Robert P Slight & Sons Limited is based in Wallyford and has now been sold to an employee ownership trust, which will hold the shares of behalf of the company’s forty employees.

The Lothians’ based company has been trading since 1948 and until the recent sale was owned by Douglas Slight,  third generation of the Slight family to run the business.

The Slight family’s legacy is interwoven with significant historical buildings. Ancestors were among the team who constructed the Bell Rock Lighthouse, the world’s oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse and the design and construction of more than seventy lighthouses in Chile. 

Further, the Slight family name is also linked to the construction of the United States’ iconic Congressional Building, Capitol Hill.  Pringle Slight was project foreman responsible for overseeing the building’s construction, including the famous dome. His son, Robert, continued this legacy but tragically lost his life in a fall from the dome in 1861.  Both are honoured in the Congressional Graveyard in Washington DC, a testament to their contribution and the enduring legacy of the skill and dedication of the Slight family. In recent years, R P Slight has rapidly expanded, working throughout Scotland, servicing multiple public and private works. 

On the move to employee ownership, Douglas Slight said: “A business is always all about the people and our family business has a long and proud history.  When considering our options, a sale to the employees made sense because our business has always been founded on the hard work and dedication of our staff.  A sale to an employee ownership trust allows our values and principles to be maintained, whilst retaining our high standards of workmanship, professionalism and service.  I’m proud of all of our achievements and, of all of our staff.”

Gordon Buist, tax partner of EQ Accountants provided tax and accountancy advice, with the legal aspects of the transition being led by Douglas Roberts, Corporate Partner at TLT. He added: “I have known Douglas for many years, and it was obvious that a sale to an EOT was an option that would work well for Robert P Slight and Sons.  The employees have a wonderful opportunity to benefit as they drive the business forward.”

Douglas Roberts said: “It was great for our team to play a role in the sale to an EOT of this family business. We are sure the business will continue its proud heritage in its new structure and I am delighted to have helped a local company move to employee ownership.”

Employee ownership is growing rapidly in Scotland and recent research commissioned by Co-operative Development Scotland revealed a 47% increase from 2022 to 2024 in the number of employee-owned businesses in Scotland with a combined turnover of £1.471 billion and employing over 7,500.