MARTIN AITKEN'S DENTIST TEAM - Martin Aitken & Co

2 ca@maco.co.uk | www.maco.co.uk ca@maco.co.uk | www.maco.co.uk 3Innovation in action - the award-winning Optitherm tapTWO WORLD“FIRSTS”FOR HORNEENGINEERINGA JOHNSTONE engineeringcompany has the unusualdistinction of creating TWOworld “firsts”...one hundredyears apart.Renfrewshire’s Horne Engineering is thearchetypal example of an innovative familybusiness that’s thriving in a specialist nichemarket.It has been designing, developing andmanufacturing thermostatic valves since 1909.But the story really starts before that...fivethousand miles away in China!Alexander Dewar Horne was born inGlasgow, joined the Royal Navy and wassent to China in 1898 at the height of theBoxer Rebellion, the bloody anti-colonialist,anti-Christian movement by the “Society ofRighteous and Harmonious Fists” (or Boxersas they became popularly known). He thenleft the Navy and became a tax collectorfor the British Government based in Yichangbefore returning to Scotland.Always resourceful and inventive, he becameinvolved in creating a temperature controlsystem that could deliver safe hot water andHorne Engineering was born in 1909. In thatyear he is credited with inventing the world’sfirst thermostatic temperature-controlledvalve, the very first of which was installed inGlasgow’s Ruchill Hospital.Grandson Angus Horne, the company’sManaging Director, stresses the uniqueimportance of this invention.“My grandfather didn’t just develop a newproduct, he actually created a completelynew market. Before 1909,there was no such thingas a thermostatic valve– they didn’t exist! Sowhat he did was quiteextraordinary.”A ledger from the timeshows that sales were slowat first, but picked up steadily.Soon Horne valves were beingsold to places as diverse as MotherwellPoorhouse, Bothwell Asylum, Miss Cranston’sTearooms, Carnegie Baths in Dunfermlineand various “steamies” in Glasgow.Angus explains how Horne Engineering has“We’ve known RussellMcGowan since the 1990swhen he was with MillerColquhoun. In particular,Russell and his PartnerTricia Halliday have givenconsiderable assistance. Theyare very straightforward,sound and sensible. Thepersonalities are anexcellent fit.”developed its world-class reputation forinnovative products.“Over the years we have continuallyimproved and refined thermostatictemperature control technology and itsapplications. Our product portfolio includesa broad range of specialised thermostaticmixing valves and shower valves developedto address the needs of a variety ofniche applications.”One hundred years on, thesecond world “first” is TheOptitherm, a highly-specialisedthermostatic tap developedprincipally for the healthcaresector.Angus enthused: “It’s the optimumin safety and control and has beeninstalled in hospitals throughout the UK.It’s also an award-winner, gaining the BestInteriors Product in the prestigious BuildingBetter Healthcare Awards in 2008. So it’sin the same great tradition as 1909 – it’ssomething that’s genuinely novel.”Today, Horne Engineering employs thirtyeightpeople and sources precisioncomponents from as far afield as Denmark,Germany and the Negev Desert in Israel.“Our products are Rolls Royce,” commentedAngus, “for which we have a verycomplicated supply chain.”Horne is very much a family affair. Angus’sfather Dewer, son of the enterprising founder,is Chairman, Angus is Managing Director andbrother John is Sales Director.Donald Gillies is Company Secretary andexplained the Martin Aitken connection.“We’ve known Russell McGowan since the1990s when he was with Miller Colquhoun.In particular, Russell and his Partner TriciaHalliday have given considerable assistancewith tax relief for research & developmentexpenditure and are involved substantiallyin audit, tax and compliance. They are verystraightforward, sound and sensible. Thepersonalities are an excellent fit.”MARTIN AITKEN’S DENTIST TEAM...Continued from front pageThe same can be said about the Martin Aitken Dentist team: dental professionalscan visit us anytime, safe in the comfort that their financial affairs are in the hands ofexperienced professionals with many years’ service.Reflecting this expertise, MACO has established a specialist group of staff, clientmanagers and partners who all have experience serving dentistry professionals. Thisenables us to pool our knowledge and become involved in more outside projects,such as regularly contributing to the trade publication The Scottish Dental Magazineand participation in the Scottish annual seminar of the Faculty of General DentalPractitioners.Partners Stephen Neville and Jayne Clifford, who head up the dentist team, have overforty years’ combined experience advising dental clients.Their client base covers the whole of Scotland, from the Borders to Dingwall and fromRothesay to Edinburgh.Since forming the team, Martin Aitken has also built links with Universities and Colleges.Recently, Jayne and Stephen were invited to represent Martin Aitken at the opening ofthe new state-of-the-art School of Dental Studies at Coatbridge College and also madea presentation at a seminar for qualified dentists at the Glasgow Faculty Dental School inSauchiehall Street.All of this means that the firm can provide a relevant, pain-free, high-quality and efficientservice to everyone involved in the dentistry sector, from hygienists and associates topractice principals and technicians. Combined with input from Martin Aitken FinancialServices Limited, we are able to supply a comprehensive solution covering all tax,accounting, finance, pension and investment requirements particular to dentistry clients.The Martin Aitken Dentist team will be attending the Dentist Faculty Day at theGlasgow Science Centre on Friday 3rd December.MARTIN AITKEN HELPS NURSING HOME GROUP GROWA Martin Aitken Partner is helpingthe owner of a group of Scottishnursing homes to grow by advisingon restructuring programmes runninginto the millions.Dr Siraj Ahmed, a Consultant Paediatricianwith NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde,owns five nursing homes in Cambuslang,Blantyre, East Kilbride, Falkirk and Carstairs.The homes, employing two hundred and fiftystaff, provide top-quality care for over onehundred and eighty elderly and dementingresidents.Martin Aitken Partner RussellMcGowan has worked closelywith Dr Ahmed since 1995.“My first home was Greenleesin Cambuslang which I boughtin 1988,” explained Dr Ahmed.“It should have taken sixmonths to open at a cost of£300,000 but it took thirtymonths and cost £900,000.Our previous accountant madea bit of a mess and causedproblems with the bank. Russellcame in and immediatelymade a difference, helping usre-schedule with another bankand streamline the business.We went ahead and boughtNew Calderglen in Blantyre in1996 and Russell has been with us ever since.“Our fourth purchase – Acorn Park in EastKilbride – also required some restructuringwhich involved Russell in quite a bit ofwork. Then along came the credit crunch,and none of the banks was keen to lend.We put together a new business plan andapproached the Clydesdale with our case.It took a lot of work and six months to geteverything re-organised but we got it sorted.“That allowed us to make our fifthacquisition, the Menteith in Carstairs, whichI bought only last month. I’d been tryingto get it for three years and eventually wewere able to do the deal. It’s currently beingrenovated and will open shortly.”Dr Ahmed and his staff work closely with theScottish Commission for the Regulation ofCare, the independent body that oversees allregistered care services in Scotland.“They know the quality of care we providehere and are quite happy for me to takeover badly-run homes because they haveconfidence in me,” he said.And he has an equally close relationship withRussell McGowan. “I have known him forseventeen years. He is cautious and I trusthim completely. We regularly exchange ideasand I always listen to his advice... but I don’talways take it!”