Welcome to the July 2023 issue of fbm Update!
We are delighted to bring you the latest investment news, and developments from businesses across Fife. The region’s new economic strategy has been launched and remember to check out all the support, guidance and advice available from the agencies across Fife to help our businesses to sustain and grow.
A brand new showroom for lorries, vans and trucks has been opened in Glenrothes after an investment of more than £1 million by the owners, AM Phillip Trucktech. Formerly based at Bankhead Industrial Estate on Blackwood Way in the town, the company has made a major investment in moving to its new base in nearby Eastfield Industrial Estate.
The expansion to new premises has allowed the business to create ten new jobs, bringing the number of employees in the town to 29.
AM Phillip Trucktech operates throughout Scotland but still has its main base at Muiryfaulds, between Forfar and Dundee. The firm is a dealer for IVECO, Ford and Fiat Professional.
Managing director Rob McWilliam told fbm Update “We were at the old site for 25 years so there’s been a lot to move across. When we moved in originally in 1996, we were AM Phillip and we had two different divisions – Trucktech and Agritech. About five years ago, we sold off the agricultural side of the business, but we were sharing the site with the company that bought it. As we’ve continued to grow and as they’ve grown, the site was too small for two expanding companies to work out of.”
Rob said the new premises will include a new vehicle showroom, expanded space for commercial vehicle servicing and an extensive selection of used vehicles on display.
He added, “It’s a huge change. The site is much bigger and better. Now we can display up to 25 used vehicles and we can also have about 25 new vehicles and we now have a new inside showroom and additional ramps and pits for servicing.”
The new premises were officially opened by Councillor Altany Craik, Fife Council spokesperson for Finance, Economy & Strategic Planning said, “The business has had a long association with Glenrothes and it is fantastic to see it flourish and grow. This major investment in the town and the additional new jobs are very welcome, showing a real commitment to Fife and I wish Rob and his team continued success in the future.”
Find Business Support gives businesses an overview of services and funding offered by public sector organisations across Scotland. For energy and sustainability support services, it provides information from many partners, including Energy Saving Trust, Zero Waste Scotland and Business Energy Scotland
There are many support options ranging from self-help, diagnostic tools, workshops, funding and one-to-one advice. To sign up to Find Business Support’s regular updates, click here
A new Economic Strategy that sets out Fife’s approach to growing a stronger, greener and fairer economy has been launched by Fife’s Economic Strategy 2023-30 is set to tackle long-standing economic challenges and improve wealth distribution so that more wealth is generated, circulated and retained in Fife’s communities for the benefit of all.
The impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic and the UK’s exit from the European Union continue to create economic uncertainties. Global issues around rising energy and food costs and worker shortages have seen the UK, and other countries, facing rapid increases in the rate of inflation and interest rates, resulting in a cost-of-living and cost-of-doing-business crisis.
To address these challenges locally, the refreshed Fife Economic Strategy sets out three key priorities bolstered by a Community Wealth Building approach:
• Supporting Businesses
• Investing in Business Premises and Infrastructure
• Delivering Skills, Training and Fair Employment.
Councillor Altany Craik, Fife Council’s Finance, Economy and Strategic Planning spokesperson told fbm Update, “Since the publication of our previous Fife Economic Strategy, we have witnessed a series of events that have had a significant economic impact at global, national, regional and local level.
“And yet, despite this period of disruption and uncertainty, we have seen many achievements.
International hotelier, Kai Winkler, took over the reins at the Fairmont St Andrews in the run-up to The Open Having operated hotels from Turkey to Prague, Mr Winkler’s experience is substantial, but nothing prepared him for the Home of Golf on some of its biggest days.
“I started last year in July and my second week was The Open”, he said. “I first had to understand that St Andrews isn’t always like what it is during The Open, with grandstands around the Old Course and stuff like that.”
In less than a year he has helped secure investment for the upgrading of the resort including two manor houses and the clubhouse, and Fairmont St Andrews is ready to make golfing history.
