Think Global Special Feature

THINKING GLOBAL SPECIAL FEATURE 20/20 VISION

Media guru marks 25 years wowing clients

ON TARGET

As exports grow, can firms take advantage?

POWERING ON

We catch up with last year’s award winners

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WELCOME

LET’S HELP MORE CATCH THE EXPORTING BUG Welcome to our ‘Thinking Global’ Special report. This has been part of BQ Scotland’s continued partnership with Scottish Enterprise designed to raise awareness of the imperative for Scottish business to consider international exporting The recent Scottish exporting figures – which deal with 2013 – are highly encouraging. It will be interesting to see if the momentum continued last year and is pressing on to even higher levels in 2015. It is difficult to tell without the statistics but, anecdotally, there is a significant buzz among Scottish companies looking at exporting markets. Many of the firms who had not previously considered going further afield than Scotland are joining trade missions, exploring partnerships and setting up relationships in new territories.

At BQ we can tell there is an increase in interest because of the bumper entries for the BQ Scotland Export awards, at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow at the end of the month. The increase in Scottish companies putting themselves forward is very satisfying. Many companies have been dipping their toes in the water, and they like what they have found. That all requires conversion into business contracts and exports.

Of course, the Scottish Enterprise and the teams at Scottish Development International, must take a lot of the credit for doing their stuff. They have been cajoling and politely suggesting to more companies that there are great marketing opportunities in the right international markets.

One of last year’s BQ winners, Alba Power from Aberdeenshire, have been making the most of their success and have recently been able to open a second US facility in North Carolina. That’s the kind of success story that we love at BQ Scotland. It’s clear that once Scottish firms get the exporting bug, it’s difficult to shake off.

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SPECIAL FEATURE | SPRING 15

NEWS

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Survey reveals high praise for Scottish oil and gas suppliers, Weir Group performs well despite price slump, three companies benefit from guardian archangels, winds of change set to boost South Lanarkshire community >> Leading the way Scottish oil and gas suppliers are ‘liked’ around the world. 74% of senior global oil and gas figures prefer working with Scottish suppliers and a similar number believe Scotland is a leading training ground for the industry.

While 88% of respondents in the United States stated a preference for working with Scottish suppliers International research, carried out by Scottish Enterprise, also found that 71% of respondents see Scottish employees as some of the most dependable. The research analysed the views of more than 260 industry leaders.

David Rennie, head of international oil and gas, Scottish Enterprise, said: “This research quantifies what we’ve long been hearing – that Scotland has a world-leading reputation when it comes to developing skills and experience in the oil and gas industry. The challenge for Scotland is to further build on the strengths we know we have when it comes to career development and progression, and use them to tap into more opportunities for both our people and our oil and gas supply chain at a global level.”

Scotland has a world leading reputation

>> Bowleven get presidential approval Bowleven, the Edinburgh-based oil and gas exploration group working in Africa, has announced that the Cameroon presidential decree regarding its Etinde transaction has now been signed. This is the final outstanding condition of the farm-out process with LUKOIL and NewAge. The company will receive the initial cash of approximately $170 million from LUKOIL and NewAge.

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>> Weir weathers storm Glasgow-based Weir Group – one of Scotland’s major exporters – showed growth in tough markets as oil and gas prices slumped. The company had a 14% increase in aftermarket orders for its pumps and revenues, while aftermarket orders were 67%, up from 64% last year. The company had an order output of £2.47bn, with revenues of £2.43bn, and operating profits of £450m. “2014 demonstrated the strength of Weir’s strategy and aftermarket-focused business model as we captured good growth opportunities in fast changing markets. Significant progress was made in developing new products, working in partnership with customers, expanding into new markets through the acquisition of Trio, and streamlining our operations to maintain cost competitiveness,” said chief executive Keith Cochrane. “In terms of outlook for 2015, we will continue to make progress in delivering our strategy while responding to market conditions as they evolve. The Group has already acted following steep price declines in key commodities, particularly oil, taking additional measures to reduce operating costs,” he said. “While visibility in oil and gas remains limited, it is clear that the group’s strategic progress and cost initiatives will only partly offset the impact of a substantial reduction in demand and the associated pricing pressure.”

