Renewables contract wins deliver global growth for ACE Winches

ACE Winches continues its strategy to further expand its global renewables expertise following the award of multiple contracts in Europe and the Far East.

The projects, with a combined seven-figure value, advance the Aberdeenshire-headquartered company’s drive to increase its market share in the renewables sector, an area identified as a key part to its continued international growth.

ACE has been awarded a contract to provide equipment and personnel to support the delivery of a 300-megawatt offshore wind farm in Taiwan, which is expected to be installed over several campaigns during the next few years.

The company is also supporting the development of an additional offshore wind farm in Taiwan, which will be completed in 2025.

ACE Chief Commercial Officer Gary Wilson said: “The recent contract awards in both Europe and the Far East demonstrates our capabilities in delivering high-quality work in a fast-growing sector, and it is something we will continue to grow.”

Aberdeen International Airport’s disruptive passenger campaign has been launched ahead of the 2023 summer season.

In partnership with Police Scotland, Campus Watch was introduced to tackle disruptive behaviour at Aberdeen International Airport.

While incidents of disruptive passengers at the North-east’s biggest transport hub are extremely rare, the safety of passengers and staff remains a priority at the airport. Part of the initiative helps provide training, advice and support to staff who interact with passengers throughout their journey.

Airport staff will report individuals displaying disruptive behaviour, such as those under the influence of alcohol or abusive to staff to the airport’s central control room.

This information is shared with staff across the airport campus via a rapid text alert system and passengers can be given warnings about their behaviour, monitored by police and airport staff, or even refused alcohol at all bars and restaurants.

What does your business do?

We provide professional executive coaching, training programmes and facilitated courses and workshops to CEO’s, MD’s, Directors, Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs.

What sort of companies do you do business with?

Our client’s companies are diverse and cover many sectors. Currently we are working with oil supply, property, recruitment, health and wellbeing, education, catering, and FM companies, as well as charities from the third sector. Our clients include local, national and international companies and organisations.

When was your business established?

KA Coaching was established in May 2017. In August 2018 we added our training arm to the business.

When was your business established?

The Aberdeen Douglas Hotel Ltd is an independently owned business, established in 2005. Through the past 18 years of major investments, we have since grown to include Malones Irish Bar in 2009, the Royal Athenaeum Suites in 2014, and the Shiprow Village development in 2020.

What is the biggest challenge facing your business at the moment?

The workplace is a dynamic environment, particularly now. It’s important we ensure our products and services stay current to meet our client’s needs and successfully deliver

What does your business do?

Our primary service is accommodation: hotel and serviced apartments. We also specialise in various dinners, dances, and meetings in our Grand Ballroom. We have inhouse dining in Molly’s Bistro and the Shiprow Village area offers a selection of food and beverage outlets including Malones, Ivy Lodge and The Old Workshop.

What sort of companies do you do business with?

We have good business relationships with many corporate companies within Aberdeen, and further afield, spanning the oil and gas industry, shipping companies, accountancy firms, governmental establishments, as well as the leisure-based sector. Our Grand Ballroom plays host to events and meetings for all sectors of business.

What is the biggest challenge facing your business at the moment?

Energy prices, business rates, and new skills, knowledge and add value and results.

Because the workplace is a dynamic environment right now, it creates opportunities for business to grow and change. This can mean personal growth for individuals to take on new responsibilities which will create opportunities for executive coaching, training programmes and facilitated courses or workshops.

The business has a strong culture supported by our core values and key value proposition. We are really proud of this achievement and are passionate to ensure anyone who interacts with us will experience our key value proposition, which is to enhance the professional and personal results of all our clients.

the general cost of buying goods are challenging. Also, recruitment for the hospitality sector has its difficulties. We have also noticed a drop in corporate travel since CV19 due to new technologies being available to companies and reducing the requirement for travel.

We are growing our corporate and leisure accommodation business within all sectors, especially with the Port of Aberdeen welcoming cruise liners. We are receiving a lot more enquiries to our Ballroom for meetings and events. Plus, Shiprow Village creates a huge opportunity to attract customers, especially in the summer.

I am very passionate about building and retaining the team within the business as I believe this to be our biggest asset in the hotel, and coming through the challenging times of the pandemic, always delivering excellent service.

Laura Mearns, Owner and Director, Northwood

When was your business established?

Northwood is a family business, which was established by my husband Steven and I in June 2008. We opened our doors in Rosemount Place in January 2009 (six months after the birth of our first child!). Our second office in Inverurie opened in 2021.

What does your business do?

Northwood specialises in residential sales and leasing across the Northeast. Our estate agency - Bespoke by Northwood - offers clients a tailored plan to find the right buyer for their home. An established letting agent, we specialise in providing clients with our unique guaranteed rent service, and traditional property management and tenant find services.

What sort of companies do you do business with?

We work with a variety of landlords and buy-to let-investors, as well as contractors across the city who provide our landlords with a professional and reliable maintenance service. We love working and supporting local businesses in the Rosemount and Inverurie areas where we operate.

What is the biggest challenge at the moment?

The ever-changing legislation that the Scottish Government continues to introduce to the Private Rented competitive market, I decided that with the right initial staff I could make CLR a success.

What does your business do?

CLR service, sell and install commercial catering, laundry and refrigeration equipment. We mainly work in Grampian, Highlands and Tayside with our target market in private and public schools, colleges, universities, private estates, oil and blue chip companies.

Matthew McKenzie, Managing Director, CLR Service and Sales Ltd

When was your business established?

Starting with three employees in March 2017, CLR now employs 20 full time members of staff. After working in commercial catering for 17 years, I decided to start up on my own. I’ve never backed down from a challenge and in an already aggressive,

What sort of companies do you do business with?

One week, we’re repairing equipment in a university, next we’re designing and delivering a major project from inception to completion. We’re lucky to work with clients who truly appreciate what we bring to the table. They trust us to provide honest, reliable advice and an exceptional level of service.

What is the biggest challenge at the moment?

Availability of stock is a problem for many industries currently and we’re no exception. Due to the pandemic we had to rethink our entire business model to hold stock in both Inverness and Aberdeen of critical equipment, loan equipment and increase our workshop stock as well as our engineers van stock.

Sector (PRS). Along with increased buy-to-let mortgage rates, these have forced many landlords out of the PRS, resulting in a shortage of stock as demand for rental home increases, leaving many without suitable homes, particularly the student market.

And the biggest opportunity?

Supporting landlords through the everchanging legislation landscape and providing them with robust professional advice to help them make decision regarding their investments. We are also excited to step up our sales service, Bespoke by Northwood. This provides sellers in the North-east a truly tailored approach to selling their home.

What are you most passionate and proud of?

The Northwood team – they are dedicated, love to help people, and always go over and above for our clients. One of our proudest moments was in 2019, when we won the Northwood Franchise of the Year Award. With over 90 offices across the UK, this was a significant achievement.

And the biggest opportunity?

To build on our success in the sectors we’ve been lucky to work in and grow the company strategically in line with our values. Many tender processes can take a while to come to fruition but we don’t give up. We know the type of work we want and we’re focused in achieving our goals.

What are you most passionate and proud of?

I’m passionate about being at the top of our game and I’m proud of the culture of shared learning we’ve built here. Our engineers pass down their knowledge to a new generation through our apprenticeship scheme with updates at our weekly meetings where focus is always on maintaining high standards.