The Double A Trading Company, one of Scotland’s leading suppliers of groundcare equipment to the golf, leisure and sports industries, has expanded into the West of Scotland, backed with £1.8 million Royal Bank of Scotland funding.
The funding, provided in the form of a loan, has enabled Double A Trading Company to build a brand-new premises in East Kilbride, near Glasgow, comprising a modern showroom, servicing facility and expanded storage.
The built for purpose site has been acting as a key base for growth of the business across the West of Scotland since October. The new storage facilities mean the business can improve speed of service and better support customers across the West of Scotland by reducing unnecessary transportation to and from Cupar.
The East Kilbride development builds on the company’s strategic expansion into the west coast, which began five years ago through the acquisition of a smaller business operating from a modest premises.
Double A Trading Company also plays an active role in local job creation, including supporting young people into technical careers. Thanks to the funding, the business has been able to take on four new apprentices, helping school leavers develop hands-on skills and long-term pathways into the industry.
Established in 1996 in Cupar, Double A Trading Company supplies and maintains a wide range of specialist groundcare equipment, supporting customers spanning golf courses, professional sports venues and local authorities. The business has since grown to an employee base of 45, with a further location in Aberdeenshire and supplies equipment to key sporting locations including Murrayfield, Gleneagles and the Celtic stadium.
Over the years the company has built a strong reputation for working closely with customers to keep facilities performing at their best year-round, while also helping the sector embrace new technologies. In addition to traditional equipment, Double A Trading Company is increasingly focused on cutting-edge solutions such as GPS-enabled machinery and remote-controlled kit – including equipment designed to support automation and precision groundcare. The business has built a strong relationship with John Deere and now trades as their prime dealer in Scotland, working together to bring cutting edge tech to the market.
Sandy Armit, Managing Director and Founder at The Double A Trading Company, said: “From the very beginning, we built the business by supplying core equipment and focusing on service – and over the years that’s helped us develop strong relationships with manufacturers and customers across the country. The new East Kilbride site is a major step forward for us in the West of Scotland. It gives us the space and facilities to hold more stock locally, reduce unnecessary transport, and provide even better support through our showroom and servicing capabilities.
“We’re proud to support some of Scotland’s most recognised venues – from major golf courses to professional sports grounds – and we’re excited to keep building the business, supported by expert guidance from Royal Bank of Scotland.”
Kenny Walker, Relationship Manager at Royal Bank of Scotland, commented: “The Double A Trading Company is a strong Scottish business with a long track record and an excellent reputation in a highly specialist sector.
“This investment in East Kilbride provides the infrastructure needed to support growth across the West of Scotland, while also improving logistics and customer service. We’re pleased to support Sandy and the team as they expand capacity, create jobs and continue investing in the latest groundcare technology.”
Notes to Editors
About the Royal Bank of Scotland
For almost 300 years, the Royal Bank has been growing Scotland together with customers. The Royal Bank of Scotland, part of the NatWest Group, is focused on succeeding with its customers from opening student accounts, to buying their first home, setting up a business, and saving for retirement. As Scotland’s biggest bank for business, we offer businesses specialist sector knowledge in a wide range of areas, as well as access to expert entrepreneurial support.