>> Archangels step in with new co-funding Archangels, the Scottish business angel syndicate, has completed a funding round of £3.3m for three growing businesses alongside Scottish Enterprise’s investment arm, Scottish Investment Bank. All three businesses are now competing on a global stage and have received support from Archangels from

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an early stage. Around 60 of Archangels’ investor members chose to participate in these funding rounds. PowerPhotonic Ltd which, from its Dalgety Bay base, designs, manufactures and supplies high value optics that manipulate the light from lasers for customers in a range of sectors from defence to the medical sector, has this week received a further £2m of investment from Archangels and SIB. The business will use the additional funding to increase its product development, manufacturing and sales and marketing capabilities. Livingston-based Bloxx Ltd, whose web and email filtering software is used by schools, colleges and companies across Europe and the US, has received a further £800,000 of capital. Bloxx plans to revamp its sales operation to take advantage of the growth in demand for real time filtering of content to ensure that customers can effectively block inappropriate internet and email content.

Administrate is based in Edinburgh and provides online training management software that automates the workflow required to deliver education. The company has received a further £577,000 of investment in this most recent round and will use the funds to support further product development, customer service, sales and marketing. John Waddell, chief executive of Archangels, said: “Each of these businesses is world class in its own field and they are all excellent examples of the types of Scottish enterprises that Archangels is uniquely positioned to support. They simply couldn’t have developed to the stage that they have today without Archangels and we’re proud of what we have achieved.”

Each of these businesses is world class in its field

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>> Open for business A business park to strengthen Scotland’s food and drink sector is open for business. Perth Food and Drink Park – representing a £5m investment by Perth and Kinross Council – provides up to 11 serviced development plots across a 16 acre site. Within Perth and Kinross, the combined turnover of the food and drink sector is estimated at £280m and there are an estimated 130 companies in the processing sector.

The new project, through Albion Community Power plc, will be based in Crianlarich and will produce power for 2,000 homes.

>> Cable’s green deal UK Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced a new investment of £60m by the UK Green Investment Bank and the Strathclyde Pension Fund.

>> Orion Health moves Leading population health management company Orion Health has opened a new office in Glasgow. Orion Health is looking to build on its work with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC), where it is helping the health board deliver efficiency and safety improvements through its health technology. The New Zealandbased firm, founded in 1993, is also working with the West of Scotland boards including NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, and two other Scottish health boards.

NEWS

>> Community wind farm given boost A new wind farm project in South Lanarkshire has received £8.13m in funding and is set to boost the local community.

Stewart Energy Ltd, which owns the project, is made up of the Stewart family, and Lesmahagow Development Trust. The project has received £1.63m in funding from Scottish Enterprise’s Renewable Energy Investment Fund (REIF) together with a senior loan of £6m and a £500,000 VAT facility from Santander Corporate & Commercial.

It is anticipated Stewart Energy will deliver annual seven figure turnover in each of the next 25 years.

The three turbine project will have a total capacity of 2.5MW which could generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of over 300 homes.

>> Larger autoclave for Prestwick The UTC Aerospace Systems – Aerostructures is enhancing its ability to serve its airline customers in Prestwick in Ayrshire.

The site has purchased a large-diameter autoclave that will allow repairs on composite nacelle systems for the newest twin-aisle aircraft, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Airbus A350 XWB. The autoclave, which will be operational in late 2015, complements a smaller autoclave already in use at the Prestwick site.

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SPECIAL FEATURE | SPRING 15

ENTREPRENEUR

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MANAGING THE MEDIUM IS THE 20/20 MESSAGE Kenny Kemp meets Alastair Scott, one of the founding figures of 20/20 Productions, who are celebrating 25 years of wowing clients with their creative offerings

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You’re having a mega launch of a strategic product or service and the global media will be watching but first you need to energise your own staff. It has to be a glittering multimedia feast for the senses, that wins over hearts and minds. It has to sizzle but not explode. However, theatrical showpieces for business are a minefield of digital demons, all waiting to floor the perfect presentation. How do you deal with this?

