BARRHEAD-based contractor AC Whyte & Co Ltd has secured £550,000 in funding from UKSE, a subsidiary of Tata Steel, to support its expansion plans and recruitment drive as the business diversifies into new areas.
The funding will enable the family-run firm, which employs 94 staff, to invest in internal infrastructure and support a forecasted 20% growth in the year ahead.
AC Whyte is set to broaden its project portfolio, having moved into new build construction and early-stage planning and design, while continuing to strengthen its established expertise in retrofit and cladding remediation.
The company is currently working with Perth & Kinross Council on a series of high-rise retrofit projects, where it was involved from the design stage to help shape energy-efficient solutions that support local net zero targets. At the outset, AC Whyte was appointed to lead a year of early-stage planning and design.
Working in partnership with a network of specialists and stakeholders, the team coordinated the assessment, surveying, and design development for six multi-storey blocks in Perth city centre. This preparatory phase has laid the foundation for the delivery of external wall insulation, insulated warm deck roofing, new windows and doors, heating system upgrades, lift improvements, and associated works.
AC Whyte is stepping up recruitment, with 20 roles being created across the business, ranging from site managers and quantity surveyors to operatives and senior roles. The company also continues to run school programmes and invest in skills development.
Jennifer Phin, MD of AC Whyte, said, “This support from UKSE gives us the platform to move forward with our growth plans: investing in the business, creating new opportunities, and continuing to diversify the work we deliver. It’s an important step that will help us build the capacity we need for the projects ahead, while also allowing us to bring more talented people into the business.
“We see huge potential in areas such as new build construction and in continuing to strengthen our retrofit and cladding expertise, and the backing from UKSE allows us to take those opportunities with confidence. At the same time, it gives us the scope to invest in our people, our systems, and our wider community commitments, so that growth is sustainable and has a positive impact beyond the business itself.”
Scott Webb, regional manager at UKSE, added, “AC Whyte is a well-established Scottish business with strong expertise in retrofit and cladding, and a clear strategy for diversifying into new areas. Their role as a large local employer, combined with their commitment to skills and community investment, makes them exactly the kind of business UKSE was set up to support. This funding will help the company strengthen its foundations and create further opportunities for growth.”
