Record turnover for Edinburgh Boiler Company
The Edinburgh Boiler Company (EBC) has reported a record turnover of £7.2 million after a successful transition into the renewables sector.
The firm's latest set of financial results for the year ended 31 March 2025 shows sales up 60 per cent on the previous 12 months' figure of £4.6m.
The company is targeting continued growth with a £10m turnover in the coming year.
A strategic move into sustainable energy provided the platform for the strong performance, with £2.7m of the reported growth coming from solar panel and heat pump installations, while inclusion on the Warmworks framework for the Scottish Government's Heat in Buildings Scotland National Scheme was also a major factor.
Staffing levels have also risen significantly, the recruitment of electricians, gas engineers, roofers and admin staff seeing the head count sit at 53, up 20 per cent on the previous year.
Dougie Bell was appointed as managing director 15 months ago, the promotion seeing founder Mark Glasgow move into the role of chairman, with the new structure working well for the company which was named Building Services Contractor of the Year at the 2024 H&V News Awards in December.
'I'm proud of the way the company has grown,' said Bell. 'It is how myself and Mark saw things progressing but we have probably exceeded expectations.
'Our growth has come from the new avenues Mark and I identified a couple of years ago as we looked at not only future-proofing EBC but growing the business through solar, heat pumps and contracts.
'The big transition was towards the end of 2023 so the first full financial year including the renewables was from April 2024 to March 2025. We knew we had to move into this area and are very pleased with the response from the team and how everyone has adapted.
'We have good people working in each department. We have been recruiting local people who care about the business and they have done well coming into a new and growing industry and all credit to them for their commitment to make this work.
'Plus, we are managing to hold our own in the boiler market. Even though it is in a decline, we are managing to outweigh market trends.'
Chairman Mark Glasgow said: 'Dougie has done an amazing job since taking on the role of managing director. We are growing with the right people with him at the helm. We are not sitting around patting each other on the back, though. The focus now is how we move from a seven-figure business to an eight-figure business. Our challenge for the next 12 months is to hit the £10m turnover mark.
'Key to that will be our recent inclusion on the Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA) framework as well as our plans to expand across Scotland. We have a lot of business in the central belt but want to expand further afield to offer other areas the level of service we are renowned for.'
Like this:
Like
Related
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Press and Journal
an hour ago
- Press and Journal
Elgin biomass plant developer argues Longmorn refusal defies 'rational analysis'
The developer of a refused biomass plant near Elgin has fired back at Moray Council, calling rejection of their plans 'wholly unfounded.' Developer Acorn Bioenergy has lodged an appeal with the Scottish Government after councillors unanimously voted down proposals in April. It came after council officers called into question the developer's carbon saving figures, the Longmorn location and the benefits it would bring Moray. Acorn has strongly condemned the council's analysis of their plans, which they argue used no 'rational analysis' and asked government reporters to overrule and back the plans. The council refusal of the plans hinged on the carbon savings of the project. Planners took issue with Acorn bioenergy's estimates, stating: 'The proposal is likely to produce significantly more greenhouse gas emissions than it removes.' In their decision, they cited material transport emissions and uncertainty over the developer's carbon capture plans. They also stated there were not enough economic benefits from the proposals to justify a new lorry junction on the busy A941 Elgin to Rothes road. Councillors at the time called local contributions from the developer 'absolutely insufficient' and said the Longmorn site was the wrong location. The land is part of the protected 'Countryside Around Towns' (CAT) zone surrounding Elgin and councillors felt the development was not worth sacrificing the green space. Acorn has questioned the council's decision and said in an appeal statement to the Scottish Government the site 'could not be better located.' They continue to stand behind their emissions saving figures, which the council refuted. Acorn said the council did not use 'any rational analysis' when judging the carbon savings of the project. They argue their emissions calculation was based on the 'worst case scenario' of diesel lorries carrying biomethane to a gas injection point near Inverness. Acorn said their plans made several allowances for this, including injecting the gas directly into a network pipe on site and running trucks on their own biomethane. Acorn also called council claims the site had no significant economic benefit 'wholly unfounded,' and said it would 'create a circular economy' with the Moray whisky industry and local farming. They said: '[Acorn's] proposals have been promoted with the specific objective of serving the whisky industry within Moray. 