“Industry, the public and voluntary sectors, and local communities collaborated as never before to support the NHS in tackling the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Fife Council responded quickly to administer government financial support to businesses, who in turn worked hard to adapt and innovate. Service providers rose to the challenge of remote digital delivery to maintain education, business support and employability services. The early recovery of the construction sector helped us to push on with capital investment in our business premises, town centres, heritage assets and transportation infrastructure.
“So, in moving forward with this new strategy, we will continue to endeavour to improve the economic prosperity for all in Fife.”
The Asian Tour is set to stage an event for the first time in Scotland there between 24th to 27th August.
The inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship will take place at the venue’s Torrance Course, a 7,320 yard layout set among 520 acres that was designed by golfing legend Sam Torrance.
“It is a really great opportunity for us. Now, being the first Scottish hotel hosting an Asian Tour tournament I think is something. It is always good to be the first, making a bit of history. We’ve also had successful events like the Hero Open in 2021 and 2022 and we’ve been Open Qualifying hotel, so we have some tournament history.”
He continued, “It will also give us some exposure to the Asian market and hopefully we’ll get benefit from a market that still has a lot of opportunities to grow. I think that is something to boost tourism in Scotland. The course is in a stunning condition I think it will be a great tournament.”
He added, “Historically, St Andrews has always had a strong US base and we as a US-Canadian brand, Fairmont always had a great share in that. I think Asia has a strong potential for the region.”
The Forth Green Freeport bid proposal was one of the two bids in Scotland that were successfully shortlisted in January. Since then, all of the consortium partners, including both private and public organisations, have been focusing on ensuring that the delivery of the bid’s vision has a solid foundation with strong governance at its core.
Robust governance is a key element that all partners want to demonstrate from the start. A Steering Group has been established which meets monthly and includes all the partners, as well as representatives from both the Scottish and UK Governments and Scottish Enterprise to ensure this is an inclusive and transparent process. There are six workstreams as part of the development of the FGFP Outline Business Case: Net Zero; Skills & Fair Work; Innovation; Infrastructure, Communities & Placemaking; Trade & Investment; Communications & Engagement.
Fife Council’s Trade Development Programme has supported six Fife based businesses to visit the annual Space-Comm Expo. It’s the first time that Fife businesses, which included Semefab, Eurospray, Raytheon, Fifab, Cerebral Ape, have visited this significant event dedicated to showcasing the significant commercial opportunities available within an industry worth £14.8 billion to the UK economy.
Designed to encourage growth across the highly innovative space sector, Space-Comm Expo brings together business, government, defence and space agencies, and aerospace experts from the entire space community. Suppliers working in this field included engineers, technicians, systems integrators, and contractors, together with buyers and procurement professionals.
At the Paris Air Show, Dunfermline based, Bluebox Aviation Systems and De Havilland Aircraft of Canada have announced a collaboration agreement for offering Bluebox’s Blueview digital services platform as a new solution on Dash 8-400 aircraft.
The feature-rich Blueview platform allows Dash 8-400 operators to earn ancillary revenue whilst they engage and entertain their passengers with digital services such as onboard retail and in-flight entertainment, delivered wirelessly to passengers’ own devices.
“Partnering with De Havilland Canada will help us bring the digital cabin to more airlines and more passengers worldwide, enabling a digital in-flight experience for passengers on regional routes served by the turboprops,” said Paul Rayson, Business Development Director, Bluebox.
These workstreams have representation from across the consortium and report monthly into the Steering Group.
The Forth Green Freeport area includes both the City of Edinburgh and the City of Dunfermline, directly supporting Forth Ports as the lead Forth Green Freeport delivery partner. In these City locations and across their hinterland including into the Falkirk Council area, a clear focus is placed on harnessing existing and future economic assets to maximise the growth and prosperity potential for all. Specific to Dunfermline as Scotland’s newest city, this will include maximising infrastructure investment aligned to the areas ongoing, planned strategic expansion, aligning investment funding opportunities to realise existing or future areas of employment land and building on the area’s proven success in tourism and other economic sectors such as fintech or information and communication.
Speaking to fbm Update, Drew Smith from Cupar based Contract Solutions Scotland Ltd, said, “We thank Fife Council’s Economic Development Team for their support in enabling us to take part in this year’s Space-Comm Expo event. It was fantastic to meet companies with whom we currently do business with, and to establish what other areas we could perhaps engage further, was just great.”
