AN award-winning independent company in the Highlands has moved to employee ownership after almost three decades in business.

Anderson Clark Motor Repairs, which is based in Inverness, has moved to the “exciting next step” as its current owners, Graham and Sheila Clark, look to retire.

The firm has been sold to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) formed of its 14 employees.

Anderson Clark Motor Repairs was opened 28 years ago and has won multiple awards since then, including at the Motor Trade Industry Awards and Auto Industry Excellence Awards. It has an annual turnover of some £2 million.

Managing director Graham Clark, who formed the company in 1996 with his late business partner David Anderson, said: “People have always been at the heart of what we do, we have fabulous staff and great customers.

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“This felt as a natural progression giving the team control of their destiny and the company will remain in the hands of people who made it what it is today.

“Customers value our services, the personal aspect of how we conduct business and the familiar trusted staff who deal with their motoring needs.”

The Inverness-based repair centre is thought to be the first in the country to move to an employee-ownership model, although more and more businesses in other areas have been making the switch in recent years.

Research from Co-operative Development Scotland shows that the number of employee-owned businesses in Scotland now sits at 286, an increase of 47% since 2022.

Anderson Clark director Alan Reid said: “Forming an EOT is the perfect solution for us. It allows us to continue to serve our customers, many of whom have used Anderson Clark Motor Repairs for over 20 years, while retaining the same talented members of staff, some of whom have been part of our team for just as many years.

“We hope to continue the success story of Anderson Clark, maintaining the high levels of customer service our customers have come to expect.”

He added: “We would like to thank Graham for this opportunity and wish Graham and Sheila all the best in retirement.”

Reid will be joined on the new leadership team by Neil Johnstone and Katie Fraser, with the three all having worked for the repair centre for years before the transition.

Anderson Clark was advised by Ralph Leishman of 4 Consulting, Douglas Roberts and Nimarta Cheema of TLT, and Jonathan Innes, the managing director of Innes and Partners.

Roberts said: “We really enjoyed working with Graham and his team as they explored employee ownership then implemented it.

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“The values that have made Anderson Clark such a successful and well-known business will be preserved by this exciting next step in the company’s history”.

And Innes commented: “It has been a real privilege to support Graham and the team at Anderson Clark Motor Repairs Ltd through this process.

“Anderson Clark is an incredibly successful garage in the Highlands which has won many awards for its customer service.

“We are delighted that as a result of this transfer of the business to employee ownership that the history and heritage of the business will be preserved.

“This of course will allow the customers of Anderson Clark to continue to receive the best possible service at all times and for its employees to benefit from that success.”