Inspirational Sir Jim still leading from the front at 82

The line-up of prominent business figures in Aberdeen is always changing.

The international nature of many energy-sector firms operating in the North-east means that top bosses are constantly moving on to new postings elsewhere.

But there have been some exceptions to this revolving door for industry leaders in Europe’s oil capital.

One successful local entrepreneur who is now 82 has been a prominent member of the business community in the Granite City for many decades.

Sir Jim Milne, Chairman and Managing Director of Balmoral Group, is still loving his work and has no plans whatsoever to slow down.

He saw at first hand the birth and massive growth of the North Sea oil and gas sector from the 1970s onwards – and the huge opportunities it was creating in the Aberdeen area.

The ever-changing fortunes of the offshore industry since then have brought frequent financial highs and lows to the city and its inhabitants, but the entrepreneur has always managed to rebound from any setbacks.

He said: “You can draw your own conclusions from this. You might think I’m either a genius, completely mad or perhaps, more realistically, somewhere in the middle.”

The businessman, who left school at 14 with no qualifications, believes that the way to get on in life is to take calculated risks, make mistakes and learn from them - and he admits to making quite a few in his time.

Sir Jim is often quoted as saying that he hasn’t come a long way in life. His company’s HQ is located less than a mile from where he was born and brought up on the family farm, just outside Aberdeen.

It was back in 1980 when he set up Balmoral with just five employees designing and manufacturing glassreinforced plastic products.

Today, it employs around 600 people providing design and manufacturing solutions to the global subsea, renewable energy, civil and environmental engineering sectors.

From his early years, the entrepreneur always had a vision that one day he would be his own boss.

“From when I was probably just eight or nine, I knew that I wanted to do something on my own.

“I wasn’t sure what that would be, but I definitely knew that I would control my own destiny.

“While at school, I was growing lettuce and mushrooms to sell, and also buying, renovating and selling cars.”

So, did he have a business mentor?

Sir Jim said: “I don’t think mentoring was a thing back in my formative years.

“However, Jimmy Morrison - my boss while I was serving my engineering apprenticeship at Barclay Ross Hutchison - was a great motivator in his own way.

“I also believe in lifelong learning, and have met many inspirational individuals over the yearsincluding global business leaders, presidents of the US and UK Prime Ministers.”

The businessman has always had a very strong work ethic - and has encouraged others to think the same way.

He added: “Tenacity, positivity and determination have seen me, and my company, through good and bad times alike.

“I also think it’s important to have a sense of humour - a bit of levity can help raise the spirit even in the toughest of times. It’s good for the heart, soul and mind.”

He is also a great believer in teamwork and positive thinking.

“We all have our strengths and weaknesses, but when we pull together, heading in the same direction, that’s what brings results.

“If you have good people, then look after them. I can certainly say we have an abundance of good people at Balmoral that have supported me and the company exceptionally well.”

Sir Jim has some advice for any aspiring entrepreneur wanting to succeed in business.

He said: “Know your market better than your competitors; know your competitors better than they know themselves; never stop researching your market and opportunities for diversifying; develop long-standing relationships with your customers, don’t just go for the single sale; learn from your mistakes and build a strong team around you.”

So what kept driving the entrepreneur on when the oil and gas sector hit low spots?

“My faith, most importantly, as well as sheer tenacity and a belief in my own ability to turn things around. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel, you just need to work hard to find it.”

Though he is now in his 80s, the businessman still has more drive and enthusiasm than many people half his age. He has no plans to take the foot off the pedal – quite the opposite actually, as he seeks opportunities to grow Balmoral further.

The entrepreneur said: “The group is doing well across our offshore energy and tanks businesses. We have invested heavily in research and development for both operations and now have a major presence in the offshore renewables market as well as significantly growing our export revenues for Balmoral Tanks.

“Balmoral is a very strong, independent organisation. With a solid financial base, we are constantly seeking opportunities and have brought a number of new products to market for the renewables sector while our oil and gas offering remains robust and successful.

“85% of what we produce in the UK is exported. You will find Balmoral products on every continent in the world.

“Quality products supported by a problem-solving approach and a commitment to world-class service is a powerful and profitable mix.”