“We’ve had really strong enquiries since attending the show. Most importantly, we have learned so much about other companies and the products they design and manufacture, and to what context this is relevant to us. It was really helpful to meet the other Fife businesses attending the event, and to see how we can potentially all work together moving forward.
“Now, with De Havilland Canada actively supporting the engineering and certification of the installation of our Bluebox Wow hardware, all operators of Dash 8-400 aircraft will find the deployment process even simpler and faster.”
Bluebox Wow helps airlines deploy digital services to passengers quickly and cost-effectively. It is award-winning hardware that delivers a Blueview digital services platform to passenger devices wirelessly in any aircraft cabin. Bluebox Wow is the size of a lunchbox – lightweight, and easily deployed in overhead lockers. It is scalable and available in a portable batteryoperated version or a certified solution with a fitted partition, aircraft power, and further options such as PA pause.
Award winning EC Aluminium Limited, based in Southfield, Glenrothes, has made rapid growth over the last two years. The business manufactures and installs aluminium curtain walling, shop front, doors, windows and bifolds for the domestic and commercial markets. The business is run by husband and wife team, Christopher and Stephanie Davidson. Managing Director, Christopher, is a veteran who served in the Army Infantry, and was recently awarded Business of the Year at the Scottish Veteran Awards, as well as being shortlisted for Entrepreneur of the Year. A great achievement for a business that has come so far in a few years of operation.
As a client of Business Gateway Fife, business adviser, Samir Rhazali was able to secure Digital Boost support for the company’s website and offered Funding advice, with HR adviser, Catherine Bartle, also advising the couple. Most recently, Kathryn Hill of Skills Development Scotland delivered her findings on a Skills for Growth report.
Samir commented, “The business has seen rapid growth in an incredibly short timescale. The next steps will be to apply for an upskilling grant to help tackle some of the skills shortage, and for Specialist Business Advice to help with financial modelling and forecasting.”
Project Manager, Stephanie Davidson told fbm Update, “We have used Business Gateway’s services to support us in a range of ways which has helped us tremendously including free webinars for our office team. Having a growth business adviser to give us support and advice as we continue to grow has been invaluable and, in some ways, instrumental in how we have moved from a small unit with three employees to a larger one with eleven employees. In fact, we are already at capacity again and have now identified another bigger unit, double the size, in the same estate, where we plan to move to accommodate the growing team. This will allow us to take on more staff and apprentices to continue to develop the business.”
After launching her skin therapy business, Pretty Sharp Skin Specialists in May 2022, Martina-Jean Spence operated out of Smooth Laser Clinic in Cowdenbeath until the premises next door were renovated. On 11th June, she was finally able to open the doors of her own new bespoke skin clinic on the High Street in Cowdenbeath.
Armed with many industry qualifications, she now offers a huge range of treatments and therapies to all types of clients, young and old from aesthetic solutions, piercings and teeth whitening to cryotherapy and electrolysis. She has achieved all this while juggling motherhood with three boys. As a client of Business Gateway Fife, Martina-Jean’s business adviser, Marissa Yassen-Fleming, was able to secure a Business Improvement Grant which allowed the renovation works to take place and Martina-Jean also received a Net Zero grant which enabled her to install a new heating system and air conditioning.
Martina-Jean told fbm Update, “I don’t believe that we should compromise skincare and it needs looking after in the best way possible. We aim to provide effective treatments in a welcoming, relaxing environment. I continue to strive to be the best and continue to study and learn. I will also continue to work closely with the Laser Clinic next door.”
Marissa commented, “Martina-Jean has shown she has determination and ambition to really make a success of the business. We will be continuing to support Martina-Jean throughout her journey as she continues to develop and grow her business.”
Fife College students have benefited from over £1 million in scholarship awards over the last 25 years. To celebrate this special £1 million milestone, the College has announced a new scholarship – the Adam Smith 300 Enterprise Scholarship.
Created in partnership with Fife Council, OnFife and Business Gateway Fife, the new scholarship has been launched on the day of Adam Smith’s 300th anniversary in June.