Alastair Scott, managing director of Edinburgh-based 20/20 Productions, relishes this kind of Rubik-cube digital challenge. His

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company, celebrating 25 years in business this summer, has built an unsurpassed reputation for presenting high profile communications that excel.

“Every time a global company launches a new product or is involved with mass engagement of its people, there are live events where the chief executive and his team address both customers and staff. The potential for something to go wrong is enormous. Things cannot go wrong: that’s a pressure cauldron to live with,” he insists.

Scott was born in Scotland and moved to

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ENTREPRENEUR

Yorkshire. He had aspirations of becoming an actor, but became a theatre technician instead, working in Harrogate’s theatres, including its listed Frank Matcham auditorium.

He learned his trade from secondments with Yorkshire Television, variety shows and opera companies, and the likes of Tony Gill. [“I was extremely lucky when I learned my trade.”] The theatre team undertook the live Euro-wide broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1982, with Bardo singing the forgettable UK’s entry.

“In the 1980s, business theatre took a massive surge in popularity, so I went freelance. A lot of companies were launching their products with a theatrical flourish: it was the days of British Gas and the Tell Sid shareholders option. There were a lot of shareholder events that were hi-tech.”

Scott worked on many big ticket new launches across Europe and Africa.

“There was a lot of work

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around for everyone in the 1980s and 1990s.

Then we realised we could do in Scotland what the London agencies were doing in the rest of the UK. We also thought we could do it better. So we launched 20/20 Productions in 1990.”

Alastair and Andy MacKay, who met in Harrogate, founded the company. Looking back, the changes in the digital world have been like the leap from the chariot to the combustion engine. “We were focusing more on live events for business and video production. We have extended our services since then and with the digital age that has become a major part of our work.”

The company’s key areas are creative, digital, events and film, all helping to make a spectacular impression on internal communications for their clients.

“During the 1990s, we built up the business organically, working for the big players including RBS, HBOS, Standard Life – the >>

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ENTREPRENEUR bigger financial institutions,” says Scott.

Word of mouth spread the firm’s ability to transform a simple internal communication event into an engaging theatre spectacle for corporate businesses.

“Engagement is the key: if you are not engaging the audience and grabbing attention, you are missing a trick,” he says.

Meanwhile, in 2002, 20/20 Productions opened its office in San Francisco, in the SoMa area, with Andy moving over to the United States to head up this development.

“We reached the point where we felt we had to develop the business and take it further afield. As we were working all over the UK, it seemed impractical to open another office and duplicate everything, so we decided to set up in the United States.”

This proved to be a successful step for 20/20 Productions, with Andy moving permanently to the west coast of America.

“This part of the company is doing very well and serves some of the big multinationals in the Bay area. Our biggest claim to fame is a contract working for the United Nations, celebrating their 60th birthday. The company did all the event production. That was a colossal occasion with 110 heads of government.”

A few of the Edinburgh office were drafted in to help with this high prestige work. “It is competitive in the United States but there are not many companies able to offer what we do.”

In 2009, the UK business moved to its present address at the Pleasance, with its stunning top floor view of Arthur’s Seat, and for the past three years have been looking further afield; turning their attention to Dubai where they are now delivering live events.

“Over the last couple of years we’ve been encouraged by local suppliers in the Gulf who knew we were offering a very different service than was available.”

In May, 20/20 Productions are opening an office in Dubai, but there is plenty of other activity for the Scottish firm back at base.

“We’re just back from a live exhibition in Florence for one of the biggest oil companies in the world, we are producing a film for Heineken, and other internal comms pieces for Akzo-Nobel, the Dutch healthcare and

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chemicals company, and we’re working for Standard Life Investments. I am allowed to tell you we are doing it but I can’t tell you much more about what it is,” he says.

These projects encompass the four key areas of the business but Scott remarks: “We’ve witnessed a significant uptake in film production and animation as the first choice in visual communication.”

“For one of our projects, it all comes to life on an animated globe which is then reflected on a huge projection screen in an exhibition environment. This is hi-tech in a different way to get a message across. It is a mixture of different media styles, so it stands-out.”

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For Scott, it is all about a blend of highly creative talent and technical know-how, and the experience of what works and what can go drastically wrong. And because it is for corporate players, there is no margin for error or technological breakdown.

