SME News | Scottish Enterprise Awards 2023 | 10 Best Family-Run Coffin Production Business 2023 J & R Tweedie is a company of long-standing function that manufactures and provides funeral director supplies. It is known for building a range of high-quality coffins and caskets suitable for final goodbyes at cremations or burials. The company is proud to accommodate special requirements, and works with diligence to ensure all products are available when required. J & R Tweedie is a family run company that was established in 1996. It is located in Annan, Dumfriesshire, and has always ensured it recruits skilled and suitable staff from within the local area. This has helped it to form a close knit, caring and professional team who work together to always ensure the company can be relied on to deliver a quality product. The company was founded by Rod Tweedie, who has steadfastly always believed in providing a service of the utmost efficiency and quality. To further underline the company’s raison d'être, its adopted motto is “Quality and Service”, to constantly remind the firm of exactly what it stands for. It is pleased to be able to offer coffins in a variety of wood types. This includes oak, oak veneered, and elm, together with a full choice of wood stains. The company also offers a wide choice of custom designs, created specifically to suit the wants and needs of clients who have a desire to see deceased loved ones depart in a manner that’s suited to them. Custom coffins can be accommodated to cover many designs, such as brightly coloured finishes customised by patterns or pictures. Customised designs and types are available on request. One of the very special coffin designs J & R Tweedie offers even features a oak veneered coffin with a routed panel that displays in relief an image of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous ‘The Last Supper’ artwork. This coffin has a deep raised lid, and is formed from oak mouldings with light oak stain and shaded effects. It can be finished in gloss or satin, according to the family’s choice, and, as always, to reflect the personality of the deceased. Thanks to the company’s location, in the south west of Scotland, it is easily accessed via all major transport routes. This means J & R Tweedie is capable of stretching its customer base from the north of Scotland, through the central belt region, the border lands, and the north of England. All orders, once dispatched from its factory, will be delivered to the customer’s destination as quickly as possible. J & R Tweedie is in possession of a fleet of vehicles that grant it the flexibility to be able to be able to transport small or large deliveries. It is also agile enough to be able to deliver at short notice if needs be. All vehicles are regularly maintained, and are fitted with special restraining straps that enable the safe and secure transportation of coffins directly to funeral directors’ business premises. The company’s main goals and mission is the same today as it has always been, and that is to provide a product and service of the greatest possible quality. The coffins manufactured by J & R Tweedie are all still made in the traditional way. Founder Rod Tweedie is himself still very hands on with production, alongside the other family members, and workers who are treated like family. The firm doesn’t use any high-tech machinery, just good old fashioned bench saws and cross cutting saws. All coffins and caskets that come from J & R Tweedie are assured of a quality hand made finish. When considering the wider picture, and looking at trends in the Scottish industry at present, J & R Tweedie is certainly aware of the tendency for larger corporations to swallow up the independents, wither through buy outs or by driving them out through competitive monetary means. The funeral director supply industry, and indeed funeral directors themselves are certainly not immune to this. As far as Rod is aware, this makes his company the last independent funeral director supply company in Scotland. He is delighted to be taking part in the Scottish Enterprise Awards, and standing proud to be able to firmly put independents on the map. J & R Tweedie is proud of its Scottish roots, and finds that one of the biggest benefits to being based in Dumfriesshire is the flexibility it provides. Its deliveries can routinely be transported up or down the country, and the easy access it’s provided with helps immensely with the reduction in fuel costs. The internal culture of the company is one that embraces hard work and friendliness. There’s a steady demand for such jobs, but J & R doesn’t really have to advertise. In fact, there’s a waiting list of potential ready and willing candidates. This is because Rod is a well-known face in the local area, so is often approached by people looking for work. The fact that his company is held in such high regard is something he feels very touched by. As far as the future is concerned, the main goal for J & R Tweedie is, much as ever, to keep its feet firmly on the ground. It is a strong believer in the old saying that “you have to learn to crawl before you can walk”. This means, of course, that to get anywhere in life, you have to put the hard work in first; a fitting epitaph for anyone to aspire to. J & R Tweedie has been announced as the Best Family-Run Coffin Production Business 2023, in the Scottish Enterprise Awards. We are delighted to recognise this fine, independent company for all the excellent work it produces, and wish it the best of luck for the future. Contact Details Company: J & R Tweedie Web Address: www.jrtweedie.co.uk Contact Name: Roderick Tweedie
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