INVERURIE-based construction materials supplier GPH Builders Merchants has announced the firm is marking its 40th anniversary by raising £40,000 for charity.
The money raised will be distributed across numerous charities selected by employees. The move is part of the company’s plans to mark the milestone birthday, which also includes ambitions to increase turnover from online sales to £1 million in the next two years and cut landfill waste in half by 2025.
GPH recently donated £2,920 to Maggie’s Centres for every goal scored in the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup, and bucket collections at each match. The company has also raised more than £2,000 for CLAN Cancer Support, as well as supported the Archie Foundation through the purchase of an Oor Wullie sculpture from the Big Bucket Trail in 2019.
MD Grant Shewan said, “As a local business we are proud to have supported our communities on every level for the last 40 years, with the people we employee and serve at the heart of everything we do. The local communities have supported us for over four decades and have helped play their part in the company becoming what it is, so it is only right that we give something back to our loyal customers.”
Since being founded by Mike Macaulay, Jock Ingram and Eric Ingram in 1982, the company revealed it has grown to become the largest independent builders merchants in the north of Scotland, with branches in Inverurie, Westhill, Stonehaven and Ellon.
Now owned by Mike, Kenny Findlay and John Glover through parent company Findlay, Glover and Macaulay, which has Grant has chief executive, GPH has grown from a plant hire company to offer a range of products from to both trade and individual customers.
Bosses are now putting in the building blocks for a sustainable future by unveiling a 12-point plan to grow further.
Grant added, “Working towards a more sustainable alternative is a big issue in this industry. We are looking at long-term alternatives we can introduce, such as investing in renewable technologies, powering our branches with 100% renewable energy and shifting some of our fleet of vehicles to electric power. We are also looking to grow and open new sites, either through organic growth or by acquiring other businesses.
“This is an exciting period for GPH, and we approach a new era with an optimistic outlook for a successful future. The founding partners have put in the solid foundations, and it is up to myself and the rest of the leadership team to ensure a bright next 40 years.”
The plan includes becoming a paperless business in the next five years, reducing landfill waste by 50% by 2025, integrating new products into the business, and employing at least 10 apprentices, trainees or graduated within three years.
