65 years of long service marked

FOUR members of staff at a Lochmaben roof tile firm have been hailed for their long service.

Together the quartet have put in 65 years at Russell Roof Tiles, making them among its longest-serving employees.

Operations director Bruce Laidlaw is celebrating 25 years with the company; Charles Graham and William Riddell have been there for 15 years; and sales executive Gordon Mckinnon has done a decade.

Commenting on his own milestone, Bruce, who is from Lochmaben, said: “It’s been incredible playing a crucial role in helping the firm grow. From being a part of new investments across our manufacturing sites as well as the launch of pioneering new products, I’ve witnessed a huge and continued transformation of the company.”

To mark the occasion, they received several gifts from the company’s managing director Andrew Hayward, who offered his congratulations and said: “I am proud to celebrate our employees for their long-standing dedication to the company and for shaping the business into what it is today.

“Our Halleaths site in Lochmaben is where it all began over 60 years ago, and the team have played such an important role in the development of the firm. I could not be more grateful for their hard work.”