IN this week's SME Focus a successful entrepreneur operating in the demanding world of aerospace services says ministers must help ensure the country has enough skilled engineers to capitalise on the opportunities that Scottish firms are creating.

Name: Fred Gorrie.

Age: 52.

What is your business called?

Inter-Tec Services Ltd.

Where is it based?

Prestwick, Ayrshire.

What does it produce, what services does it offer?

We specialise in design, aircraft certification and stress analysis work for the aerospace industry. Our responsibility is simply to ensure that any component we design will be safe for flight when installed on the aircraft.

The business is involved in the design of an extensive range of components including wing and fuselage structures, aircraft interiors, and any equipment externally attached to the structure of the aircraft.

For example, if an aircraft needed an upgrade we would typically be involved in the design of new cabin layouts including seating, doors, galleys and all furnishings. We must also substantiate the strength of all structural elements and ensure they comply with the stringent requirements of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

To whom does it sell?

Aerospace Original Equipment Manufacturers, major civil and defence equipment providers, helicopter operators, airlines.

What is its turnover?

£1m.

How many employees does it have?

18.

When was it formed?

1997.

Why did you take the plunge?

After years of working within the UK and abroad in Canada for lengthy periods, I realised I was missing out dearly on family life and my three sons growing up.

It was a no-brainer that I had to return and set up some permanent roots in Ayrshire. Once I got home, I saw the opportunity and a gap in the market to start this type of business in south-west Scotland, close to the existing aerospace hub.

What were you doing before you took the plunge?

I was working as a stress engineer in the aerospace sector, latterly on a freelance basis for a number of companies in the UK and abroad, including BAE Systems Military Aircraft, Bombardier, Fokker and Aernnova, which took me to Canada, Germany, Holland and Spain.

How did you raise the start-up funding?

None was required at the outset. We started with three people and adequate funding was provided through a bank overdraft facility to support cash flow.

In the past five years, we have received funding for development provided by the bank (RBS) and the West of Scotland Loan Fund. Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International have been very supportive with grants to help drive our marketing and training initiatives thus helping us develop at a faster rate.

What was your biggest break?

We got the opportunity to help GE Aviation, a multinational aerospace company, resolve a structural problem on the Eurofighter Typhoon supersonic fuel tank.

This initial support we gave them resulted in extensive project work with them on several Airbus types in the subsequent years including the A380 and the A400M Military Transporter.

Gaining our European Design Approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency in July last year has also been a particularly great achievement. This gives the business a clear stamp of credibility in the global market for engineering and certification services. It has already allowed us to expand our customer base both in the UK and abroad with significant enquiries coming in from potential clients. All aircraft flying into and within Europe must be approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency.

What was your worst moment?

The sudden rampdown of design requirements on Airbus projects in 2009 and drying up of work-flow through the supply chain, which led to the loss of some key engineers, a downsizing of the company and a dip in turnover. These were challenging times, through which I had to manage finances and resources very closely to keep us in the game. You learn most about your business, and yourself, when times are tough.

What do you most enjoy about running the business?

The freedom to stand or fall by my own business decisions. It is also rewarding to see staff developing and the fact I get to play a small role in helping them reach their potential, which not only helps further the ambitions of the business but gives them a great sense of achievement and satisfaction in their own career development.

What do you least enjoy?

Micro-managing people, which I must say is seldom required with the great attitude of the team.

What are your ambitions for the firm?

To create a world-class service provider, and an environment where people enjoy coming to work, can thrive and achieve a sense of fulfilment from the way in which their skills are applied to our work.

I feel we are already making very positive steps towards this goal with our recent move to larger premises at the Prestwick International Aerospace Park.

We have increased staff numbers over the past six months and with the way things are developing with UK and overseas projects, we anticipate further growth to the company.

Our new office gives us the room to support this level of growth. As we move forward, the plan is to open offices in south-east Asia and the Middle East within the next three years and secure staff locally as well as offer opportunities to our staff in Scotland to gain experience abroad.

What are your top priorities?

To maximise the benefit from the recently achieved European aviation design approval; to consolidate and build our market share in the UK and existing export countries (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, France, Indonesia); to capture market share in the Middle East and south-east Asia; to recruit experienced engineers to support growing workload; and to provide our young engineers with an excellent development programme in their first few years in the industry.

What could the Westminster and/or Scottish governments do that would help?

Help to overcome the shortage of capable, experienced engineers. Much work has been done to encourage bright young people into engineering, and much has yet to be achieved, in order to provide the next generation of engineering managers and innovators.

What was the most valuable lesson that you learned?

To take enough time away from the "coal-face" to think strategically and think about leading the business, not managing it.

How do you relax?

Golf, hill-walking, dinner with family and friends.