Adapt, invest, and go global: how Stewart-Buchanan Gauges has been growing strong for over a century
Stewart-Buchanan Gauges Limited started servicing ships on the Clyde in 1870. Now, it’s a manufacturer of market-leading products that sell worldwide. Find out how the company has stood the test of time, and how we’ve supported it to adapt, invest, and grow.
29 October 2024 | 5 minute read
Scotland’s rich history of manufacturing excellence is well documented. From merchant ships to medicines, textiles to turbines, Scotland has been making high-quality products for centuries – and Stewart-Buchanan Gauges Limited (SBG) has been there for more than 150 years.
SBG now designs and manufactures a range of technically advanced valve manifold pressure and temperature gauge products. These are used all over the world across a range of industries, including: defence, oil and gas, healthcare, fire and life safety, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, automotive, and construction.
At its 4000-square-metre production facility in Glasgow, SBG’s tight-knit workforce uses the latest technology in valve manifold production to create bespoke, durable products that meet each client’s specifications.
But it's not just SBG’s manufacturing capabilities and commitment to its customers that have enabled it to survive the challenges of the last century and a half, but also its willingness to adapt.
Moving to employee ownership
You would expect most companies to change hands once or twice over the span of a hundred years, but SBG went a step further and put the company well and truly in the hands of its employees.
Frank Phair, SBG’s director at the time, took the decision to sell the company to its employees. With support from Co-operative Development Scotland, SBG transitioned to full employee ownership in 2011. This safeguarded the company’s annual turnover and preserved the 150 jobs it had in Glasgow.
The benefits of employee ownership are now well known, and many companies have taken the leap. But back in 2011, it was a novel approach. In changing its ownership this way, SBG demonstrated its willingness to adjust to preserve its people and its future.
The move further established SBG as a company that genuinely cares about its customers and employees – building not only products for longevity, but relationships and jobs too.
Expanding its product range and going global
SBG started in Glasgow and is still based in Scotland today. The difference between now and 1870, though, is that it now sells its products all over the world.
After Frank Phair bought the company in the 1970s, he moved it to Kilsyth and purchased additional factory spaces. This meant the company could expand its production and, in turn, allowed it to build on its product range.
From here, it continued growing, acquiring Buchanan Brothers and then Coley Instruments Ltd over the span of a decade. Then, in 2003, it welcomed its USA distribution and marketing partner, Stewarts-USA. This was the beginning of its international presence.
Now, SBG’s biggest geographical markets are the USA, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. Almost half of the company’s turnover comes from international sales, and it exports to more than 50 countries – and it still does it all from Scotland.
This isn’t the peak of SBG’s international ambitions, though. We recently connected the company to the GlobalScot network, which is now helping it continue to expand into even more overseas markets. The company’s current focus is Germany.
Investing in productivity
The adage ‘you have to spend money to make money’ holds true for businesses. When it comes to scaling and futureproofing, investing in your business is key. Whether it’s training, equipment, staff, marketing or overseas market exploration, spending money – as counterproductive as it can feel – is incredibly valuable.
SBG has never shied away from spending on what it needs to continue building quality products for its customers and scaling its operations.
The most recent example of this is the implementation of a brand-new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The company may have started in 1870, but its digital capabilities are fully up to date.
We’ve supported SBG’s digital overhaul with funding and advice from our specialist team. The new ERP system will support the company with its customer management and internal administration.
On the production side, we’ve also supported its investment in state-of-the-art machinery. This comes in the form of the new manufacturing resource planning system (MRP II) and computer numerical control (CNC) machinery.
The former reduces delivery times by scheduling of production, minimising delays, and ensuring materials are available. The latter allows for high-precision manufacturing, speedy production, and greater scalability.
Exploring the hydrogen market
While SBG currently serves the oil and gas market, it is keen to discover how it can lend its manufacturing prowess to the sustainability and energy transition industries. Currently, the company is exploring the potential to manufacture parts for the hydrogen industry.
A hydrogen specialist from our international team recently produced a detailed report for SBG (with support from the Hydrogen Expert Support Programme) about the potential opportunities for the company in that sector.
This has been a pivotal source of information for the company and will continue to inform its strategy.
Breaking into the hydrogen sector isn’t the only sustainability project SBG is working on, though. It’s been also working with two Scottish universities to help with the design of low-emission valves.
With a willingness to diversify, invest in its own operations, and provide bespoke solutions for global customers, it’s easy to imagine SBG being around for another hundred years.
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