Highland firm celebrates 25 years in bespoke premises that has customers at the forefront
A Highland family-run business is celebrating 25 years in its bespoke premises.
The Cairngorm Group manufactures and supplies windows, conservatories, solar panels and more that are made to last – so it has made sure its building on Longman Drive, does too.
Having been opened in 2000 by former Scotland manager Craig Brown, the new site brought three different premises to one place to provide the very best service to customers and streamline operations.
“25 years ago, we had three premises across Inverness, which wasn’t that efficient. A decision was made to have a premises that was purpose-built and made to last for the next 60 or 70 years,” said Chris Dowling, joint managing director of the Cairngorm Group.
The main changes since it opened have been technology advances to make the windows alongside a showroom, added in 2014.
Cairngorm Group now makes over 500 windows and doors per week.
Chris added: “We try to modernise as we go and we’ve put in a biomass boiler and have 150 solar panels on the roof. There has been a lot of investment to future-proof the building and make us as green as possible.”
The move into one premises has allowed staff to work together more easily with the Cairngorm Group now employing over 80 staff members.
Joint managing director Scott Dowling added: “We have a one-stop shop now, and it has been a long-term investment into the future which is a lot easier for the consumer.
"We can manufacture more, employ more people and our business has grown too. Our relationship with the housebuilder Tulloch's blossomed when we first opened the premises in 2000 as more houses were being built.
“The new factory also made communication much easier, and it helped with the team dynamics. It just simplified everything, and it helped with our carbon footprint as we weren’t spread out between places.
“People can come here knowing that we have been here for a long time and hopefully will be for a long time to come.”
From 1953 until today, the Cairngorm Group has been proud to make its products in the Highlands, by locals for locals, that stand the test of time.
