After 23 years of dedicated service to Merkland Tank, Estimating Managing, Dougie McBride, is swapping his calculator for the clubhouse as he embarks on his well-deserved retirement.
Prior to joining Merkland, Dougie worked in various engineering, operations management, and health and safety roles. He served his time as an Electrical/Electronic Engineer at Rolls Royce, before moving to Alcan where we worked as a Project Manager and held positions across Reliability Engineering.
It was there that he first crossed paths with Merkland Tank (an Alcan sub-contractor) and met Robbie Horne, who was at that time Merkland’s third-generation owner (since retired himself). When Alcan closed their doors in 2003, Robbie invited Dougie to join him at Merkland, initially as Contracts Manager. And so, the story began…
During his two decades here, he’s held a number of management roles and latterly – as Estimating Manager – was responsible for overseeing our busy Estimating Department, working alongside Jon Proctor (Estimator) and Ross McMenemy (Project Engineer). Together, they make sure all our clients’ projects are properly costed and planned. While Dougie’s vast knowledge and skills will be sorely missed, the team have been preparing for this point, with Dougie having gradually moved to part-time hours over recent years and responsibilities handed over within the team. We know Jon and Ross will do a fantastic job of seamlessly keeping the department running smoothly.
Merkland Tank Managing Director, Kirsty McIntyre, said of Dougie’s departure, “Having myself been at Merkland Tank for the whole duration of Dougie’s employment, his retirement is bittersweet. Dougie has brought a wealth of experience, skills and knowledge to the business. He’s passed a lot of this onto the team which has made us all the more stronger. He’s been a great colleague, manager and team player, as well as a genuinely nice person to work with. But it’s time for Dougie to enjoy a more relaxed time in life (although he tells me he’s already got a growing list of tasks to do at home!).”
Dougie reflected on his time in Merkland, “Merkland Tank has been a great company to work for over the years. It’s been a truly varied role and I’ve enjoyed helping to solve our clients’ problems to deliver the best solution for their often bespoke and sometimes challenging requirements. Needless to say, I have built up many good relationships with staff and clients, many of whom I’m pleased to now call friends.
“I’d like to firstly thank Robbie (if he’s reading this!) all those years back for offering me a position at Merkland – who knew that would result in almost a quarter of a century with the business?!
“And of course, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all their help and support over the years. The business has seen significant growth over the time I’ve been here; we’ve moved from being well-known for tanks, to now offering a diverse range of services and skill sets. To make that work takes great people, lots of determination and continued flexibility. I’ve seen the team grow over the years, many of whom also celebrate significant milestones with the company, and I’ll miss the friendly ‘banter’ in the office and the yard. But I know, with a great bunch of people in place, and the ongoing investment in the advanced fleet, that Merkland Tank will continue to grow and diversify after I leave, and our clients will remain in safe hands.
“I’d like to finish up by wishing Kirsty and the whole Merkland Team all the very best for the future. My plan is to spend more time with my family, my wife Louise, and my Grandsons, and enjoy our extended trips to Portpatrick – plus, there will definitely be lots of time to enjoy more golf too!”
Dougie, thanks for your long service. From everyone at Merkland Tank, we wish you a truly wonderful retirement, filled with happiness, good health, and plenty of time to enjoy all the things you love most.
Read our message to Dougie on LinkedIn and send your own farewell wishes to him.