Sir Jim has received many honours over the years, and he was knighted last year for services to business and charity.

He is joint Founder and Chairman of Friends of ANCHOR, a charity established in 1997 that supports Aberdeen’s cancer and haematology care unit, as well as financing many ground-breaking research programmes.

“I am very proud of the charitable work that I have been fortunate enough to be involved in around the world,” added the businessman.

The entrepreneur has never forgotten the agony of losing his first wife, Jill, to cancer when his daughters were aged just eight and three.

As he walked into the oncology ward in Aberdeen, he saw so many people of all ages struggling with various forms of cancer.

It lit a flame in him, which led to Balmoral becoming the key sponsor of Friends of ANCHOR.

Sir Jim said: “Friends of ANCHOR continues to go from strength to strength. With the opening of the new ANCHOR unit scheduled for later this year, our fundraising target of £2million has now been reached. This is over and above our normal operations which support wellbeing initiatives, medical equipment, research and clinical excellence.

“The recent Courage on the Catwalk and Brave events at the Beach Ballroom raised a record-breaking sum of over £300,000 thanks to our fantastic fundraising team, volunteers and the phenomenal generosity of our sponsors and supporters.”

Away from the office, Sir Jim loves spending time with his family and grandchildren and also has an active interest in gardening and the outdoor life.

Sovereign Grooming launch exclusive new product range

A top Scottish barber with salons in Aberdeen and Edinburgh is launching its own range of products for men.

Sovereign Grooming - which was recently named Scotland’s Best Barbershop - has created an exclusive range of five new products designed to give customers a five-star grooming experience at home.

Kyle Ross, Co-founder of Sovereign Grooming and winner of Best Barber UK, said the range was the natural next step for the business, which delivers over 15,000 haircuts per year from its shops on Union Street in the Granite City and New Waverley in the capital.

“Creating a unique and tailored grooming experience is not just about cutting hair, it’s about understanding individual style and empowering confidence,” he said.

“With Sovereign Grooming’s new range of products, we aim to elevate the daily grooming routine and provide our clients with the five-star Sovereign Grooming experience at home.

“Our new range includes everything you need to achieve a perfectly-groomed look, from a Sea Salt Spray and clay, to pastes and matte hairspray.

“Each product has been carefully selected by our expert barbers using the finest ingredients, and are paraben-free and cruelty-free, so you can enjoy a great hairstyle without harming the environment.”

The product range can be purchased online at sovereign-store.com.

Official opening of the Njord field – ready for 20 more years

The Njord field in the Norwegian Sea has officially been opened by the Minister of Petroleum and Energy in Norway, Terje Aasland. The platform and the floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO) have undergone extensive upgrades and are now ready for doubling the field life – and more than doubling production.

The Njord field started production in 1997 and was originally supposed to produce until 2013. However, systematic work with increased recovery means that there are still large volumes of oil and gas left. New discoveries in the area can also be produced and exported via Njord.

In 2016, the platform and FSO were disconnected from the field and towed to shore for extensive upgrades. On December 27, 2022, production resumed from the Njord field.

“This is the first time a platform and an FSO have been disconnected from the field, upgraded and towed back offshore. We have now doubled the field life,” says Grete B. Haaland, Equinor’s Senior Vice President for Exploration and Production North.

“It has been a big and demanding job, partly carried out during a pandemic, and I would like to thank everyone involved in preparing Njord for continuing its supply of oil and gas to the market. With the prices we anticipate in the coming years this comprehensive upgrading project will be repaid in in just under two years after startup.”

Cala submits planning application for proposed Banchory development

Cala Homes (North) has submitted a planning application to Aberdeenshire Council for proposed new homes in Banchory.

The site, located just off Raemoir Road at Upper Lochton in the town, would comprise of 78 properties with 25 percent of the proposed homes affordable properties in line with planning requirements.

The housebuilder held a community consultation event in November last year to provide the local community with the opportunity to see plans and share feedback.

The proposed development would see a mix of two, three, four and five-bed detached homes built, appealing to couples and families keen to enjoy the high quality-of-life Banchory has to offer, with stunning scenery and a strong community spirit, whilst also being close to Aberdeen and the many amenities that the city provides.