This week, we’re handing the blog over to Nicol of Skene Ltd, specialists in Civil Engineering, Multi-Utilities, Horizontal Directional Drilling, Temporary Access Road Hire, and Suction Excavation Hire.
Nicol of Skene Ltd are specialists in Civil Engineering, Multi-Utilities, Horizontal Directional Drilling, Temporary Access Road Hire, and Suction Excavation Hire. Established in 1980, we are a family-owned and operated business with deep roots in the North East of Scotland. Originally based solely in Aberdeen, we have steadily expanded both our workforce and our service offering over the past four decades. Today, we employ over 120 highly skilled staff members and continue to grow. Our reputation has been built on reliability, innovation, and delivering projects to the highest standards.
Introducing Walter Hardie, Contracts Manager
“I oversee the operational delivery of a range of civil engineering and utility projects, ensuring they are completed safely, on time, and to the highest standards of quality. I work closely with clients, suppliers, and our internal teams to maintain strong working relationships and drive continuous improvement.”
Introducing Sean Melville, Project Manager
“I am responsible for managing the lifecycle of projects from initial tender through to completion. My role involves planning, coordinating resources, liaising with clients, and ensuring our projects are delivered efficiently, safely, and within budget.”
We have focused heavily on diversifying our services and investing in specialist equipment such as suction excavators and horizontal directional drilling technology to meet changing market demands. Our management team has also embraced digital tools to improve project management, communication, and remote working capabilities. In addition, we have enhanced our health and safety procedures to meet evolving industry standards, ensuring the wellbeing of both staff and clients.
We are continuing to expand our Suction Excavation Hire service, which is proving extremely popular due to its safety and efficiency in working around live utilities and sensitive environments. In addition, our Temporary Access Road Hire solutions have been supporting major infrastructure projects across Scotland, and we are keen to promote this service further.
We are proud to be fully MURS accredited — one of only 45 companies in the UK to hold all three major Multi-Utility Registration Scheme (MURS) accreditations: WIRS (Water Industry Registration Scheme), NERS (National Electricity Registration Scheme), and GIRS (Gas Industry Registration Scheme).
In addition, we hold key British Standards Institution (BSI) certifications, including:
- BSI ISO 45001:2018 for Occupational Health & Safety Management
- BSI ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management
- BSI ISO 14001:2015 for Environmental Management
These certifications reflect our ongoing commitment to excellence, safety, and environmental responsibility.
We are also proud to be continuously improving our sustainability practices within construction and have recently achieved a bronze EcoVadis sustainability rating, a key step towards our goal of advancing environmental and social governance standards across all areas of our business.
We have only recently joined Inverness Chamber of Commerce, but we are excited about the opportunities it presents. We are looking forward to building valuable connections, strengthening our presence in the region, and developing new relationships with fellow Chamber members through upcoming events and networking opportunities.
We value the Chamber’s role in providing a strong, supportive business network and being a voice for businesses in the region. The access to high-quality networking opportunities, business insights, and advocacy has been instrumental in helping us to build relationships and stay informed about key developments affecting the industry.
Being featured as Member of the Week provides us with a great platform to highlight our growth, showcase our specialist services, and celebrate the achievements of our hardworking team. It also allows us to strengthen our engagement with the local business community and highlight our commitment to supporting the economy of Inverness and the wider Highland area.
Over the next 12 months, we plan to continue investing in our people, equipment, and capabilities. We aim to grow our presence in the Highlands and Islands, expand our fleet of specialist equipment, and develop new partnerships across the civil engineering and utilities sectors. Training and developing the next generation of engineers remains a priority for us, ensuring sustainable growth for the future.
Thank you to Nicol of Skene for featuring as our Member of the Week! For more information, visit their website here.
