Timeline

• 2022

  

  BSW Timber, the largest integrated timber and forestry business in the UK, and a member of Binderholz, acquires Scott Group.

  This is a huge move for both Scott Group and the wider timber industry, helping us to cement our status as the UK’s most innovative manufacturer and supplier of timber pallets. It also helps us to ensure that we can work even closer with customers to provide solutions that fit their requirements and deliver value.

• 2021

  

  Change is coming as UK construction embraces The Pallet LOOP – a circular economy pallet reuse scheme that’s different by design.

• 2020

  

  Proud to play our part in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We were quickly identified as an essential business and our people as key workers.

• 2019

  

  Keeping our focus on delivering customer value, staying true to our family values and commitment to serve local industry nationwide, shaped our thinking around an important restructuring of our pallet businesses; Scott Pallets and HLC (Part of the Scott Group).

• 2018

  

  Supporting supply chain efficiency in our own business and our customers’ became a growing priority through 2018. Our range of sustainable pallet solutions continued to evolve to meet growing demand; design, manufacture, recovery, repair, and reuse. Similarly, the supply chain processes underpinning our growing industrial supplies business, Scott Direct benefitted from a positive collaboration with Heriot Watt University.

• 2017

  

  2017 is our 30th anniversary year. To celebrate we will be focussing on our staff, our customers, suppliers and community, recognising their contribution to the success of the business. Look out for news of our charity fundraising events and initiatives such as our Rising Stars showcase.

• 2015-2016

  

  We acquired HLC Wood Products in 2015, adding three additional pallet manufacturing sites to our portfolio. The same year also saw us launch our ground-breaking Green Pallet Scheme in partnership with B&Q, which later won Best Business to Business Partnership at the Responsible Business Awards.

  Our pallet business went on to acquire Northern Case in Ellesmere Port, and Scott Direct acquired clothing specialist Seahawk Clothing to enhance its existing range of work wear for customers.

• 2013-2014

  

  Our recovery service wins Best Business Product and Best Site Product including Health and Safety at the Housebuilder Product Awards 2013, and Scott Pallets wins Saint-Gobain’s Supplier Challenge Award.

  In 2014, we announced the multimillion pound investment for the regeneration of the port at Burntisland to create our world leading pallet manufacturing facility.

• 2012

  

  We collaborated with Nottingham University to create a pallet shelter exhibit at Ecobuild, and received the Green Building Council’s runner-up award for our sustainable stand. The same year, PPG awarded Scott Pallets its Excellent Supplier Award in recognition of overall excellence and quality of service, and WRAP published a Scott Pallets recovery service exemplar.

  Our pallet business acquired Williams Pallet Services and Specrite Pallets, and Scott Direct acquired mobile tool business AA Components. We also unveiled our new vehicle livery.

• 2010 – 2011

  

  Our head office relocated to Halbeath in 2010. The same year we acquired LG Packaging and formalised our support for the Outward Bound Trust.

  Following a number of acquisitions, we announced a Group-wide rebrand in 2011, our Scott Direct business was recognised at the Falkirk Business Awards, and a BBC film crew visited our Barry site to film ‘Being Human’!

• 2006 – 2009

  

  In 2007, the UK pallet industry was transformed with our acquisition of Marlaw Pallet Services in a multi-million pound deal.

  The previous year, also saw strong growth coupled with strengthening supply lines. The acquisition of Crofton Pallets in Huntingdon provided extensive coverage of the UK and underlined the Group’s ambition to become the customer’s first choice pallet solutions provider. Employee numbers increased from 600 to nearly 700.

• 2005

  

  2005 was to prove another busy and successful year for the Scott Group, expanding operations not only in the UK but also overseas.

  The year started with the introduction of a dedicated shipping service for timber supplies from Latvia, a move that underlined the group’s commitment to its customers. The deal quickly protected customers from the shortage of available shipping vessels that had affected the rest of the industry during this period, with supplies shipped directly to ports across the UK.

• 2001 – 2004

  

  In November 2001, Scott Timber secured a contract with Blue Circle (now Tarmac), establishing a manufacturing operation in London producing one million pallets a year.

  A bold move in March 2003 saw Scott Timber double its £15 million turnover with the acquisition of Combine Pallets, one of the company’s main rivals. The company has added sites in England and Wales to its expanding network and by the end of the year had a turnover of £35 million.

• 1996 – 2000

  

  By 1996 the young company was flourishing and orders continued to grow. The addition of the company’s new premises in Kippen proved successful and turnover reached £3.5 million by the end of the year.

  As the company continued to make its mark a competitor, Precision Pallets, approached Scott Timber to propose a merger, but in an ambitious and entrepreneurial move, the merger soon turned to buy-out and in 1998 Scott Timber had taken over the company and its site in Glasgow and Kirkcaldy.

• 1992 – 1995

  

  By 1995, motivated by the successful contract with BP, Scott Timber led by John Scott had the confidence and the resources to compete for new business, resulting in a £1.2 million turnover.

  In the same year, John’s brother Norman joined the operation adding his own experience and business knowledge.

• 1987 – 1991

  

  The beginnings of the modern day Scott Group started in 1987, when James and Chris Scott bought a house in Gargunnock, Stirlingshire which had a wood mill within the grounds.

  Although an estate agent, James ran the mill for three years, with its activities generating a turnover of £96,000. Following his death, James’ 18-year-old son John was given the opportunity to run the business, with the initial intention that it would be work experience before deciding on a career path.