Tayport based technical textiles business Scott & Fyfe Limited celebrated today the official opening of its new Innovation Space and Museum.
John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion in a ceremony attended by Scott & Fyfe staff, customers and partners.
The custom-designed innovation space and museum within an industrial space were developed in conjunction with interior design students from The Glasgow School of Art. This exciting move represents one of the biggest developments in the company's history. All company staff are now based on one site at Tayport Works; as well as all production and administration the site now includes the Innovation Space which houses individual team pods (business units), a conceptual product development tree, product display areas, a cinema/ presentation space, flexible meeting areas and the company Museum.
Nick Kuenssberg, chairman said: "The Museum looks back into the company's 148 year history and provides the heritage on which the company’s ethos of change and customer care is built. The Innovation Space looks forward to a cross-cutting partnership between staff, customers, suppliers and other technology partners and the promotion of the new innovation-led strategy."
With an innovation and export-led strategy at its core, Scott & Fyfe supply a wide range of technical textiles to a number of markets worldwide; new product ideas are the lifeblood of the company. The pod-based structure at the heart of their activities is the novel creative way of working which allows the company to operate with low overheads and increased speed to market. This culture creates a novel working environment that is both inspirational and valuable; it has been developed as a result of the Glasgow School of Art/ Institute of Directors project to embed sustainable innovation in Scottish SMEs financed by the Scottish Funding Council.
"It is imagining tomorrow and making it happen today, safe in the knowledge that we are dynamic, empowered and flexible enough to adapt to the ever changing needs of current and new markets” stated chief executive, John Lupton.
One of the few survivors of the Tayside jute industry, Scott & Fyfe has continued to evolve over the years through a commitment to reinvestment in the latest technologies and structures.
Following the global recession which led to radical reorganisation and restructuring, the company has developed its new innovation-led strategy in conjunction with a number of partners including Scottish Enterprise, BMC Global Services and The Glasgow School of Art.
The company recently announced the move from family to employee ownership, supported by Co-Operative Development Scotland. This transformation will be completed by the end of the year with the establishment of an employee benefit trust to buy out the existing family shareholders. Together with the renovations Scott & Fyfe will have a very bright and innovative future.
