palliative care services for patients and those who support them, echoed that gratitude.
BINN BUZZ | SUMMER 2022
Golf Day Champions
Local Charities
(L-R): Binn Group’s Eilis Stevenson, Sales Manager and Fraser McLeod, Field Sales Executive at Blairgowrie Golf Club’s Rosemount Course
Binn Group teed up the perfect round of fundraising for local charities when they staged their Charity Golf Day.
“It’s good to know that the money raised will help them continue to provide these essential services.”
“This will help us ensure the time families spend together is filled with happiness and fun, no matter how short it may be.”
Eighteen teams of staff, suppliers, customers and local businesses took part in the event to support Binn Group’s charity causes. Emerging victorious as the four ball champions were Breedon. The day’s fundraising was bolstered by a Beat the Pro competition, raffle and charity auction with prizes donated by a raft of supportive businesses and organisations. Presenting cheques to both charities, Binn Group Commercial Director Jim Brown said he was hugely grateful to all those who contributed to making the day such a “Everyonesuccess.whotook part or donated has allowed us to support both Rachel House and Cornhill Macmillan Centre carry out their incredible work, supporting people and their families at the hardest point in their lives.
“Binn Group’s donation will make all the difference to the help and support we can offer, including providing wheelchair accessible taxis and offering complementary therapies at home when people are too unwell to travel.”
Receiving the donation from Binn Group, Angharad Low, Corporate Partnerships Manager at CHAS, “Binnsaid: Group’s generous donation will allow us to continue providing a range of support services at Rachel House in Kinross, including the hydrotherapy room, as well as memory experiences, respite care and bereavement support.
“Like many charities, we found fundraising and donations were drastically reduced during the pandemic,” she said.
Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) at Rachel House in Kinross and Cornhill Macmillan Centre at Perth Royal Infirmary each received almost £5,000 following a day of competition over the GolfRosemountchampionshipCourseatBlairgowrieClub.
7 (L-R): Angharad Low, Corporate Partnerships Manager of CHAS receives a cheque from Jim Brown, Commercial Director of Binn Group (L-R): Jim Brown, Commercial Director of Binn Group presents a cheque to Karen Thomson, Voluntary Services Manager at Cornhill Macmillan Centre
Company CEO Allan MacGregor said the decision to pursue the accreditation acted as official acknowledgement of Binn Group’s family values and commitment to their workforce.
aBinnAccreditationGrouphasbeenaccreditedRealLivingWageemployer.
Brian Harkins, Managing Director at Binn Group said that the company’s journey to becoming an accredited employer began last year.
“The Real Living Wage is a pledge that links to our strategic objectives whilst underlining our core values at Binn Group. This has been well received within the organisation and we are proud to be accredited as a Real Living Wage employer.”
The current UK hourly Real Living Wage is £9.90 and is reviewed annually.
Real Living Wage
The business already pays its 150+ workers above the Real Living Wage rate but hope the recent formal accreditation by the UK’s independent Living Wage Foundation will encourage other businesses to follow suit.
“We are a proud family run business and by becoming an accredited employer we can demonstrate our commitment to these family values.”
“I am pleased that Binn Group is now officially recognised as a Real Living Wage employer, cementing our commitment to ensuring our employees remain central to the success of our organisation,” he said.
“I am delighted that Binn Group has signed up to the Real Living Wage,” he said.
BINN BUZZ | SUMMER 2022
Some of Binn Group’s employees at the Glenfarg Ecopark
“Our employees are at the heart of our operations and our ongoing success is due to their hard work.
Field Fraser McLeod
“It’s proving a real talking point for everyone entering or passing Binn Ecopark.”
Promoting this year’s theme of “Invest In Our Planet”, the company encouraged staff to plant a wildflower meadow and native trees at the entrance to the 200-acre Glenfarg Binn Ecopark. This pollinator planting project surrounds a newly-commissioned and installed repurposed materials artwork called “Litter Catcher 2022”.
Stewart also explained that all 150 Binn Group employees have been taking part in Zero Waste Scotland’s Resource Efficiency Training during April.