“We employ experts in their field, gathered together to create something that is not attributable to one individual. It’s true crossplatforming, and that’s the way we have worked since the start. We’ve managed to get people from a diverse range of creative and technical backgrounds.”

On a typical project, such as their work for the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development,

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at Olympia in London in May, the company is building five temporary theatres in the cavernous empty space of the exhibition hall for their Learning and Development conference. Project management and painstaking, early planning are key to success.

“We’ve been working with CIPD for 20 years.

Not only are we creating the content that runs live and applying the technical knowhow to make things work, we’re building and designing the spaces and the layout for the event. It is not a normal production exercise: it is an architectural and logistical challenge, on which we thrive.”

All this has to fit in with the ‘brand guidelines’ of the client and deliver to upwards of 2,500 visitors.

“We have to make the experience a memorable one. Our side is pushed the hardest because of the pressures of a live event.”

Scott says his project managers have a background mainly in events, and they have an understanding of all the aspects.

“We’ve developed our own technique for project and financial management over that time. We are adept at finding local suppliers,” he says.

In Dubai, the fledgling business will be served from Scotland, while Edinburgh can shift work through the time-zones for the west coast of American clients.

“The time differences work for us, especially on web and design projects, where we can be working during San Francisco’s night time and have it back to the client in the morning. This is easily transferred electronically,” he says.

20/20 Productions works ‘below the line’ and their work is rarely seen by the public, yet the same professional standards that viewers expect from high definition screens is now de rigueur for major corporate clients.

How does Scott ensure that things don’t go awry?

“We test, test and test again. We have service-level agreements with our suppliers, getting things put in place from the outset.

Actually, one of my senior producers says, ‘90% of the work is done before we get there.’ That’s true – a lot of what we do is in pre-planning.”

He says if things go wrong – and they

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ENTREPRENEUR

This kind of service is high value – and satisfied customers come back again, and again

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sometimes do – this is before the critical stage, and can be fixed before the live event.

“It is about anticipating problems before they happen.”

This kind of service is high value – and satisfied customers come back again, and again.

“People try to do these events on the cheap and it can be nerve-wracking because your belt and braces aren’t there. That’s not to say that things can’t be done economically.

The majority of what we do is internal communications and it is expected to be as good if not better than any external communications, so there is a high bar set. No longer do people gather in a canteen with a flip chart, that’s not good enough any more.

People expect information to be delivered to them in a professional way and that’s key to what we do,” says Scott.

The firm employs a core of 13, but also uses a bank of freelancers who step in depending on the project. On the CIPD project at Olympia, there will be over 50 people working in London.

The San Francisco office also has four people which scales up for bigger projects.

The 20/20 expertise extends to making commercial-style videos with its work for Old Mout, a New Zealand cider now made for Heineken, shortlisted for a national communications award.

After several tough years pulling themselves out of the recession, 20/20 Productions remain coy about turnover – which is around £500,000 – but Alastair Scott sees the new opportunities in an improving market and is confident that turnover will continue to increase significantly.

“Most businesses had a blip in their accounts in 2008 and 2009 – we were no different.

The shock waves went on for a few years after that, but in recent years we have seen a growth in turnover and we want that to continue. It has been a long, slow recovery but I can sense an upturn in the UK’s and our fortunes.”

20/20 Productions are typical of so many creative Scottish SMEs who have fought through the dark days – now they want to push ahead with renewed vigour and commitment to their clients. n

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INSIGHT

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SCOTLAND’S EXPORTERS ON TRACK TO HIT 2017 TARGET This year’s Global Connections Survey confirms that appetite for Scottish products and services is at a high – so how can we capitalise on this?

Scotland’s exports in 2013, excluding oil and gas, were £27.9bn, an increase of £1.9bn on the previous year. Among the key findings are £16.8bn (60.2%) of all exports are attributable to manufacturing sector companies, an increase of £1.3bn (8.2%) over the year, while £9.2bn (33.1%) is attributable to the service sector, an increase of £590m (6.8%) over the year.

Anne MacColl, chief executive officer of Scottish Development International, said: “The 2013 figures tell us there has been an increase of 7.2% in exports. That’s a very healthy increase and it shows that we are still on track to achieve the 50% increase in exports that we set ourselves as the target by 2017.”

Drilling down, over the last four years, exports from Scotland have increased by a fifth.

“That’s very encouraging news. Scottish goods, products and services have their place in the world. They are well received and they are growing in popularity and that should paint a positive picture for companies in particular who are thinking about exporting for the first time.”

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The market in Scotland is small and 99.7% of market opportunities lie outside of Scotland. Almost half of Scotland’s exports come from five particular industries. Two of them, manufactured food and drink (£5bn, 18% of all exports) and petrochemical and refining industries (£3.5bn, 12.6% of all exports) have been doing well. Food sales have been doing well, but after this top two, Scotland is strong in business services, machinery and equipment, and electronic products.

These top two sectors are followed by legal, accounting, management, architecture, engineering, technical testing and analysis (£1.9bn), manufacture of machinery and equipment (£1.7bn) and manufacture of computer, electronic & optical products (£1.6bn). The United States remains Scotland’s top export destination (as in the last 11 years) with an estimated £3.9bn exports, an increase of £185m (5%) since 2012. Netherlands was second with exports of £2bn, increasing by £55m (3%), Germany third, estimated to be worth £1.9bn, increasing by £195m (11%) since 2012. After this is France, with £1.8bn, and Denmark with £1.4bn. Also in the top ten were Norway (£1.1bn), Belgium (£1bn), Eire (£920m), Spain (£870m) and Italy (£745m).

“The key message around this and the way we handle this is to look very carefully at what we do well, not sector by sector but sub-sector by sub-sector. In Singapore, for example, we see an opportunity for water and waste efficiency companies in Scotland to develop a real offering there. The trick is to look at the industries in Scotland that are doing well and could do even better in the export markets.”

Ms MacColl said Scottish businesses need to continue to grow their ambition, confidence, and their credible offer to the world.

The figures also looked at exports to the rest of the UK. However, the report said: “Rest of UK exports estimates should be treated with some caution. It is more difficult to ascertain the final destination of sales within the UK as companies have no statutory requirement to collate financial information below UK leveI.” Furthermore, particular sectors face challenges in determining what constitutes an ‘export’.

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Scottish goods and services have their place in the world. They are well received and growing in popularity In an Intra-UK situation, this is particularly the case in the service sector where output is harder to quantify and the residence of the final consumer may be less clear. Rest of UK exports in 2013 (excluding oil and gas) are provisionally estimated at £46.2bn. The combined value of international and rest of UK exports in 2013 (excluding oil and

INSIGHT

gas) are provisionally estimated at £74.1bn.

Rest of UK exports account for 62% of all exports (International and rUK combined) from Scotland Service sector exports to the rest of the UK, and are of greater importance than for exports alone. 26.2% (£12.1bn) of UK exports are attributable to manufacturing sector companies and (51.4%) £23.7bn are attributable to service sector companies.

This compares to 60.2% for manufacturing and 33.1% for service for international exports. The five largest industry groups for rest of UK exports were: service finance and insurance (£7.9bn); utilities (£5.6bn); services wholesale & retail trade, repair of motor vehicles (£4.8bn); manufacture of food products, beverages and tobacco (£4.3bn); and mining and quarrying (£2.8 bn).

The Global Connections Survey is the only exports survey covering all sectors of the Scottish economy, including goods and services. n

Scotland’s top five exporting industries (% of exports in billions)

£

12.6% 6.7%

6.3%

REFINED PETROLEUM: £3.5BN

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT £1.7BN

18% FOOD & DRINK

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LEGAL, ACCOUNTING £1.9BN

5.7%

ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS: £1.6BN Source: Global Connections Survey 2013

SPECIAL FEATURE | SPRING 15

EXPORT AWARDS

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In association with Award Sponsors

The second annual BQ Scottish Export Awards 2015 held in association with Scottish Enterprise takes place on Tuesday 31 March at the Glasgow Hilton. The event brings together businesses from across Scotland to recognise and celebrate their export success. Exporting and international trade remain central to Scotland’s economic growth agenda and these awards are about recognising excellence in those emerging and wealth creating companies that are selling their products, services and expertise in scores of overseas markets.

