Leiths

Following school Louie started a 5-year apprenticeship in Engineering covering fabrication, fitting, machining, welding and technical drawing with George Cassie Engineering who were based in Kings Street, Aberdeen.

During his apprenticeship Louie also attended night classes at the local technical college and achieved his HNC in Engineering. Louie worked hard during these early years with George Cassie and progressed to become a Supervisor for primary crushing installations working out of quarry sites throughout England and Wales. Louie was also involved in setting up crushing plants for supporting the construction of the M6 and M62 motorways and even had a spell setting up a plant in Nigeria at the tender age of 23.

Returning to Aberdeen Louie then moved to a company called Craigenlow who operated Craigenlow Quarry as we know it today as their Foreman Engineer. He then progressed to Assistant Quarry Manager when Tarmac bought over Craigenlow.

In 1980 Louie enrolled on to the recognised Quarrying Diploma Course known as DAPs where he undertook distance learning with tutorials down in Doncaster and finally passing 3 years later.  Achieving his quarrying diploma allowed Louie to become a full member of the Institute of Quarrying. 

Never one to be shy of work Louie embarked on building his own family house in Blackburn during 1976 to 1977 where he still stays today.

It was 1981 that Louie joined Leiths as Manager of Blackhills Quarry here in Cove. Louie’s talented engineering ability both on the drawing board and on site were soon recognised and he was pivotal in setting up and running many of our operations working his way to become Production Director. At the age of 65 Louie decided to work part-time working 3 days per week as our Projects Director focusing primarily on larger engineering schemes within the business.

Twelve years on Louie has decided the time is right to retire and now looks forward to spending more time with his 4 grandchildren and working in the garden and his much loved greenhouse. 

Louie’s unrivalled knowledge of plant and machinery has been paramount in growing the Leiths business and making it the success it is today.

As well as this, Louie has been a great colleague and friend to us all and we wish him, and his wife Vera, a long and happy retirement.