Driver Davie Goodge
The surrounding pollinator planting project aims to make a significant impact on the local environment by establishing uncultivated habitat for wildlife through the planting of beeattracting flowers and shrubs and native trees such as silver birch.
Binn Group combined art, education and sustainable planting to play their part in this year’s international Earth Day on 22nd April.
“Last year we adopted a ‘no mow’ policy for the entranceway and driveway verges allowing nature to thrive before cutting back in the autumn to promote new growth.
“It’s a clever piece of interpretive work intended to stimulate conversations about the impact of materials and the challenges they present in our throw-away society,” he said, “and how those disposal habits impact on the future of the planet.
“The Earth Day work the staff have been involved with will make a real practical difference to our local environment.”
The modern Earth Day addition results from a firsttime collaboration between Binn Group artist-in-residence Susie Johnston (artist, lecturer and post-graduate researcher) and Amanda Adam (artist and student) from Dundee’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and TheirDesign.artwork combines repurposing an old litter catcher kindly donated by Suez who have a closed landfill on the Ecopark and weaving it with coloured non-biodegradable plastics and materials from the recycling Binncomplex.Group Operations Director Stewart Smith said the newlyinstalled structure was already attracting attention.
Assistant Transport Manager Angus Nelson
“This is an extension of Binn Group’s ongoing project to increase biodiversity on site at the Ecopark,” explained Stewart.
Celebrating9EarthDay
“This training provides the skills and knowledge to understand the benefits of resource efficiency, identify opportunities to save money on energy, water and materials, be able to collect and analyse data and bring about positive change,” he said.
Sales Executive
BINN BUZZ | SUMMER 2022 Many Happy Returns to Executive PA Mel Struth who celebrated the big 5-0... We are delighted to welcome Sarah McCann Coordinator, who in her spare time is a keen Huge congratulations to General Manager Daniel McAtear who completed the Edinburgh Marathon in just over 4 hours and raised £725 for Beatson Cancer Charity Welcome to our new Sales Executive Rory Macpherson who also plays for Wolfhill AFC in his spare time
11 In other news... We also celebrated the birthdays of our Transport Manager Mark Cairns and Weighbridge Operator Charlie Murdie - many happy returns! Another new addition to the Binn family is Davie Russell who has rejoined our Operations Teamwelcome back! Staff News and Updates McCann as our new HR keen open water swimmer Fresh from starring in the Tommy Burns Story at Glasgow’s King’s Theatre, Commercial Director Jim Brown is now appearing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe ...as well as to Head of Strategy John Ferguson who turned 65 Congratulations to Rory Stewart (R) and Greg Lobban (L) who won bronze in the Squash Mens Doubles at the Commonwealth Games - we’re proud to sponsor you Rory
“Sustainability is becoming increasingly important to our customers and the service Binn Group provides means we can exceed their expectations.”
Established in 1992 SRJ Windows has established a reputation for excellence in conservatory, sunroom, window, door and roofline installations. With over 50,000 satisfied customers, 65 employees and a fleet of 34 vehicles the company needed a reliable service provider to manage their waste.
SRJ Windows
Binn Group has been working with SRJ Windows for over 10 years, and in that time has helped the company progress from sending the majority of their waste to landfill, to recycling over 80%. The company now recycles all metal, plastic and cardboard from the installations they carry out, as well dry mixed recycling from their showroom in Fife. This has enabled the company to halve the amount of general waste collected from site each Theweek.company now has ambitious plans to recycle the glass removed from customers’ homes and is working with Binn Group to find a sustainable solution for this waste stream. Managing Director of SRJ Windows Steven Macintosh said: “Over the last 10 years Binn Group has become an integral part of our business, and not just another faceless contractor. Their continual drive towards sustainability has helped us revolutionise the way we manage waste on site, and I’m proud to say that thanks to Binn Group’s perseverance and innovation we now send zero waste to landfill.
SRJ Windows is a family-run, privately-owned business based in Fife who take pride in the fact that all of their products are assembled in Scotland
Customer Focus:
