Give us the elevator pitch for your business.
For over two decades, APA has been helping to keep Scotland working safely at height. Founded by my dad, Rob Petrie, we support businesses across the country from our bases in Aberdeen and Elgin, providing powered access hire, accredited training and structured compliance support.
We're a family-owned business built by local folk, long standing client relationships and a commitment to delivering best-in-class service.
Who are your customers?
Our clients range from Dundee to John O’Groats and beyond! While being based in the North-east means many of our customers are local, we support businesses right across Scotland in sectors including construction, maintenance, facilities management and energy.
We have a loyal customer base that includes, Diageo, FES Group, Richard Irvin FM, Morrison Construction, Robertson Group, OCS, Weatherford, Hutcheon Services and Fowler McKenzie. We also regularly support Aberdeen Football Club with maintenance works carried in and around Pittodrie and we’ve been proud to work with the Nuart street festival to help the artists reach some challenging spaces.
What is the biggest challenge and opportunity your organisation is facing right now?
Like many businesses, we're influenced by activity in the construction sector. Project delays, reduced investment and uncertainty within the energy market all have an impact on demand, so remaining adaptable is key. Recruiting people with the right skills and experience is another challenge facing the industry, and we're continuing to invest in growing our team to ensure we can meet the needs of our customers.
Demand can also increase significantly following severe weather, when businesses need urgent support to access and repair damaged roofs, gutters and other high-level structures. Responding quickly to these requests can be demanding, but it's something we pride ourselves on.
We’ve recently invested in updating our website and our brand which has opened new avenues for business while bringing a fresh look to APA. We’re a family business, my dad Rob is still involved, and my brother Darren heads up the training and health and safety side of the company. As a family business, we're proud of the personal service we provide, and we believe that's what continues to set us apart.
What is your word of advice for fellow Chamber members?
It’s never too late to start a business. My dad launched APA at 51 with just three machines, and today we operate a fleet of more than 350. It hasn’t been easy and we’ve had plenty of challenges along the way but if it was straight forward, then everybody would do it. Hard work and looking after your customers really do pay off.
What is the best thing about being a Chamber member?
The access to the Chamber network has been invaluable. Membership allows our news and achievements to be shared across the region, and it keeps us connected with the business community in the North-east. Aberdeen may be a relatively small city, but those connections and networking opportunities are incredibly important for a family business like ours.