FBU Scotland is delighted to be embarking on an inaugural Family Business Road Trip across Scotland to really put Scottish family firms on the map!

Family firms are clearly the backbone of the Scottish economy and as the recent FBU Scotland research highlights, the Top 100 Scottish Family Firms generate £16.6 billion in turnover and employ over 103,000 people.  Building on this quantification of the scale of the family business sector in Scotland and seeking to further highlight the contribution of family firms across Scotland, FBU Scotland is embarking on a two week journey to visit over 20 businesses, taking part in factory tours and interviews to really showcase the diversity of family businesses across the country.

FBU Scotland founder Paul Andrews is really excited about the trip, adding “We have done similar trips around England over the past five years and they are not only great fun but really provide us with the opportunity to shine the spotlight on the great contribution they make to the UK economy.  Scotland has more than its fair share of family businesses and we are looking forward to visiting as many as possible during the trip.”

Jacqui Lee Fleet Director Lookers “Family businesses are key to the success of the Scottish economy, employing local people which in turn sustains local communities. We work with the majority of family businesses and the team are looking forward to meeting with businesses during the fortnight.  Lookers started out as a family business, now we are one of the largest car dealerships in the UK”.

As Susie Simpson,  Partner and Head of Private Business in Scotland for PwC who are the headline sponsors of the Scottish Family Business Road Trip 2018 adds, “Events such as this enable us to see first-hand the real diversity of the family business sector and the great contribution they make to the local, national and global economy.  At PwC, we understand the challenges facing family firms and are delighted to be involved with such an innovative event such as this which is a true celebration of the Scottish family business sector.”

Some great Scottish family firms have already signed up to the trip and include Walkers Shortbread, Makays, Crieff Hydro, Johnstons of Elgin, Stafffinders, Scottish Leather Group and Broomhall House.

Please follow us on twitter using the hashtag #ScotFamilyBizRoadTrip where there will be pictures, quotes and lots more posted during the trip.

The tour lasts from March 12 – 23, 2018 and is being conducted in a car provided by Lookers Audi Fleet.