'The industry has expressed strong support for the location.' Acorn questioned how 'specifically designing the project to meet the needs of a key local business sector' did not show direct economic benefits. Lack of consideration of this revealed a 'bias inherent within the analysis' by council officers, they argue. Moray Council has until the June 26 to submit their response to the appeal, and a council spokesperson confirmed they intend to do so. Back in April when the council ruled on the application, the P&J spoke to several local objectors who shared their worries about the plant. Road safety was a primary concern, and ex-policeman David Duff warned 'people will die' as a result of lorry movements going in and out of the site each day on the A941. Acorn said their plan to create a ghost island junction on the road raised no 'substantive issues' concerning road safety from the council or the roads authority. Local postman Peter Regan said the plant would be 'blighting our lives every day for 25 years' and felt it was the 'wrong site at the wrong time.' Other objections made against the site worried about potential odour leaking out and the lack of local benefit coming from the application. The P&J recently spoke to residents of Rathven near Buckie about a similarly sized biomass plant planned opposite the village. The developer was forced to move the site closer to Rathven after Historic Environment Scotland revealed a nearby cairn, and a full planning application for the new site has yet to be submitted. A further biomass plant on the disused Fearn Airfield in Easter Ross was also appealed to the Scottish Government after Highland Council refused the application. The plant won the appeal despite further objections from locals. Acorn say the plant will create 15 jobs and will produce enough biomethane to heat around 8,000 homes, and hopes its approval is a positive sign towards overruling the Elgin plans. You can read Acorn's full appeal of the Longmorn site here and the application remains open for public comments until the July 3.
The Courier
5 hours ago
- The Courier
Stirling's long-running Bannockburn and Cowie railway station saga explained
At the end of May, Stirling Council announced its intention to make a case for a rail link serving the Bannockburn and Cowie communities. The plan is part of Stirling Council's new draft sustainable mobility strategy, which aims to reduce transport emissions in and around Stirling. Many locals welcomed the prospect of a new south Stirling train station, though some pointed out that the idea was nothing new. It's true that similar proposals have been floating around for a long time. Over the last two decades, both Stirling Council and the Scottish Government have suggested opening a new Bannockburn railway station on several occasions. But it was Falkirk Council that looked into options for opening a train station around Bonnybridge and Denny in 2006, ultimately discovering that a Bannockburn rail link would be preferred. Two years later, it was reported that the idea was still being discussed by officials. At one point, a halt was being considered for Bannockburn rather than a full station, meaning trains might only stop there on request. Then, in 2009, Transport Scotland published a report which included a plan for several new park and ride sites across the country, including at Bannockburn. The Strategic Transport Projects Review read: 'The sites would be served by either rail services or express bus links to and from the city centres and areas of economic activity'. At the time, it looked likely that onward travel from Bannockburn's proposed park and ride would be via train. Although the Strategic Transport Projects Review was billed as a 10-year plan for travel improvements, a park and ride has never been opened in the area. Fast-forward a few years to Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership's (Tactran) 2012-13 annual report, which mentioned the Strategic Transport Projects Review and its Bannockburn park and ride proposal. Tactran identified the plan as one of several which 'should be afforded greater priority' by the Scottish Government. Around that time, Stirling councillor Jim Thomson, who also sat on the Tactran partnership board, told The Stirling Observer that options were still being looked at for a Bannockburn railway station and that he was 'hopeful' it would happen. Around five years later, in 2018, Tactran received a share of £681,000 from Transport Scotland's £2 million Local Rail Development Fund (LRDF), which was split between 10 projects. The money was ring-fenced for a 'transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in and around Stirling', with the continued goal of building a 'strategic' park and ride facility. At the time, a Stirling Council spokesperson said: 'Among the options being examined is the prospect of a new railway station south of Stirling but the location has yet to be established.' A further share of £817,000 was awarded to Tactran in a second round of LRDF funding during 2019. Tactran requested £125,000 for the Stirling project. In August 2019, the Scottish Government said: 'It is expected that the transport appraisal will be completed by the end of the 2020/21 financial year.' After that deadline, in early 2022, Stirling Council and Tactran launched a survey for members of the public, asking for local views on proposed options for improving public transport in and around Stirling. One of the options outlined was 'a new rail station south of Stirling between Bannockburn and Cowie'. The council explained: 'Subject to its location the station will be accessible by walking and cycling for many residents in Plean and Cowie, or Bannockburn as well as the new residents that will join us in the homes to be built at South Stirling Gateway. 