Finning kicks off 90th anniversary celebrations with family fun day

Finning has kick-started its 90th anniversary celebrations with a family fun day for its employees and their families at its Glasgow branch.

More than 200 friends, family and customers turned out at the celebration to mark the milestone year. The day was packed with activities including a timed mini-operator challenge, themed crafts, face painting, a range of inflatable games, giant games and a colouring competition. Youngsters also enjoyed a themed treasure hunt. 

Visitors were able to get a first-hand look at the machines that Finning sells, services, and repairs as the world’s largest dealer of Cat® machines and equipment. Machinery on show included a large Cat 775F articulated dump truck that stands at nearly 12ft high and 30ft long. The machine has been completely rebuilt by the team at Glasgow giving it a second lease of life and supporting its customers to be more sustainable. Visitors also got the chance to try out a simulator with specialist SITECH® software that is used by machine operators on construction and quarrying sites to complete jobs accurately and efficiently.

As well as employees and their families, also in attendance was Director of Service Operations at Finning, Iain Carpenter, who began his career as an apprentice at the Glasgow branch. He was joined by a host of loyal customers including Geddes, AB2000, Glasgow City Council, SCR Plant Hire, Castleview Plant Hire, Purvis, Tillicoultry, Skene, KTM, Fankerton, and Devenny Plant.

The past nine decades has seen Finning grow from its first branch in Canada to now serve customers on three continents. In the UK and Ireland, Finning currently employs around 1400 people across 15 locations – having opened its first branch in 1983.

Finning enjoys links with Cat going all the way back to its inception 90 years ago – and specialist engineers continue to work on the latest Cat machines for demolition, construction, quarrying and agriculture, along with leading engines and gensets.

Beginning as the sole distributor of the Caterpillar Tractor Co in British Columbia, Canada in 1933 with just six employees, Finning now has a global workforce of 13,000 people, operating across Western Canada, South America, the UK and Ireland.

Hayley Brown, Brands and Events Marketing Manager at Finning, who helped to organise the event, said: “People are at the heart of the Finning success story, and we wanted to put this front and centre as part of our 90th anniversary. 

“Reaching this milestone is testament to the reputation that Finning has built up as a name that can be trusted for quality in the construction, quarrying, energy and marine industries – and it is the dedication and hard work of our employees that ensures this continues year after year.

“It was great to be able to share this celebration with employees’ families and we hope everyone enjoyed the day.”


The fun day at Finning Glasgow is the first in a series of events being held across the UK and Ireland to celebrate the company’s 90th anniversary, with further open days scheduled for sites in Dublin, Llanstrisant, Leeds and Cannock.