A Perthshire-based dental business has completed the takeover of a second Scottish Borders dental practice, adding to a £2m investment into the growing business.
Infinityblu Dental Care and Implant Clinic, established by Chris Barrowman, has consolidated its presence in the Borders with the £450,000 purchase of Peebles’ Kingsmeadows Dental Practice.
The practice is now taking over the list of patients in the area, with a deal being struck with its founder Richard Turton, who is set to retire after almost a quarter of a century in the town.
The move cements Infinityblu’s expansion into the region following the successful introduction of its first practice in the Borders last year, with the acquisition of Duns Dental Practice.
Infinityblu will offer in-house implant and orthodontic services for the first time in the Peebles practice, services previously outsourced.
The Peebles buy-out is part of a comprehensive growth package which will see Infinityblu extend into four regions, with nine practices, and a new telephony hub and offices, due to come on-stream in Pitlochry.
The purchase and £250,000 refurbishment of a former hairdressers in the Highland Perthshire town’s Atholl Road has seen the former salon transformed into a central “home” for the growing enterprise.
With over 50,000 patients now on its dental lists, 102 Atholl Road, Pitlochry, will offer a central telephony point for phone and online bookings and inquiries, while providing a bright space for meetings and in-house training.
In addition, Infinityblu will open their new £300,000 practice in Killin in mid-August, before breaking new territory in Fife, also in August, with the £200,000 acquisition of an existing practice from an English corporate which struggled to recruit dentists during the Covid pandemic.
With further investment in the latest 3D technology and CBCT scanners, the new growth round in the independent company amounts to over £2m, which has been financed internally.
“We are very excited about the Peebles take-over and the team there are really engaged and brilliant to work with,” said Chris Barrowman, who is currently recruiting dentists for the new practices, plus existing Infinityblu practices, for when the present owner in Peebles retires in three months.
“What we want to do is to bring the same patient care, brand awareness, culture and vision which was successful in Perthshire and has been carried over into our other practices.
“Our model is unique in Scotland. We have no intention of taking over practices and continuing the same service or services that have been previously offered, just with the aim to flip them in five years and profit on an increased cumulative value based on the increased number of sites.
“Our vision is simple: the Infinityblu model is to re-invest in each acquisition. To introduce improved services, skilled team members, intra oral scanners, implant, and orthodontic services in- house, and create a culture both patients and team members are proud and engaged to be part of.
“We are one of the few Scottish dental groups that have not gone down the private equity route, so unlike most, this keeps us independently owned and controlled, with no pressure or focus on future sale value or time to sell."
From opening its first practice in Pitlochry in 2007, Infinityblu now employs 25 dentists, five hygienists/therapists and over 100 staff.
Current Infinityblu locations are Pitlochry, Dunkeld, Crieff, Alyth, Callander, Duns, Auchterarder and Peebles, with Killin and Auchtermuchty opening in August.
Scotgold gold mine's record sales of £5m
SCOTGOLD, which is developing Scotland’s only gold mine, has hailed its “strongest quarter yet” amid record gold production which has exceeded its guidance, and sales of £5 million.
The firm said in its second quarter production, sales, and operations update to the City that gold production at the Cononish mine near Tyndrum in Argyll totalled 3,531 ounces, a 188 per cent increase to the previous quarter, and above the guidance which was between 2,600 to 3,200 ounces.
Signs of slowing momentum in Scottish economy
BUSINESS activity in Scotland outpaced most other parts of the UK in June but employment growth across the private sector was among the weakest, according to latest figures produced by the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Despite a “solid increase” in output, there were plenty of signs of slowing momentum with data on new orders and overall confidence softening as price pressures remained intense.
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