By Scott Wright
QTS Group, the rail maintenance firm founded by Scots entrepreneur Alan McLeish, has recruited more than 50 employees at its Strathaven headquarters since June.
The hires, which helped swell the QTS team across the UK to more than 500, were sparked by growing demand for the company’s services throughout the pandemic, in areas such as rail engineering, infrastructure and training.
QTS said it has added staff in field roles, including site managers and surveyors, taken on graduates, trainees and apprentices, added people in administration and design at its head office in South Lanarkshire.
Across the UK, it has boosted its ranks by a total of 70 at locations in Nottingham, Leeds, Preston, Penrith and Wiltshire.
Mr McLeish said: “It has been really positive to see an increased demand nationally for our services in what could have been a challenging time. To meet this demand, we have made a significant number of hires at our headquarters and other UK locations which will support us across all areas of the business.
“We continue to have a strong focus on nurturing employees whether that’s by offering funded apprenticeships or supporting them through further education and training.
“We remain fully committed to the development of our young workforce which is essential for not only the growth and success of the company but the railway industry as a whole.”
Mr McLeish founded QTS as Quality Tree Surgeons in 1992 with £300 borrowed from his mum to buy a chainsaw.
He sold the business to Renew Holdings for £80 million in May 2018. It is now a subsidiary of Renew, with nine offices across the UK. Clients include Network Rail, British Gas, Scottish Water, British Telecom, United Utilities, SPT, Scot Rail and London Underground.
Mr McLeish yesterday hailed the efforts of employees throughout the coronavirus crisis.
He said: “During this challenging time, the health of our staff is our utmost priority. They keep QTS running day-to-day whether they’re in the office or on-site completing project work.”
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