Gael Force Group is a leading supply partner of equipment, technology, and services for the farming and catching of healthy, nutritious seafood. Our competence and experience in aquaculture and commercial fishing environments means we are well-positioned to extend our range to commercial and leisure marine sectors.
The engine of our business has always been fuelled by the desire to design, manufacture, and supply equipment, technology, and services suited to the individual needs and challenges of our customers.
For almost 40 years, our drive to partner with our customers, whether it be the established salmon farmer or the hard-working local fishing community, has enabled us to build lasting, trusted customer relationships.
Our approach to work is consistent with integrity at its very core. In business, we value our customer relationships and strive to deliver a level of service and supply beyond expectation.
Across our group of companies, multiple locations, and a highly skilled workforce of over 200 people, our proud heritage and strong values are embedded. We are steadfastly focused on our core values which provide us with a framework for all our actions.
Through close working relationships with our customers, we are knowledgeable about the industries we are part of and are aware of current issues and future challenges.
Because of this, we embrace the opportunity with a high degree of professionalism, technical capability, and capacity to continuously improve our products and services to meet changing customer requirements where technologically intelligent solutions are required to tackle industry barriers to sustainable growth.
We aim to grow Gael Force to be recognised as a major world class Scottish company which will provide a sustainable, high yielding legacy for all its stakeholders over the very long term.
Mission
Our mission is to be the trusted product, technology and service supply partner of choice to our customers.
We will strengthen and invest in our commitment to innovation through structured product development strategy and by engaging and closely collaborating with our customers to understand their challenges.
Manufacturing Excellence
Our Manufacturing and Production facilities will excel in quality and efficiency, fully focused on delivering to schedule with a ‘right first time’ and ‘best in class’ attitude.
Quality Assurance
In line with our compliance procedures we aim to deliver a best in class standard of quality that is regarded by our customers as superior to other suppliers in the market.
Service
Always aspiring to offer world class levels of customer service we aim to provide exemplary, value adding service levels while ensuring all customers receive the right product, in time and on budget.
Sustainability
Our sustainability strategy will assist our customers with meeting and exceeding their sustainability goals, while seeking to achieve zero waste, zero emissions, and greater efficiency across Gael Force.
Export Markets
Through our structured and well-established research and validation process we will seek to continue with the internationalisation of our business, growing our exports in a sustained manner.
Group Management Team
Stewart Graham Founder & Group Managing Director Founded Gael Force: 1983
In 2018, Stewart was awarded Highland Business Leader of the Year and Outstanding Contribution to Aquaculture Industry. In 2020, Stewart was a UK Finalist for EY Entrepreneur of the Year.
Jamie Young Group Sales Director Joined: 2012
Previous Experience: 27 years of experience and active involvement in the global aquaculture environment, delivering solutions for salmon farming. Includes 11 years in management and as Director of Storvik Aqua Ltd.
Stephen Offord Group Production Director Joined: 2015
Previous Experience: 12 years serving as an Air Engineering Officer reaching the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Specialising in engineering management in operational environments, capital project build management, and health & safety in the Royal Navy.
Robert Foster Group Finance Director Joined: 2020
Previous Experience: 15 years in accounting and finance positions in Oil and Energy, including Halliburton, Cameron, and Baker Hughes, based across multiple worldwide locations.
Stephen Divers Non-Executive Director Joined: 1992
Previous Experience: Joined Gael Force in 2018 when Gael Force acquired 75% of the outstanding share of Fusion Marine which he formed in 1995. Background in engineering and almost 30 years experience in aquaculture, growing business to domestic and overseas markets.
Craig Graham Director Joined: 2014
Previous Experience: Lifetime involvement in the family business. Degree in Marketing and Management.Current Aquaculture Sales Manager for Gael Force Group Ltd. Director of Group Holding Company.
Rhiann Swanson Commercial Manager Joined: 2015
Previous Experience: Lifetime involvement in the family business. Degree in Business Management. Current Commercial Manager for Gael Force Engineering Ltd. Director of Group Holding Company.
