ARMADILLA, a manufacturer of eco-friendly outdoor living and working spaces, is supplying luxury holiday units to Wavegarden Scotland, the country’s first inland surfing destination, in a deal worth around £1.75 million.
In a boost to its growth plans, Armadilla is manufacturing and supplying two types of self-catering units to Wavegarden Scotland from its hospitality range - 11 "Pods" and eight "Waves".
It comes as Armadilla targets annual turnover of around £5m annually over the next two to three years from the pre-pandemic level of £2m.
The Scottish family-owned firm Armadilla, based in Midlothian, started building and supplying luxury pods to hotels and hospitality groups more than 10 years ago. It was a 2020 winner of a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of its innovation.
Major construction work on Wavegarden Scotland’s £55m landmark leisure and staycation facility in Ratho on the outskirts of Edinburgh got under way last month.
It is due to open in summer 2024 when it is expected to create 130 jobs, generate up to £11m for the local economy and attract more than 180,000 visitors annually.
Archie Hunter, Armadilla managing director, said: “A number of factors attracted Wavegarden Scotland to working with us to provide luxury self-catering accommodation at its unique facility in Ratho which is sure to attract visitors from far and wide.
“We’re a local business and they were keen to support local suppliers. We’re flexible and happy to personalise our pods for clients. For example, we’re adapting our pods for this unique destination to include such features as secure areas for holidaymakers to store surfboards, along with outdoor showers.
"Our offering is on a par with what guests would expect at a four- or five-star hotel. And we have always put sustainability at the heart of our design and manufacturing processes, which was another important consideration for the team.”
Armadilla’s units have natural timber cladding with a 50-year warranty and materials are sourced with the circular economy in mind. They are constructed using the principles of Passivhaus buildings.
Mr Hunter added: “Another advantage of our accommodation units that helped seal the deal with Wavegarden Scotland is their low power demand. This feature means that they can focus the power on the site to its wave machine. This isn’t the first time that our low power use has proved to be a winner with customers.”
Andy Hadden, founder of Tartan Leisure Ltd which is developing Wavegarden Scotland, said: “Armadilla is a market leading brand, offering world class, environmentally friendly luxury accommodation. As we create Scotland’s newest leisure and staycation facility, it’s important that we work with dynamic local businesses, so we are thrilled to be Armadilla’s flagship project for Scotland.”
Scottish Building Society unveils new chairman
SCOTTISH Building Society has drafted in financial services veteran Ian Wilson as its new chairman.
Mr Wilson succeeds long-standing chairman Raymond Abbott, who will retire at the end of the year after holding the role for five years. He has been with the world’s oldest remaining building society for a decade.
New route launched from Glasgow Airport
AIRLINE easyJet has launched a new route from Glasgow Airport to Belfast City, with departures three times per week during the winter season.
Flights, for which seats went on sale yesterday, will start on October 31, with the departures on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays running through to March 24.
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