Social firm Erskine and leading Scottish construction company City Building have announced a new partnership today, forging a bond between two organisations committed to social enterprise.

The partnership will see the two organisations work together to provide more employment for war veterans and people with a disability.

With five social firms; Erskine Print, Erskine Furniture, Erskine Garden Centre and the Vanishing Willows Cafe and The Reid Macewen Training and Conference Centre, Erskine makes the perfect partner for Glasgow City Council’s arm’s-length construction company City Building.

City Building operates Blindcraft, one of Europe’s largest assisted workshop facilities, which employs 260 workers, of whom more than 50 per cent have a disability, including five ex-Service men.


Blindcraft’s purpose-built modern factory manufactures a wide range of products including kitchen, office and educational furniture and timber kits for new-build housing and schools as well as operating the largest repairs and maintenance contract in Scotland.

Both organisations are keen to start the partnership and are looking at a long term relationship and the benefits that it will provide.

At a recent tour of the Erskine Social Firms John Brady, Erskine’s Director of Business Development was proud to illustrate to City Building the excellent facilities Erskine offers saying: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with City Building. At a time when business and Government are cutting back, using a Social Firm like Erskine will become a major part of companies’ CSR programmes throughout the country.”

City Building’s Director of Corporate Services, Steve Kelly, said: “Blindcraft makes high specification furniture and timber products for a wide range of companies and organisations. We are proud to be involved with Erskine and believe it is very important to give ex-servicemen an alternative career path.

“Community benefits are an integral part of City Building’s business approach. Our partnership with Erskine will help us to continue to deliver added value to our clients.”

(GK)