profiles
BUSINESS WOMEN SCOTLAND 27
Earlier this year, the company was recognised by
the Family Business Unit when it was the winner of the
2015 Scottish Family Business of the Year Award. “It
gives all of us who contribute to the A. Proctor Group’s
success a real boost as we actively seek to build and
expand upon our achievements to date. I would like
to thank our employees, who are our biggest asset,
for their hard work and dedication to the A.Proctor
Group,” said Keira.
“My father always said to me that our staff are our
biggest asset and I agree with him. I’m committed
to ensuring all employees are treated fairly and to
encourage managers to challenge and grow their
team’s capabilities.
“I’m a strong believer in a positive work environment.
The combination of hard work and good fun provides
a platform for employees to put forward new ideas,
recommend positive changes and influence where
the organisation is going. Staff are listened to and
encouraged to think outside the box.
“No idea is too silly or boring to investigate, quantify
and try to make work. We need new products, new
ideas to push the company forward.”
A suggestion from a junior member of staff at a
regular R&D meeting led to the company branching out
into the rail industry with an innovative product solution,
now worth more than a million pounds in the UK, with
opportunities in Europe rapidly expanding.
This kind of thinking typifies the direction A. Proctor
Group is heading in. Under Keira’s leadership, it is
committed to customer-led innovation and establishing
effective partnerships. They plan to continue to
develop new products with value-added solutions for
use all over the world.
She said: “Our technical expertise in areas such
as breathable membranes, acoustics and thermal
insulation has placed us in a market-leading position
across many of our divisions.
“We benchmark and evaluate what we do not
have, to constantly improve our competitive edge in
the marketplace and strive to meet our customers’
expectations.” n
If you are considering growing your business Scottish
Enterprise can offer you advice and support on
everything from business strategy and finance to finding
new markets and developing products and services.
Top Tips for Success
4 Focus on only one country
4 Consider all ideas, no matter how silly
4 Commit to exporting in your chosen
markets
4 Take advice from experts
4 Give back to your community
To find out more visit www.scottish-enterprise.com