Aimed at supporting students taking their first steps in setting up their own business, the new Adam Smith 300 Enterprise Scholarship will include financial support, thanks to a donation from Fife Council’s economic development, a residency within the new Design Suite in the refurbished Adam Smith Theatre when it opens later this year, thanks to OnFife, as well as mentoring support and guidance from Business Gateway Fife
S1 pupils from St Andrews RC school in Kirkcaldy recently took part in a breakfast cereal challenge set by Fife Council’s Culture of Enterprise programme. Working in teams, their mission was to create an exciting new breakfast cereal for today’s market!
Each team had to name their business, create logos/branding, undertake market research, create a marketing campaign, work out the price and related finance and then create the PowerPoint for presenting to the selected ‘dragon judges’. Each class had to compete to get to the semi-final and then the final. What an achievement from the S1 pupils.
The panel of dragons at the final were Lindsay Roy, former MP, Lynn Lloyd from Fife Council Economic Development, Councillor Altany Craik, and Mr Callaghan, Head teacher at St Andrews RC High.
Adam Smith Scholarships, previously known as Adam Smith Foundation, was set up in 1997 by the former Fife College Principal, Joyce Johnston. Over the years the scholarship programme has gone from strength to strength under the watchful eye of trustees and former staff.
In recent years the scholarships moved from a Foundation into being fully managed by the College, a small increase in resources has enabled it to flourish - since it was established it has awarded 2,286 students a share of over £1 million.
Many of the students have found receiving a scholarship to be life-changing, enabling them to remain at college, purchase the resources they need to continue with their studies and achieve their dreams.
Jim Metcalfe, Fife College Principal, told fbm Update, “We are immensely proud of our Adam Smith Scholarships programme, which is one of the largest college scholarship programmes in the country.
“Awarding over £1 million to date, the programme has supported thousands of Fife College students, developing opportunities, opening doors, and transforming lives.
“It is fantastic to celebrate this significant milestone with some of our amazing scholarship supporters and of course announce our new scholarship on Adam Smith’s 300th Anniversary.
“We are certain that Adam Smith would be very pleased that we are marking his tercentenary in this special way, supporting our students in Fife to be entrepreneurs of the future.”
The four finalists presented their ideas, with Shark Attack declared as the overall winner- with Mr Smorz, coming a very close second.
Lynn Lloyd, Economic Adviser within Economic Development told fbm Update, “The level of effort, commitment and creativity across the exercise was truly amazing, considering all the current aspects of net zero, sustainability, fair trade, social media etc, plus the overall importance of advertising and marketing. Even internationalisation was addressed! Each one of the finalists deserved to be a winner.”
Councillor Altany Craik was extremely impressed with the pupils’ input, commenting, “I was blown away by the efforts and presentations of the teams. A credit to themselves, the school, and their families. Well done to all involved in making the challenge such a success. It was a pleasure to be one of the Dragons.”
Teacher, Ms Khanam, said she was “very proud of all pupils who took part in this challenge - they all worked very hard and developed various skills which will provide them with skills for life and work. I would also like to thank Economic Development’s Culture of Enterprise Programme who sponsored the prizes and all the Dragons for giving up the time to take part.”
if they could assist in finding suitable local premises which could offer them a longer-term accommodation solution. The space needed to be large enough to house both a workshop and an office.
Carrying out a property search, and subsequent due diligence check, Business Property Services within Economic Development quickly identified vacant premises at the business centre as potentially the new home for Bikeworks Fife and they were able to be moved into their new base in just a two-week timeframe. This convenient location allows members of the public to easily pop in, whether to buy refurbished bikes, or to donate bikes to be repurposed.
Bikeworks Fife, a Glenrothes based registered charity which refurbishes used bicycles that are then given back to the community on a “pay what you can basis,” has thanked Fife Council Economic Development, for its help in finding and securing them a new workshop and office space.
The organisation, which offers premium refurbished bikes at competitive prices (based on current second-hand values) and provides affordable repairs and maintenance, is now settled in its new premises at Fife Food & Business Centre, Southfield Industrial Estate, Glenrothes.
