Bosses at Aberdeen print specialists Carbon Group are celebrating a record breaking year.
The business has seen its turnover reach £3.8 million, achieving a revenue growth of 150% over the past three years.
In the last financial year it has taken on 132 new clients and won contracts with well-known companies including Harbour Energy, University of Aberdeen, Peterson’s and St Andrews Links Trust.
The firm supplies printers and advises on sustainability.
Managing director Colin Yule believes Carbon Group offers something “different” to the market.
Carbon Group ‘more than just print’
A big focus for the firm, which has clients in sectors including energy, education, shipping, agriculture and hospitality, is sustainability.
Colin said: “We have the ability to assess how businesses are printing, how they’re using documents, and then we’ll present them another way of doing it with new equipment, which will reduce the impact, in some cases up to 80%, so really that’s the differentiator for us.
“It’s more than just print.
“We want to help people transition paper into digital format with a focus on sustainability.
“We’ve got to be mindful of the carbon impact, hence where the name Carbon comes from.”
Focus on sustainability
Carbon Group, which has 19 employees, was founded by Colin, Graham Gray and Scott Simpson just three months before Covid lockdown.
Colin had previously owned Capture Imaging Solutions but sold it to Konica Minolta in 2016.
He said: “Graeme, Scott and myself really had an appetite to come back into the business.
“But we decided if we’re going to come back into it, we need to be different, and we felt there was a reawakening where we could be that bit different.
“We would focus on sustainability, because it was becoming more of a buzzword, and make sure we have the right products.”
Carbon Group ‘different’
Despite the pandemic, the trio were determined to continue with their business plan.
Colin said: “What Covid did was focus our minds to be right. We knew we needed to be different and agile.
“We aligned ourselves to have technology that works well with hybrid working, security, and people.
“It was really tough at the time, but it built some real resilience, and we’re really quite proud of what we’re achieving and growing.”
‘Proud of achievements’
With nearly 3,000 machines now in the field, Carbon has become the fastest dealer to have achieved platinum status with Canon, as well as securing diamond level with Epson.
It has recently moved to new premises in Aberdeen’s Queen’s Road and opened a new facility in Grangemouth.
Reflecting on the turnover achievements, Colin said: “It’s all been organic growth, which is good.
“There’s no acquisitions it’s through winning business.
“It really is the team and what they’ve done. I’m so proud of what they’ve achieved and how they’re doing it.”
“Looking ahead, we remain committed to advancing our technology and infrastructure to provide the most effective solutions for our clients across the UK while ensuring sustainability remains at the core of everything we do.”
Conversation