Highland Blast joins Guild of Master Craftsmen
Highland Blast, a mobile abrasive blasting and coating service based in Drumnadrochit, is the first business of its kind to become a member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen.
This family- owned business provides a full range of blasting and coating services, from stone and timber rejuvenation to heavy plant work throughout the Highlands and Islands and further afield.
‘ We were delighted to pass every stage of assessment with top marks on all aspects. It’s amazing to know we are the first abrasive blasting and coatings company in Scotland to achieve such a prestigious accolade. We work super hard, so having that title not just for us, but for a Highland business, we are very proud indeed.’
Sarah and Dominic formed Highland Blast in 2013 after Dominic, who worked offshore, spotted a gap in the market for doing his trade onshore, and started doing it part-time. ‘ Then, as time went on, and Highland Blast got busier and offshore got quieter, it made perfect sense to have Highland Blast running full-time,’ Sarah said. ‘Dominic built a good reputation for being a hard worker and for knowing his stuff in his industry.’ Sarah has an impressive marketing background, and takes care of the business end of Highland Blast. ‘I like to think I’m letting people know what abrasive blasting actually is and its benefits. Lots of people have heard of blasting, but haven’t got a clue what it is or how it can be beneficial to them as a service. I hope I’m showing people that our services are suitable for regular people, as well as commercial and industrial clients.’
Even the couple’s four daughters help out on occasion. ‘It’s a complete family affair,’ Sarah shared. ‘Having four children is all fun and games at the best of times, let alone adding a business in the mix! We hope we are showing them you have to be pro-active to achieve your goals.’
Dominic is usually on each project himself from start to finish, working with clients all over Scotland. ‘One week we could be doing stone rejuvenation on someone’s family home on Mull, or maybe a rally car shell blast for a young lad in Aberdeenshire or there could be someone wanting us to blast some cast-iron bench ends at our base in Inverness for them to upcycle, paint themselves and sell on to make some cash towards their child’s school trip.’
Dominic can add beauty and value to most any surface. He can restore stone and brickwork to its former colour and glory without losing its integrity, by removing unwanted paint or rendering, surface or fire damage or graffiti – perfect for residential homes, churches or B&Bs. Using oak beam blasting, he can achieve the client’s exact shade and texture specifications. They also serve heavy plant and seasonal marine needs, with new services being added all the time.
‘Every client is completely different, wanting projects done for different reasons,’ Sarah explained. ‘I find it rewarding when people say abrasive blasting or coating is something they have wanted done for ages, but didn’t know it was possible or how to go about it until they heard of Highland Blast.
‘Along with lots of other Highland businesses, we hope to show to people you can receive a top quality service at a good price and live in the Highlands. When you get in touch with Highland Blast, you will deal with either me or Dominic – no middle man in a Glasgow office, who knows nothing about the area or the people. Highland Blast is our business, we are the face of it and we are accountable for every aspect of it. Every job we carry out, we are proud to put our name to it.’
Highland Blast offers free site visits and quotes throughout the Highlands and Islands, as well as the rest of Scotland. Visit them at www.highlandblast.co.uk, join them at www.facebook.com/highlandblastltd, on Twitter and Instagram @ Highland_Blast or email them at mail@highland blast.co.uk or call 07717 487 889.
I find it rewarding when people say abrasive blasting or coating is something they have wanted done for ages, but didn’t know it was possible or how to go about it until they heard of Highland Blast.