BEAR Scotland have marked a year of partnership with "Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company".

A team from BEAR Scotland visited a veterans' manufacturing company in Erskine to mark a year of trading between the two organisations and to meet the ex-forces team members manufacturing the road signs installed by BEAR across the north of Scotland.

Based in Erskine, Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company (SMBC) employs veterans from the Armed Forces and others with disabilities in Scotland who may need support adjusting to life after service. SMBC manufactures commercial signage and printing services, including high-quality road signs.

BEAR Scotland was one of the first commercial companies to purchase road signs from Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company, now just over a year old. Since January, SMBC has produced over 1,340 signs for BEAR Scotland – more than a quarter of all the signs the initiative has produced in the past year - which have since been erected across the trunk road network throughout the north of Scotland.

These signs have included directional signage on the A9, M90 & A82 as well as warning signs, tourist signs and larger bespoke signage for road safety projects.

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On Friday's visit, BEAR Scotland saw first-hand the dedication, quality and precision behind the work SMBC does in producing road signs for the trunk road network.

Iain Murray, Managing Director for BEAR Scotland, said: "We're delighted to visit the dedicated team at Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company and meet those involved in producing such a high-quality product for us since January this year.

"BEAR Scotland has long supported employment opportunities for ex-forces members and it is so inspiring to come to the depot and meet those producing the signs we use across our network in the north of Scotland and hear their stories.

"We're so pleased with the quality, skill and dedication behind this initiative and we're delighted that working with Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company not only supplies us with a high-quality product but also provides essential employment opportunities for our brave veterans. We look forward to developing further opportunities and ways to work together to support this great initiative in 2020."

Michelle Ferguson, Director of Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company, said: "Scotland's Bravest Manufacturing Company was established for one simple reason: to offer greater opportunities to those veterans and others with disabilities.

"The vast majority of veterans have an easy transition and are able to move into the civilian workforce relatively smoothly. However, for too many, they face great challenges – and that's who we're here for.

"The business that BEAR has placed with us in the last year has helped our organisation grow immensely, allowing us to employ more military spouses, veterans and others with disabilities giving them valuable transferable skills. Gary Jamieson, one of our veteran's, sums it up perfectly – 'when BEAR places an order with us they aren't just buying a sign, they are changing the lives of veterans'.

"We are incredibly thankful to BEAR Scotland for the trust they have put in our team and for their continued backing. We are looking forward to further collaboration in the coming years and to seeing the signs we make across the Scottish road network."

(MH)