James Donaldson Group shortlisted for s1jobs Awards

We are proud to announce that James Donaldson Group has been shortlisted for the s1jobs Awards in the Best Employer Training and Development category.

April 16, 2018
 

James Donaldson Group shortlisted in the Best Employer Training and Development category.

We are proud to announce that James Donaldson Group has been shortlisted for the s1jobs Awards in the Best Employer Training and Development category.

The Best Employer and Training category is for companies who have shown evidence of commitment to their employees and how their practices distinguish them as an outstanding place to work.

Speaking on the shortlist, Mandy Cooper, Human Resources Manager said ”As one of our core values, we aim to empower our people with opportunities in a safe workplace, and that also means ensuring we are developing and upskilling high potential employees to be the managers of the future within JDS’’

The winners will announced on Thursday, April 19th at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Glasgow.

James Donaldson & Sons Group wins Fife Business Award

“James Donaldson & Sons has been operating as a family business in Fife for over 158 years and it’s always a great honour to be recognised for our hard work and values."

March 27, 2018
 

JDS Group recognised for outstanding business achievement at the Fife Business Awards

We are delighted, to announce that we have been recognised at the Fife Business Awards for outstanding business performance in the previous year, on our contribution within the economy and community in Fife.

Nominees for this category were put forward by Fife Council & Fife Chamber of commerce for companies showing outstanding achievement in a range of areas including; strong growth in number of employees and revenue/profit; demonstrating a clear vision for the future; and recognition for supporting the local area and community.

Michael Donaldson (Commercial, Director) and Jean Paul Malum (Group Marketing Manager) accepted the award on behalf of the Group at the Glen Pavilion, Dunfermline. Speaking on the win, Michael Said: “James Donaldson & Sons has been operating as a family business in Fife for over 158 years and it’s always a great honour to be recognised for our hard work and values.

“The Donaldson family has done tremendous work to become an integral part of the community, and the business my forefathers created has had a major impact on generations of other families living and working in the area. Most importantly, I would like to thank all of the employees whose contributions make this company the success it is today.”

The Awards celebrate the very best of Fife businesses, and nominees range from small start-ups and individual entrepreneurs to long-established companies, once again demonstrating the sheer breadth of business success and ambition in Fife.

MGM Timber and Nu-Style products shortlisted for Scotland Excel Supplier Excellence Awards

shortlisted in the ''Environmental Practices'' and ''Value for Money'' categories respectively.

January 25, 2018
 

MGM Timber and Nu-Style Products have been shortlisted in the ”Environmental Practices” and ”Value for Money” categories respectively.

We are delighted that both MGM Timber and Nu-Style Products have been nominated for the 2018 Scotland Excel Supplier Excellence Awards in Glasgow. MGM Timber is nominated in the category of “Environmental Practices” for its efforts in tackling climate change by reducing waste. Nu-Style Products has been nominated in the “Value for Money” category which recognises companies that showcase efficiency as well as value for money without compromising on quality. The winners of this year’s awards will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on the 20th of February at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow.

MGM Timber has recently invested in a new computer system in order to create a paper free ordering and invoicing system. Additionally, MGM aims to reduce landfill through improved recycling. Nu- Style’s nomination in the category “Value for Money” recognises their efforts in efficiency, meeting clients’ exact requirements and competitive pricing. “We are very proud for being shortlisted in both categories as they recognise our efforts to tackle climate change as well as efficiency and meeting our customers’ requirements. Sustainability and integrity, which are recognised in both these categories, are two of our five core values and at the heart of what we do.” Said Scott Cairns, Group Managing Director for James Donaldson & Sons Group

About James Donaldson & Sons Ltd:

Founded in 1860, the JDS group has grown into a family of businesses that are market leaders in their respective fields of timber engineering, saw-milling and distribution, merchanting, roofing and cladding distribution and laminate manufacturing. MGM Timber became a wholly owned subsidiary of the group in 2005, while the group acquired Nu-Style Products Ltd in 2016.

Welcome to our new website!

Please explore the site - you may discover things about the JDS group you never knew!

December 18, 2017
 

After months of meeting, planning and writing, we are delighted to finally unveil our new website!

While the various businesses have been focusing on delivering excellent products and services, the team at JDS have also been beavering away in the background to bring the group to life online.

JDS has achieved a lot since we last built a website, and we wanted something to really showcase our values, businesses and people. That’s why you’ll find lots of interesting areas on the site, including our history timeline, people profiles of different experts and professionals who work in the businesses and of course our values tree.

So please explore the site – you may discover things about the JDS group you never knew!

A big thanks to everyone who helped with this project – including the staff who allowed us to shoot photography and video while they worked away in the background, those who contributed to the planning and those who helped with content. It was a real team effort and we are delighted with the result.

James Donaldson & Sons wins at Family Business Awards

“James Donaldson & Sons has been operating as a family business in Fife for over 150 years and it’s always a great honour to be recognised for our hard work and values."

December 12, 2017
 

James Donaldson & Sons Ltd took home gold last week in the Rural Family Business category at the Herald Scottish Family Business Awards.

Scott Cairns (Group Managing Director) and Andrew Donaldson (Director) accepted the award on behalf of the company at a ceremony in Glasgow. Speaking on the win, Scott said: “James Donaldson & Sons has been operating as a family business in Fife for over 150 years and it’s always a great honour to be recognised for our hard work and values.

