Firm’ s ‘out of this world’ milestone

As a Perth firm celebrates its 10th anniversary, founder Roger Horner admits reaching the milestone was unexpected.

The director of Abdie Solutions started working in grain handling and drying in 1972 after going to agricultural college and working as a shepherd.

He quickly found out his future was in handling and storage rather than sheep.

“I liked it quite so much I stayed doing it all my life,” said Roger.

With half a century in the industry the Perth man has worked across north Africa, Russia and Scotland.

But in 2011, the company he worked for went bust.

A colleague told him he was old enough to go do his own thing and Roger followed his advice.

He set up bulk handling and storage firm Abdie Solutions, which now has an annual turnover in excess of £1 million.

“I thought, well, I’ll just doddle off a few years doing my own thing and it kind of grew like Topsy.

“It’s out of this world, I never expected that 10 years ago.”

Abdie Solutions now has four staff, including Roger, with two new appointments on the horizon.

The firm recently moved into new premises at Friarton Industrial Estate.

With more work lined up, it needed more space for people as well as storage of tools and spare parts.

Installation of equipment on site is what has caused the company to grow, says the founder.

“In England for example, a company would buy material and organise the installation themselves,” he said.

“But that is going out of the window with lack of people.

“More and more companies don’t want to buy the machines or the design, they want to buy the whole thing fitted and installed.”

As well as installations, Abdie Solutions specialise in moving, handling and storing bulk materials from grains to salt.

Each material has different needs, and the firm designs bespoke solutions for each client.

The firm has individual contracts up to the value of £850,000 across the UK and internationally.

A lot of its work is with distilleries and waste recycling sites, including collecting waste products from distilleries and converting them into power.

Previous clients include Glenmorangie, Hendricks Gin and Quaker Oats in Cupar, as well as Alexandria Port in Egypt and Europe’s largest anaerobic digestion plant in Hungary.

The founder is used to travelling across the world for work, but he hopes that soon a new team will carry the business into the future.

“I’m getting on a bit, you know,” said Roger.

“I’m trying to do less work and spend more time flying around seeing the family and grandchildren.”

I thought, well, I’ll just doddle off a few years doing my own thing ...

ACHIEVERS: Directors Roger Horner and Stewart Todd at Abdie Solutions which has contracts worth £850,000.