Dunkeld, Perthshire based Land Rover Experience Scotland has become the country’s latest employee-owned business after giving staff an 83% share in the company via the establishment of an employee ownership trust (EOT). We caught up with Director Will Cox to find out more about why Employee Ownership was the right succession option for the company.
“Land Rover Experience Scotland is an off-road driving and training centre that was established in 1996. We employ 28 people, all of whom now have a stake in the business. Our base is at Butterstone Loch and we have a specialist off-road driving centre in Dunkeld where we offer a range of driving experiences, corporate days and training courses in beautiful surroundings.
“We were conscious some of our shareholders were due to retire, so began looking at options to sell the business commercially as well as internally. Through Co-operative Development Scotland, part of Scottish Enterprise, we learned about employee ownership and, following discussion with our employees, decided to sell 83% of the business to the team, with one remaining director retaining the other 17%.
“Employee ownership ended up being a great fit for us, as we really wanted to ensure the business stayed in the local area and retained its existing management team. We believe it will ultimately make the team stronger and even more invested in ensuring the company’s continuing success while maintaining the excellent level of customer service we’ve always provided.”
Clare Alexander, Head of Co-operative Development Scotland, added: “It’s easy to see why employee ownership would appeal to a business like Land Rover Experience Scotland, with its dedicated team of experts and firm roots in the local area.
“Not only does it give employees a meaningful stake in their organisation together with a genuine say in how it’s run, but employee-owned businesses are also proven to be more resilient during times of economic crisis, more profitable, more productive and have greater staff engagement. These are all key measures of business success and longevity.”
If your organisation is considering its succession options, then please get in touch with Co-operative Development Scotland to see if employee ownership could be the right option for you.