“The Donaldson family has done tremendous work to become an integral part of the community, and the business they created has had a major impact on generations of other families living and working in the area. Most importantly, I would like to thank all of the employees whose contributions make this company the success it is.”

Now in their sixth year, the Herald Scottish Family Business Awards celebrate the success of the diverse, dynamic and innovative family business sector, and the contribution these firms make to the wider economy and the communities in which they operate.

James Donaldson & Sons is a wholly owned family business, with control passing directly from father to son for the past five generations. The company began in 1860, when James Donaldson started selling timber from Tayport in Fife, and it’s now a UK-wide company with 23 branches and over 150 years of experience.

JDS Makes The Sunday Times Top Track 250

For the first time JDS made it into the Sunday Times Top Track 250 companies in the UK and I attended the awards dinner in London last night.

November 21, 2017
 

For the first time in the company’s history, JDS made it into the Sunday Times Top Track 250 companies in the UK.

‘Honestly, in my own head I was smiling!’ – Scott Cains

For the first time JDS made it into the Sunday Times Top Track 250 companies in the UK and I attended the awards dinner in London last night. To give you an idea of the calibre of some of the companies on the list I have noted a few below….It’ll give you a flavour of the prestigious company we are now in when I tell you that the winner was a little know car manufacturer called McLaren.

We were number 207 but to be credited on the list at all is a great achievement. I met some amazingly talented and well quoted people last night, some of them household names and the message from all the speakers and guests about British business was one of positivity, can do and encouragement….something I hope is echoed for our industry by the chancellor in the budget this afternoon.

So, trust me I was smiling inside, in fact I was/am pretty chuffed and you all should be as well. The recognition is for all of us.

I’ll work on showing some teeth when I smile in future…at least turn up the edges of my mouth!

Cala, Robertson, Miller, Avant Homes, MKM, Walkers, Howarth Group, Story Homes, Ridgeons. Chelsea Football Club, Rocco Forte Hotels, Caffe Nero, Aston Martin, Sky Betting and Gaming, Baxters, Walkers Shortbread, Fat Face, Timpson, Edinburgh Airport, London City Airport, Dobbies Garden Centres to name but a few.

Our photoshoot day

We commissioned a photographer to visit four sites, including MGM Timber, JDS Group, James Donaldson Timber and Donaldson Timber Engineering, to capture some photography.

October 3, 2017
 

When planning our new website, it was really important to us that we featured real JDS people and sites – so we commissioned a photographer to visit four sites, including MGM Timber, JDS Group, James Donaldson Timber and Donaldson Timber Engineering, to capture some photography.

The day started bright and early at 8:30am, and for our first stop we visited DTE to see the team in action. We were so lucky with the autumn weather as it turned out to be a bright and sunny day. This made photographing the outside areas far easier (and a bit more comfortable for those who were our models for the day)!One of our favourite shots is of sparks flying in the workshop which features Billy from the DTE team.

Before long, we were in full swing. We went on to visit three more sites – MGM Timber, JDT and JDS Headquarters, capturing the staff and the surrounding areas. We definitely have a few could-be models in our company – because some people were more than happy to pose away!

We managed to capture a huge variety of photos, from machines being operated to forklifts being driven.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped organise the photoshoot, and to those who agreed to be in our pictures – we really appreciate it.

We’ve featured some of our favourite pictures here for you to take a look at.

Donaldson Timber Announces Another Year of Strong Performance

Non-Executive Chairman, Neil Donaldson commented, “The business has recorded another year of stellar growth and, alongside a difficult but positive market for house building and construction, we are pleased to see our market share continuing to grow.”

August 16, 2017
 

Fife-based timber specialist, James Donaldson & Sons Ltd has announced its end of year results. Turnover for the year ending 31st March 2017 increased from £127m to £137m and pre tax profit increased by almost 31% to £7.8m.

Non-Executive Chairman, Neil Donaldson commented, “The business has recorded another year of stellar growth and, alongside a difficult but positive market for house building and construction, we are pleased to see our market share continuing to grow.”

Scott Cairns (Group Managing Director) said, “This is our fourth successive year of strong growth and a testament to an incredibly talented workforce and record levels of investment since we emerged from the downturn.

Early negative market reactions to the Brexit vote of June 2016 quickly passed and all sectors and all of our businesses performed well in the year, cumulating in our strongest year of our 157 year history,

One stark result from the June 2016 vote was the immediate weakness in sterling which continues today. Raw material prices have increased sharply as a result and we and our clients alike are having to deal with these new cost realities.

During the year we acquired Nu-Style Products Ltd in Aberdeen which has been an excellent enhancement to our Group.

This year has started positively, however, there is no doubt that the General Election result and political machinations generally relating to Brexit, partisan politics or the omnipresent Scottish Independence question have and continue to dent consumer and business confidence and we can see early economic warning signs in our market as a result.

The Group today face those challenges from a position of strength and, macro factors aside, we remain committed to our clients and to being their supplier of choice.”

James Donaldson & Sons Ltd incorporates James Donaldson Timber Ltd, Donaldson Timber Engineering Ltd, MGM Timber (Scotland) Ltd, James Donaldson Insulation Ltd and Nu-Style (Products) Ltd and operates from 28 sites across the UK.