'Here users could park bikes, EVs and conventional cars before getting a train onwards.' The aim was to make city centre streets 'cleaner and safer for walking and cycling' by reducing the number of cars in Stirling. Tactran was granted £91,998.50 more from the LRDF during the 2023-24 financial year, 'to provide money for communities to carry out a multi-modal transport appraisal to develop proposals for improvements to rail connections in their areas'. And just weeks ago, on May 30 2025, Stirling Council's draft sustainable mobility strategy was published, pledging to 'make the case for a new station at Bannockburn/Cowie.' The council is asking locals to share their views on the strategy, including the station plan, until July 30. But whether or not this year will see the end of the long-running south Stirling station saga remains to be seen. There was a railway station at Bannockburn for more than 100 years, between 1848 and 1950. It was located between Stirling railway station and a station serving Plean, which closed in 1956. These stops were part of the Scottish Central Railway, which connected Stirling and Perth to the rest of the central belt.
Scotsman
6 hours ago
- Scotsman
Gregor Poynton MP urges Scottish Government to take decisive action to protect jobs at Alexander Dennis
Gregor Poynton, Member of Parliament for the Livingston constituency, has today written to the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, and the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, urging them to take immediate and decisive action to safeguard the future of bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis and the livelihoods of its workers. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Mr Poynton joins Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar and the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, in challenging the Scottish Government over its handling of the crisis facing this major employer. The move follows the announcement that Alexander Dennis, based in Falkirk, intends to shift manufacturing operations to England—placing hundreds of skilled Scottish jobs at risk. In recent years, Alexander Dennis has played a critical role in delivering low- and zero-emission buses for public transport networks across the UK. The company has supplied over 160 vehicles for Greater Manchester's Bee Network, while the Scottish Government has placed an order for just 44 buses out of a potential 252 under its own zero-emission bus scheme. The majority of these government-funded orders have instead been awarded to manufacturers based outside Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In his letter to the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary, Mr Poynton stated: 'Alexander Dennis is one of the most significant and reputable employers within the Central Belt, and the potential loss of these highly skilled jobs would have a profound impact on local communities, including many constituents within the Livingston constituency. Lothian Bus 'The transport industry is a cornerstone of our economy and an essential service in the daily lives of people across Scotland. Supporting a Scottish-based manufacturer of low-emission and zero-emission buses aligns not only with economic priorities but also with our shared goals around sustainability, skills retention, and fair work. 'Beyond the immediate impact on jobs, we must also consider the wider ramifications for Scotland's industrial future. The loss of another major employer represents a setback for our national economy and undermines the skills and experience we have worked so hard to foster. It is vital that a comprehensive strategy is put in place to support the workforce, safeguard jobs, and prevent further industrial decline.' Mr Poynton emphasised the far-reaching implications of further industrial decline for communities across the Central Belt, particularly in Livingston, where many constituents live within commuting distance of the Falkirk-based company. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Commenting further, Mr Poynton said: 'We must act swiftly and decisively to support Alexander Dennis and secure the future of bus manufacturing in Scotland. Gregor Poynton MP at Lothian Buses 'It is astounding that a company so clearly aligned with the Scottish Government's policies on net zero, green jobs, and sustainable transport is not being prioritised in public procurement. Instead, contracts are being awarded to firms based outside of Scotland, risking the future of our own workforce. 'I will continue to work with my colleagues across Scottish Labour to apply pressure on the Scottish Government to act urgently. We must do all we can to protect the jobs, livelihoods, and financial security of workers in Livingston, Falkirk, and across Scotland.' The letter and Mr Poynton's call to action come at a time of growing concern over job losses and industrial decline across Scotland, particularly following the recent announcement of the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery. With another major employer at risk, the need for a coherent, jobs-first industrial strategy has never been more pressing.
