Our members are… the owners!
Today (Friday 3 July 2015) is Employee Ownership Day; a unique opportunity to highlight and celebrate the significant benefits employee ownership delivers to the UK economy. Whether you are employee owned, interested in what employee ownership might do for your business, work with employee-owned businesses, or have a general interest in employee ownership, now is the time to get involved. Follow The Employee Ownership Associaton on Twitter @employeeowned, and join the conversation by using the hashtags, #EODay and #EmployeeOwnership. For more information about employee ownership visit www.employeeownership.co.uk >>>>
In celebration of Employee Ownership day, we’re highlighting some Co-operative & Community Finance members who’ve worked hard to take ownership of their businesses and communities. From manufacturing to care, product packaging to play equipment, school uniforms to journalism – these organisations display the very best of what employee ownership can accomplish.
Sutcliffe Play
Sutcliffe Play, based in West Yorkshire, is well known for its design-led, child-centred, innovative, outdoor play equipment. It has over 100 years experience and supplies its products worldwide. A loan from us helped the employees of this leading manufacturing and design company to buy the business in 2010. Since then, it has been named one of Yorkshire’s fastest growing companies. In 2011, Managing Director Viv Jebson was invited to share the company’s experience of becoming a employee-owned business at a parliamentary meeting, forming the basis of a government report about the benefits of employee ownership.
Clansman Dynamics
Clansman Dynamics is one of Scotland’s leading design and technology companies. It designs and builds robotic handling equipment which is used in forges and foundries in 35 different countries. It is one of the top three companies in the world working in this highly specialised field. It was set up in 1994 and was sold to the employees in 2009 with the full backing of the original owner, who wanted to ensure the ongoing success of the enterprise by transferring ownership to the employees who had helped to build the business.
Highland Home Carers
Highland Home Carers – the second largest employee-owned business in Scotland – is one of the UK’s most successful providers of home care. They provide care and support for elderly, disabled and vulnerable people to allow them to remain in their own homes and retain their independence. In 2013, loans from Co-operative & Community Finance, The Co-operative Loan Fund and Big Issue Invest gave Highland Home Carers the capacity and incentive to win more contracts across the Scottish Highlands.
PrimePac Solutions
PrimePac Solutions is a workers co-operative and factory in Wales, which produces bespoke, custom packaging solutions. The co-op was formed through an employee buy-out in the summer of 2005; following the closure of the Budelpack Rhymney factory. The facility hosts 27,000 square feet of factory space, and is home to 22 member-employees.
Ecosulis
Ecosulis is the UK’s most experienced ecological consultancy and contractor. Its services include ecological consultancy, countryside management, environmental impact assessment, research and development; implementing practical solutions that benefit both people and wildlife. With a Head Office in Bath and regional offices in Exeter, Monmouth, London and Chester, Ecosulis is able to provide ecological and contracting services throughout the UK. The business has been trading since 1990, and became employee-owned in 2007.
School Trends
School uniform supplier School Trends is made up of 125 employees, all of whom own the business. After selling their building to a commercial landlord, they bought the property back in 2013 at a lower price than what it previously sold for. The profits were used to fund the employee ownership process.
West Highland Free Press
In 2009, West Highland Free Press became the UK’s first employee-owned newspaper. Loans and business support from Co-operative & Community Finance and Baxi Partnership helped the 10 employees ensure that the paper remained independent and rooted in the community.
Want to know more about employee ownership?
Visit employeeownership.co.uk
or www.gov.uk/employee-ownership for more information.