Exporting continues to present an opportunity for Scotland to bring immediate and sustainable growth to its economy. It’s vital that we appreciate and recognise those Scottish companies that have made the transition from being great local companies to potentially world class exporters based in Scotland. By bringing together this exporting talent we aim to showcase those businesses that are carrying forward the exporting baton and to recognise their contributions.

We look forward to hearing some of their stories throughout the evening. We would

personally like to thank our judging panel – John Anderson, Director of The Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship at Strathclyde Business School; James Chadwick, Director, Grant Thorton; and BQ Scotland Editor, Kenny Kemp. With their help we have shortlisted 17 exporters across six categories with one category winner also receiving the title of BQ Scottish Exporter of the Year.

BQ Magazine continues to recognise and celebrate the contribution made by entrepreneurs across the UK whilst also encouraging and motivating others to succeed in business. The keynote address of the evening will be delivered by Brian McBride, Chairman of online fashion phenomenon ASOS plc, who will share the story of how they have used mobile technology, social media and digital marketing to reach global markets.

We are also joined by Mark Easton, BBC Home Editor, who as host for the evening will be sharing our export success stories.

Bryan Hoare, Director BQ Magazine

By bringing together this exporting talent we aim to showcase those businesses that are carrying forward the exporting baton and to recognise their contributions

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MOST ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPORTER OF THE YEAR A company that has demonstrated entrepreneurial flair within their export strategy. This will be shown through an extraordinary approach to reaching new markets where creativity and tenacity has resulted in success

HIGHLANDER SCOTLAND LTD www.highlander-outdoor.com

STEVENSON ASTROSAT www.astrosat.biz

STEVENS AND GRAHAM www.tartancarpets.co.uk

TWIG WORLD www.twig-world.com

PG PAPER COMPANY LTD www.pgpaper.com

GAIA-WIND LTD www.gaia-wind.com

PEAK SCIENTIFIC www.uk.peakscientific.com

LINGO 24 www.lingo24.com

HARRIS TWEED HEBRIDES www.harristweedhebrides.com

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SME EXPORTER OF THE YEAR Recognising outstanding achievements by a company in any industry with a turnover of between £5-£15million.

E-COMMERCE EXPORTER OF THE YEAR

HIGHLANDER SCOTLAND LTD

LINGO 24

www.highlander-outdoor.com

www.lingo24.com

HARRIS TWEED HEBRIDES

SEAENERGY PLC

A company that through e-commerce has

www.harristweedhebrides.com

www.seaenergy-plc.com

increased brand awareness and recognition, expanded into new markets, increased sales and

GAIA-WIND LTD

efficiency and improved customer service.

www.gaia-wind.com

HIGHLANDER SCOTLAND LTD www.highlander-outdoor.com

SCOTTISH EXPORT TEAM OF THE YEAR This award recognises a team that has added significant value to the business by implementing a strong and effective export sales strategy.

BUTE FABRICS LTD www.butefabrics.com

STEVENS AND GRAHAM www.tartancarpets.co.uk

HIGHLANDER SCOTLAND LTD

ENTIER LIMITED

www.highlander-outdoor.com

www.entier-services.com

CYBERHAWK INNOVATIONS

BUTE FABRICS LTD

www.thecyberhawk.com

www.butefabrics.com

FINE COFFEE CLUB www.finecoffeeclub.co.uk

TWIG WORLD www.twig-world.com

PEAK SCIENTIFIC www.uk.peakscientific.com

EMERGING START UP EXPORTER OF THE YEAR

LARGE EXPORTER OF THE YEAR

Recognises outstanding achievements by a

Recognising outstanding achievements by a company in any industry with a turnover greater than £15million.

ENTIER LIMITED www.entier-services.com

company in any industry that is new to exporting.

