Born in January 1943, the distinguished civil engineer passed away peacefully at his home in Bieldside, Aberdeen.

In a post on LinkedIn, the firm described Alasdair’s career as being “marked by significant contributions to Scotland’s construction industry”.

The post added: “In 1976, Alasdair co-founded CHAP Group alongside Ian Harper, Frank Anderson, and Ian Philip, with the company’s name derived from the initials of their surnames. Under his leadership, the Westhill-based firm expanded its operations across construction, civil engineering, commercial property, house building, and quarrying, becoming a prominent player in the region’s construction sector.

“Alasdair served as director for 36 years, demonstrating unwavering commitment to the company’s growth and success. In 2012, he retired as chief executive, passing the leadership to his son, Hugh Craigie, who continues to lead CHAP Group, upholding the values and vision instilled by his father.

“Alasdair continued to be involved in the business as non-executive chairman and would regularly be seen in the office, making sure the company was being properly cared for. His passing is a profound loss to the construction community and all who knew him.”

Hugh Craigie reflected on his father’s quiet but determined approach to leadership.

“Dad was quite a quiet guy, but he could be impatient at times and that helped drive the company on,” he told the Press & Journal.

“He was always discreet. A number of people have said to me that they came to him asking for advice or wanting to discuss something and he was completely discreet.

“It never went beyond him and a lot of people valued that greatly.”

He said the family has had a huge response to Alasdair’s death in terms of cards and kind messages.

“The word that jumps out to me that’s been mentioned again and again was just a gentleman,” added Hugh.

A funeral service will be held at Aberdeen Crematorium’s West Chapel tomorrow (Wednesday) at 1.15pm, to which all friends and family are invited.