The charity reached out to Economic Development, asking
“We are thrilled with our new premises and wish to thank Economic Development for pulling out all the stops to make this move happen so quickly and efficiently,” said Ian Byrne, owner of Bikeworks Fife.
“The space was absolutely ideal for us to adapt things into the type of workshop we needed, giving us enough room for an office too.”
Ian finished by saying: “Most importantly, this is a long-term location for us. We no longer have any doubtful thoughts about the type of upheaval and uncertainty that we had unfortunately been subject to in the past, allowing us the time to concentrate on what we do best – repurposing bikes and getting them fixed up and back into the community.”
Since its reopening, Bikeworks Fife has launched Bikeworks Repair Relief. By opting in, any customer can avail of £30 off the cost of labour on any repair or maintenance.
Family-run enterprise, K9 Active Natural Dog Store, has entered a new chapter of growth. Pioneers in natural dog care, K9 Active is moving to larger premises at Elgin Industrial Estate, Dunfermline.
The ethos at K9 Active is one that combines entrepreneurial spirit with a deep love for pets. Keith and Zena Conkey, the owners, have long been advocates of natural pet care. Their philosophy is food, treats, and supplements for canine friends should be as natural as possible, free of harmful additives. This commitment to natural pet care has set them apart, carving a unique niche in the regional market. They started the business from home in 2008, then opened their first store in Rosyth five years ago. Their new location offers more than just a larger retail space. It also brings increased opportunities for employment and local partnerships. The expansion also symbolises a critical step towards fulfilling their vision of a healthier, happier canine community.
Keith told fbm Update, “K9 Active has a mission to foster a stronger bond within Fife’s dog-loving community. The larger store will host regular events, such as the K9 Active Puppy Hour. This event, held every fortnight, encourages puppies under 20 weeks to socialise, providing an environment for local pet owners to connect and share experiences.
“In partnership with various manufacturers, K9 Active will also host food tasting days, allowing pet owners to learn about the health benefits of natural pet products, stimulating the demand for higher-quality pet care in the region. We are really excited about the future of K9 Active.”
A special exhibition celebrating Glenrothes’ 75th birthday will open at the end of this month – showcasing the town’s heritage, it’s people, community spirit and businesses.
The Glenrothes 75 Years exhibition, which will run at the Kingdom Centre throughout July, August and September, will give locals and visitors alike a chance to look back at how the town has flourished from its inception back in 1948 to become the forward-facing, dynamic town it is today.
As well as looking at Glenrothes’ past, present and future, the role of community groups will also be to the fore with the launch of the inaugural Glenrothes Area Community Champion and Community Group Champion Awards.
Displays will be up and running from June 30th, exactly 75 years to the day when the delegation order establishing Glenrothes as a new town was signed. Running alongside, the Glenrothes and Area Heritage Centre will also put many of its fascinating exhibits in the Rothes Halls for all to see.
The Old Manor Hotel at Lundin Links has appointed a new Operations Manager. With thirty years’ experience in the hospitality sector, Samantha Slight, who is from Dunfermline, joins the hotel from Airth Castle, where she had been Operations Manager for the last ten years.
Her career has also seen her fulfil an Operations Manager role at the Balbirnie Hotel at Markinch, Food & Beverage Service Manager at The Scotsman Hotel, and Hotel Manager at the Ferrybridge Hotel in North Queensferry.
Tommy Wallace, one of the Directors at Pettycur Bay Holiday Park, which purchased the Old Manor Hotel in late 2021, commented on Samantha’s appointment saying, “it is absolutely fantastic to have someone of Samantha’s considerable experience on board. We can’t wait to see what Samantha and her team come up with in terms of events because we have the perfect space here. We really want to put Hotel back on the map for both amazing functions and top class dining out.”
The UK release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny will lock in Cupar firm Scaramanga’s place as a go-to supplier of vintage lifestyle items to Hollywood movies – as it’ll be the fifth Tinseltown flick with its products released in just nine weeks and its 24th overall, including films in five of the Top 10 biggest-grossing movie series.
