News

At the latest Business Club Ayrshire meeting, members were treated to an engaging and insightful presentation by Brian Wade from Funktional Print, a local enterprise specialising in cutting-edge printing technologies.

Funktional Print’s presentation showcased the power of combining creativity with advanced printing solutions to deliver transformative results for clients. With an impressive portfolio, the company highlighted its commitment to both excellence and environmental responsibility.

The presentation was a testament to the talent and ingenuity within our local business community and the importance of the Business Club Ayrshire, where businesses can connect, share knowledge, and drive collective progress.

At our most recent meeting we were delighted to host two outstanding presentations from member businesses: Debt Collect and AWD Environmental. These sessions not only informed but inspired all in attendance.

Steven Little is one of the Directors of Debt Collect UK Limited, who specialise in Business to Business Debt Collection, litigation, insolvency, restructuring & finance. Steven outlined the company's streamlined, professional approach to debt collection, emphasising transparency, compliance, and respect. Members gained valuable insights into the importance of maintaining cash flow and minimising financial risk in today’s challenging economic climate.

One of our newest members, Aaron McIntyre founder of AWD Environmental also presented. AWD Environmental is a specialised hazardous waste management consultancy that offers COTC cover, technical support, training, and workplace assessments. Aaron showcased how they lead the charge with innovative environmental solutions.

The presentations demonstrated the value of collaboration and the wealth of expertise within the Business Club.

BCA Member Jordan Nelson, Managing Director of Nelson Track Solutions, delivered an excellent presentation on Friday.

Nelson Track Solutions are a leading specialist labour supply company in the UK rail industry delivering a wide range of labour services to Network Rail 1st tier companies.

This was followed by an open members discussion on our 2025 goals and establishing our club purpose statement:

"Our purpose is to build a community where every member gains support, shares knowledge, finds inspiration, and has fun—driving personal and business growth, fostering connections, sharing in each other's success, and making a positive impact on the wider community."

Flamingo Exterior Cleaning scooped ‘Exterior Cleaning Company of the Year’ at the Prestige Awards 2024. Company directors Robin Barclay and Malcolm Bennett attended the extravagant event held at Village Hotel Edinburgh. Incredibly, Flamingo Exterior Cleaning based at Mosshill Industrial Estate in Ayr, have won the national award in 3 of the last 4 years and were presented with a special golden multi-award winners trophy as well. Speaking at an interview at the event, Robin stated, ‘Winning this award means so much to us. Our industry is still recovering from the impact of lockdown and the financial pressures that followed. I think it’s testament to the incredible hard work, positive attitude and can do attitude of our whole team. Without them, we simply wouldn’t be here today. I’d also like to take the opportunity thank our amazing clients, both commercial and domestic. We are genuinely grateful for the support and for people choosing us for their cleaning needs. I think that is reflected in our passion and enthusiasm for great service.’

Malcolm added, ‘I’m just over the moon. I can’t believe this is happening and I haven’t stopped smiling since they announced we’d won the award. Thanks everyone.’

Zack Stephens, event organiser at the Prestige Awards explained that Flamingo Exterior Cleaning had been chosen as winner this year after providing incredible quality of service, a commitment to improving the local community in which they work and displaying a positive, enthusiastic culture within their workforce.

Following the event, Robin explained, ‘We’re really looking forward to the coming year with lots of plans to continue improving the business and give back to the communities in which we work. It’s amazing to win an award but come Monday morning, Malcolm and I will have our heads down, working hard ensure Flamingo remains at the forefront of our industry whilst retaining our core values.’

Members recently had the opportunity to visit Glennon Brothers sawmill in Troon, where they were able to observe the computerised process of producing timber for the construction industry using Scottish sourced forest timber.

We were also able to see the CHP on site Biomass Plant, which has transformed Glennon Brothers to a sustainable business. The plant produces sufficient electrical power to power the whole plant and export up to 2.5MW of power to the National Grid. Additionally the hot water is pumped across the road through the 1.2km long district heating pipes to provide heat for the timber drying kilns.

It was great to understand and see first hand the innovative processes used at this hugely successful local company!

The past six months have been eventful for the BCA, with members participating in a series of engaging activities and insightful presentations.

The events kicked off with a presentation by Andy Kerr from Kerr Roofing. Andy shared valuable insights into the roofing industry, highlighting innovative techniques and best practices that left members inspired and informed.

Next, members enjoyed an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Steven Donnachie's business at Neogen based in Auchincruive. This visit offered a fascinating look at the inner workings of the company, providing members with a unique perspective on Steven's operations and industry contributions.

The third highlight was a compelling presentation by Kevin Smith from Coach PT. Kevin's talk focused on personal training and fitness, offering members practical advice on maintaining health and wellness, which was greatly appreciated by all attendees.

Finally, the series of events concluded with a thrilling members' day out clay pigeon shooting in Ayrshire. This fun and competitive activity fostered camaraderie and teamwork, leaving members with lasting memories and strengthened bonds.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates and activities from the BCA as we continue to bring our community together through engaging and informative events!

At our latest member meeting, David from Launch Digital gave a great presentation about what they offer, who they work with, how they help in the community and their plans for growth.

David shared his extensive and impressive portfolio of clients as well as the awards Launch have won recently, the accreditations they have gained, and some of the creative work they have recently published. David also went into detail on the importance of social media and keeping up with AI.

Check out Pauls video below.

Members of Business Club Ayrshire recently enjoyed a fabulous day at Symington Bowling Club for it’s 1st annual bowling competition.

Business Club Ayrshire members were joined by some bowling club regulars to help those that hadn’t played before, and offer guidance to those that had! On a fantastic day, which was accompanied by great weather, the winners were William Gemmell from St James Place accompanied by Davie from the bowling club, with Cameron Singleton from ListenUpCX and Chris McMahon from Automotive Scotland as gallant runners up.

Business Club Ayrshire would also like to thank The Venice Café in Troon for providing a beautiful lunch for the Business Club and bowling club members.

The day was enjoyed by everyone, with Business Club Ayrshire delighted to be able to support two local organisations over the course of the day.

At our last member meeting, Paul from Smokestack Images gave a great presentation of his work.

Paul shared his extensive and impressive past portfolio of work as well as projects he's currently working on. His portfolio video gave members a great insight into the work he does for clients.

Check out Pauls video below.

Congratulations to BCA Member Flamingo who recently won 'Best Exterior Cleaning Company 2022" at the Prestige Awards 2022!

The team at Flamingo are specialists in exterior cleaning, providing a premium service to the domestic and commercial market throughout Central and Southern Scotland. They offer a wide range of services such as window cleaning, wheelie bin cleaning, roof cleaning and render cleaning as well as more bespoke services such as carpet cleaning, graffiti removal and chewing gum removal.

Flamingo recently worked with fellow BCA Member Andy Kerr Roofing & Building on a project to improve the Auchenharvie Leisure Centre and give back to the community.

Other projects recently carried out include commercial bin cleaning and cleaning McDonald's.