Businesses are expected to trade at/or above £70,000 turnover and employ staff within their

PEAK SCIENTIFIC

first 12-18 months of trading.

www.uk.peakscientific.com

ADMINISTRATE

PG PAPER COMPANY LTD

www.getadministrate.com

www.pgpaper.com

STEVENSON ASTROSAT www.astrosat.biz

FINE COFFEE CLUB

BQ SCOTTISH EXPORTER OF THE YEAR

www.finecoffeeclub.co.uk

This award will be presented to a company that has made an outstanding contribution to

NB GIN

Scotland’s export profile and success. Companies must have demonstrated how they have

www.nbgin.com

overcome their barriers when entering new markets. The winner of this award will be selected from the winners of the above award categories and announced on the evening of the awards.

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MABBETT www.twig-world.com

SPECIAL FEATURE | SPRING 15

CASE STUDY

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CASE STUDY

ALBA POWERING AHEAD IN THE UNITED STATES Since winning last year’s BQ Export Awards, Alba Power have opened a new servicing site for gas turbine engines in North Carolina. Kenny Kemp gets an update on a worthy winner There’s no doubt, it has been an exceptional year for Alba Power, winners of last year’s BQ Scotland Export Award for Most Entrepreneurial Exporters. The firm has just opened another site in the United States and has already won orders.

Gas and power turbines drive heavy industry across a number of sectors and these sophisticated pieces of kit require maintenance and upgrades to keep them working efficiently.

Alba Power, based in Netherley, outside Aberdeen, has won plaudits as one of the most entrepreneurial exporters in Scotland.

While Alba Power might not be the biggest firm in the repair and reconditioning of the Rolls-Royce turbine such as the Avon, Olympus and RB211, they have been continuously striving to give the best service.

Within its first week of opening in February this year, Alba Power Inc, in North Carolina, has received work projects with three Avon engines serviced by its expert US engineering team. In the last few years, the company has been working with Petrologics in Houston where they have developed a ‘complete package over-haul’, where the insides of a turbine can be re-engineered to

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substantially increase its operational life and its environmental efficiency.

The bookings in advance of the North Carolina opening show how beneficial the additional American site is to regional clients.

Welcoming the engines was President of Americas Operations Andy McClare and his team of experts.

As the leading global independent, servicing over 140 engines in more than 16 countries across the world, Andy and his team are continuing to build on Alba Power’s award-winning ethos of understanding the customer’s business and delivering over and above their expectations.

Campbell Archibald, President of Alba Power Inc, also visited the site for its opening week.

“The new site opening is a hugely exciting time for Alba Power. Last year saw our exporting efforts recognised by industry awards and this latest development echoes that success.”

Last year Alba Power was awarded Entrepreneurial Exporter of the Year at the BQ Export Awards in April. This was followed in November when the firm was recognised as Export Champion at the Growing Business Awards. Alba Power are delighted to be

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named as finalists at the Society of Petroleum Engineers Offshore Achievement Awards, in March, once again being nominated as Export Champion.

He said: “We are delighted to be nominees for Export Champion at the prestigious awards but just knowing the added benefits and support that the new site can provide for our trusted and loyal customers is a fantastic achievement for the whole team.”

Terry Alderton, Managing Director of Alba Power, said: “I am hugely proud and delighted to announce the opening of Alba Power Inc in North Carolina. Since 2012 we have made a concerted effort to drive our internalisation forward and we are all really excited about this latest development. I look forward to continued growth in both the UK and overseas.”

“There are many times when clients require local repairs, services and work carried out on engines. Andy McClare and his team are specialists in this level of support, proving time and again the benefits of returning clients to operational excellence as swiftly as possible.

The facility will only add to our offering and enable this team to provide a more responsive service to our US based clients”. n

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Award sponsors

In association with

CELEBRATING EXPORT SUCCESS ACROSS SCOTLAND Tuesday 31 March 2015 Glasgow Hilton

Tickets £100+VAT

Table of 10 £900+VAT

TO BOOK call Hilary Dunne on 0191 426 6333 or email hilary.dunne@be-group.co.uk

6.15pm for 7.00pm Glasgow Hilton, 1 William Street, Glasgow, G3 8HT Black Tie/Highland Dress Keynote Speaker Brian McBride, Chairman of ASOS plc Host Mark Easton, BBC Home Editor Carriages From 10.30pm, bar open until midnight

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