When Guy Phillips was made redundant he knew a career away from the North Sea was the right path for him.
After 25 years working as a geologist and business development manager at BP, Guy set up Highland Heritage Woodworks with co-founder Armands Balams.
The duo, who only set up the firm four years ago, are now on course to reach £1.5 million turnover and have seen their team double in size the past 12 months.
Now they have their sights set on increasing employee numbers to 20 by 2027.
Business ambitions
The woodwork company provides sustainable timber to the construction industry alongside bespoke master carpentry.
For Guy he’s always known he wanted to run his own business having been inspired by his dad.
He said: “I was made redundant and it was then I got in touch with Armands, who is a Latvian master carpenter, about going in to business together.
“My dad was entrepreneurial. He had a supermarket, a bakery and a cafe.
“I thought one day it’d be nice to emulate what my dad had done but I also remember how stressful it was as well.
“I basically ploughed all my redundancy money into it and Armands put his existing business into it.”
Highland Heritage Woodworks target
Highland Heritage Woodworks is based in Dunecht Estate.
The firm received advice and support from Scottish Enterprise along with a grant of £100,000. This went towards a £250,000 project to adapt its premises, install new equipment and create a customised sawmill.
The newly repurposed sawmill facility runs on a biomass boiler system.
The investment in new facilities also lowers the company’s per unit carbon footprint.
Highland Heritage Woodworks is also looking to expand into new areas with the addition of innovative new timber products and a bespoke cabin business.
Guy, 52, said: “What we’re trying to do is to take exceptional quality Scottish timber, which we have abundance of here in the north-east, and add as much value to it as possible.
“We have this narrative of forest to front door. We’ll take our customer into the forest and see the trees that are being felled for their particular project.
“We’ve got a great relationship with our customers and staff.
“Everything is going great with the business.
“It’s about being really focused, agile and nimble.
“So, we’ve doubled our turnover year on year and are on target for something like £1.5 million this year.”
Rhona Alison, Scottish Enterprise managing director of productivity and business, said: “Highland Heritage Woodworks will enable more sustainable supply chains in the construction sector by supplying timber from Scotland across the UK and boost the local Aberdeenshire economy too.”
Conversation