"Quality control procedures such as Risk/Hazard Assessments and Method Statements are a regular feature of customer service offered by the company. Contract work takes the Kean team all over Scotland, while more local work includes work on the Bank of Scotland in Pitlochry, Dundee Crematorium and The High School of Dundee. "

HISTORY

Kean Slaters has grown into one of the largest roofing companies in Tayside, with a staff of 12, including 10 out doing roofing work, but boss Charlie Kean emphasises that no job is too small, with private houses just as important to them as whole office buildings. Charlie himself is responsible for going out first to any potential customer, estimating the cost of the job and completing the full risk and hazard assessments required on industrial and business sites. The workers are all trained within the company and are fully qualified and, most importantly, fully insured. In its 20 year history, much of it based at Ancrum Road, Dundee, the company has picked up its fair share of awards, including being voted Scottish Roofing Contractor of the Year in recognition of its ornate slating work on many buildings. In fact, the new base in Lochee is in itself a good example of the high quality work expected of the company, with beautifully finished offices and boardroom, staff rest and dining room, shower room. toilets and disabled toilet.

The founder of the company, Charlie Kean, was one of the first on Tayside to start up with the assistance of the Prince's Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT). He started working with his father, also Charlie and a Master Slater, who still runs his own roofing business, along with Charlie Jun's brothers. He taught him the skills of the trade and Charlie puts much of the success of the company he formed when he branched out on his own, down to this unselfish time and assistance given to him while he was serving his apprenticeship. He met H.R.H. Prince of Wales in Glasgow and again at the Bell's Centre in Perth, where he had to display and discuss his ideas for setting up in business. Dundee Enterprise Trust also gave early advice.

Now a Tayside ambassador for PSYBT, Charlie is very thankful for the assistance it gave in the early years and positively promotes its part in his success. Success doesn't come without effort. He recalled that in 1988 severe storms had caused a lot of damage and he received a call from Sidlaw Industries at Cox's Mill in Lochee. Part of the roof had blown off and it was raining heavily but he worked though the night in atrocious conditions to make it watertight, returning in the morning to finish the job. This seemed to set the trend for the early years of setting up the business, unsocial hours of work, difficulties, and often what now seem to be unacceptable conditions. But as Charlie says, if you are prepared to put in the effort, and at times you will wonder if it's worth it, you will succeed.

Charlie Kean has become known as a great friend to local charities and those less fortunate than himself. Last December he organised a trip for 700 disabled and ill young people, their parents and carers, who were taken to see Peter Pan at Dundee Ice Rink, and he raffled off some of the signed football jerseys he has acquired through a long term friendship with Martin O'Neill. In all more than £6000 was raised for the children's cancer ward at Ninewells.

The above text comes from an Evening Telegraph feature about Kean Slaters.