GLOBAL Energy Group added another prestigious accolade to its growing collection at a business gathering in Inverness last night.
The energy service firm won the chairman’s award for outstanding achievement at the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI)’s annual dinner and business excellence awards.
It was the latest in a string of honours for Global, whose executive chairman, Roy MacGregor, came away from the Grampian Awards for Business Enterprise in June with the entrepreneur of the year title.
The firm’s previous successes include Mr MacGregor being named a regional winner in the 2009 Ernst and Young Scotland Entrepreneur of the Year awards, while he landed two titles at last year’s Institute of Directors (Scotland) Awards.
Aberdeen and Inverness-based Global also took the accolade for best international business at the 2010 SCDI Scotland’s International Awards.
The company was founded in 2005 as a services and contracting business, based in the Highlands but serving markets worldwide. In just six years it has grown into a business with 3,500 employees at 25 subsidiaries and annual turnover of more than £200million.
Its export sales to countries including Australia, India, Egypt, Malaysia, Norway, Angola, Ghana, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil and the US are worth more than £30million annually.
Last night’s award, presented by Climate Change and Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson before 350 guests at Drumossie Hotel, recognised the group’s major contribution to the north economy.
Mr Stevenson said: “It would be hard to imagine a more worthy recipient of the outstanding business achievement award than Global Energy.
“It has become such a major player in the Highlands and islands that it is easy to forget that it only came into being in 2005, albeit headed up by a very successful and experienced entrepreneur, Roy MacGregor.”
Receiving the honour, Mr MacGregor said: “This award is a direct reflection on our standards of service and the high quality of our people. I am, therefore, delighted to receive it on their behalf.”
Harris Tweed Hebrides, of Lewis, took last night’s award for excellence in international business.
Another Lewis business, Hebridean Seaweed Company, was honoured for excellence in environmental sustainability.
Galston Estate Trust and Ullapool firm Wattchmate won low-carbon energy and marine business excellence awards.
Inverness-based Highland Home Carers and Wick firm KP Technology were honoured for people development and research/innovation respectively.
Kingussie High School took the Highlands and Islands young engineers and science club of the year title.