At 18-year-old, Stewart Graham founded ‘Island Fabrications’ and set up as a one-man creel manufacturing and steel fabrication business based in 500 square foot unit in Stornoway in the Hebrides in Scotland.
Seaboard Anchors is acquired to form Gael Force's mooring division, laying the path to become a specialist mooring equipment supply partner to multiple marine sectors.
Investment made in Gael Force Marine Technologies AS for the development of a range of automated fish feeding systems for installation in the SEACAP feed barges.
Gael Force acquires aquaculture underwater technology specialists, Mohn Aqua, strengthening existing capabilities within the aquaculture market and kickstarting a new strategic period of growth.
Gael Force Group debuted on the list at number 7 having grown an average of 190% per year over the last two years having opened a base in Canada, to hit £6.6m in 2019, on total sales of £41.9m.
Quality, Health, Safety and Environment
Quality, Health, Safety, and the Environment lie at the very heart of our culture and activities, enabling our customers to make continuous improvements in their discipline while spreading sustainable development worldwide.
In short, because QHSE is so firmly ingrained in what we do, we can be relied on us to take compliance in the safety of products, people, and customers very seriously.
Beyond the immediate effects of our products and services Gael Force Group strives to improve our approach in all aspects of HS&E management, covering the environmental impact and relationships with customers, employees, and suppliers.
We are committed to ensuring the quality in all our activities, a commitment which is supported by the Directors, senior management, and colleagues throughout each part of Gael Force Group. The Quality, H&S, and Environmental framework is aligned with the Group Business Plan.
We have NQA ISO 9001:2015 certification for the following activities:
Gael Force Marine Equipment Ltd: Sale of marine equipment and the Design and Manufacture of Mooring Systems.
Gael Force Engineering Ltd: Design and Manufacture of Floating Concrete and other Steel Structures, and the Design, Manufacture and Installation of Marina Pontoons. General Engineers and Fabricators.
Supporting Our Communities
We care strongly about the local communities in which we operate and will always consider our neighbours in the choices we make as a business. The local community forms an important piece of the fabric in our existence.
Where we have been in the fortunate position to 'give back' to the community we have done so, as demonstrated with the Iolaire Centre project below.
Our sponsorship committee evaluates all donation and sponsorship requests in line with our company’s core values and manages an annual budget for community outreach.
The Iolaire Centre
As an example of the work we do to support the community, we are leading a project to build a world-class visitor centre to commemorate the Iolaire disaster, in the centre of the Stornoway Harbour where the returning servicemen should have disembarked. In 2018 we pledged a six-figure sum to the project over the four years which is anticipated to be the required lead-time to project completion.
Following the commemoration events and the wide and initial overwhelming community support for progressing the build of the Iolaire Centre, the Iolaire Centre charity is now embarking on the fundraising required to move the project forward to build a world-class visitor experience in Stornoway in the Hebrides, which will tell the story of the Iolaire tragedy.
The project aims to create a world-class visitor centre based on the Iolaire tragedy of 1st January 1919. The Iolaire Centre will recognise and commemorate those lost and those who survived and it will seek to look to the future, creating a visitor experience in the centre that is a dynamic cultural venue, attracting visitors from over the UK and the diaspora from the wider world.
The centre will be an opportunity to attract visitors throughout the island and create a meaningful catalyst for Stornoway’s wider vision to regenerate the town and its waterfront and be an integral part of the Harbour Development plan which will stimulate and sustain the island economy for the long term.
The vision for this world-class facility is to be one of Scotland’s top visitor attractions which will drive economic growth through telling the powerful story of the Iolaire tragedy. By sensitively telling that story, it will seek to look back and commemorate but also to look forward with positivity and shape the Islands future. The centre will seek to merge the promotion of Gaelic and Hebridean Culture, Maritime History and promote Hebridean Produce.