The fifth film in the iconic Indiana Jones series, starring Harrison Ford, bought a satchel, wooden pulleys and three large old iron padlocks from the company in May 2021. Its release marks the end of a nine-week ‘Hollywood High Five’ for the firm, which started with the release on Disney+ of live action remake Peter Pan & Wendy. It includes two vintage suitcases and a trunk supplied by Scaramanga. The following weeks have seen Fast X open with two Scaramanga tins, one shaped like a car, the Disney musical live action rejig of The Little Mermaid including an old wooden pulley from the Cupar firm and The Flash, with a satchel, wooden pulleys and a vintage padlock.
Scaramanga products have now appeared in 24 major films, including ones in five of the Top 10 biggest-grossing movie series1, confirming its place as a go-to supplier of vintage items to the Hollywood film industry.
Scotland’s leading ducting manufacturer, distributor and installer, Ductform HFE, based in Glenrothes, is delighted to be taking part in new works on an innovative charging buoy, that can bring green electricity to offshore wind farm service vessels and potentially, to a wide range of maritime vessels.
By substituting fossil-based fuels with green electricity, virtually all emissions are eliminated while the buoy is in use. The company has already worked on major projects like the Scottish Hydro Arena, Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers, Shetland gas plant and the Scottish Parliament and works across a range of sectors including oil and gas, renewables, marine and construction.
TJ Ross is celebrating 45 years in business. The Glenrothes based family business, led by father, Martin and son, Alyn, pours heart and soul and a great deal of experience into every project. The whole team is united by a common passion to provide bespoke, enduring pieces, whether it be sash and case timber windows, doors, screens or cabinetry. More than half the staff started their working life with the company as apprentices. Developing and perfecting their timber craft skills over the years, they have continued to delight their returning clients. Well done on an amazing achievement Team TJ Ross!
Wemyss Malts keeps on winning with all three of its blended malts being awarded gold medals at this year’s Spirit Business Awards! This recognition is a testament to its commitment to excellence in crafting exceptional blends that captivate whisky enthusiasts worldwide. Well done!
Oran Homecare, a locally owned and operated care provider from Fife, has been announced as the winner of the 2023 Scottish Care Provider of the Year award. Nominated alongside UK national care giants ‘Bluebird Homecare’ and ‘The Good Care Group,’ the Fife care organisation emerged as the winner, receiving recognition for exceptional commitment to delivering outstanding care services to its clients - a great achievement!
PASSING THE SELECTION STAGE
11 JULY | 13:30 - 15:00
HOW TO WRITE OUTSTANDING TENDERS
19 JULY | 10:30 - 12:00
UNDERSTANDING AND BIDDING
27 JULY | 13:00 - 15:00
IMPROVING YOUR BID SCORE
1 AUGUST | 10:30 - 12:00
RESPONDING TO TENDER POLICY REQUIREMENTS
9 AUGUST | 13:30 - 15:00
More information on the Supplier Development Programme events can be found here.
As part of InvestFife’s Trade Development Programme, they are looking to support a limited number of Fife businesses to attend Semicon Europe 2023 in Munich, Germany this year. The show takes place from 14th to 17th November 2023.
More information here.
This is an in person interactive workshop to be held at St Andrews Management Centre, Cupar.
8 AUGUST | 09:30 - 16:00
More information can be found here
WORDPRESS INTERMEDIATE
5 JULY | 09:30 - 11:30
ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION
10 JULY | 09:30 - 11:30
NEWLY SELF-EMPLOYED – THE BASICS
13 JULY | 09:30 - 11:00
MASTERING SELLING SKILLS
17 JULY | 09:30 - 11:30
SOCIAL MEDIA BASIC MARKETING
2 AUGUST | 09:30 - 11:30
MAKING KEY WORDS WORK FOR YOUR WEBSITE
9 AUGUST | 09:30 - 11:30
START-UP – BUSINESS PLANNING/FINANCE/ AND MARKETING WORKSHOP
21 AUGUST | 18:00 - 20:00
The newly refurbished Dean Park Hotel in Kirkcaldy is hosting a Corporate/Networking event, bringing together local businesses. There will be presentations from Fife Tourism Partnership, Fife Chamber, Cluny Activities and Kingsbarns Distillery.
9 AUGUST | 16:00 - 18:30
More information can be found here