Celebrating 50 Years of Luddon Construction: Spotlight on Lawrence McGarry – 28 Years of Dedication

At Luddon Construction, our people are the foundation of our success. As we continue to celebrate long-standing members of our team, we’re proud to shine a spotlight on Lawrence McGarry, who has been with the company for 28 years!

What first brought you to Luddon Construction?

Lawrence’s journey began well before he joined the company. “After leaving school I landed a YTS placement as a tyre fitter with Tyreservices GB in Bearsden,” he recalls. “By the time I was twenty-one I had managed to work my way up to Depot Manager and my single biggest account was Luddon Construction—much to the annoyance of other tyre suppliers!” His relationship with the company grew, and in early 1997 he was offered the opportunity to join Luddon with the intention of being trained to succeed Brian Duffy as Plant and Transport Manager. “Knowing what a great company Luddon was, I didn’t need to think twice about accepting the offer.”

How did your role develop over the years?

Lawrence joined as Assistant Plant and Transport Manager under Brian Duffy, who he credits as a key influence. “I owe so much to Brian. Whilst being the boss, he always took time to listen to ideas and was willing to change the way things got done if there was a benefit to the company.”

Did you ever imagine you’d be here this long?

“I never gave any thought to how long or short my career with Luddon would be,” Lawrence admits. “I loved the job and the company so much, time has literally flown by.” When asked what kept him here all these years, his answer is clear: “Being a family-run company, Luddon has a real family feel to it and the Dougall family take a genuine interest in the people who work for them.”

What’s one of your proudest moments?

Lawrence lights up when he shares one story in particular. “One of the things I feel Luddon does well is interaction with the communities around our sites. I was privileged to be involved in a visit to Head Office by a five-year-old boy named Ethan Rhind.” Ethan lived near one of Luddon’s sites in Lochgelly and would often watch the diggers from the edge of the site. “Thanks to ‘Real Scotty’ (Scott McEwan) and ‘Black Hat Dennis’ (Dennis Pollock), plans were soon hatched to give Ethan a treat.”

Ethan was brought to Balmore Road for a day’s work, suited and booted with custom overalls, a hard hat and safety glasses. “He even had his own personalised Toyota Hilux, registration ETHAN 1,” Lawrence smiles. “A great day was had by all, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the office when he received his Luddon pay packet and a load of goodies from our suppliers. Proud to be part of the Luddon family bringing priceless memories to Ethan and his family. Well done Dennis and Scotty!”

And the funniest moment?

“Looking back, a funnier moment (although not at the time) was when around 12 staff members ended up in the Forth and Clyde Canal during a charity Dragon Boat Race in Maryhill,” Lawrence recalls. “We were in the semi-final, neck and neck with the other team, and crossed the line to win with one final thrust of power, but unfortunately, it had the opposite effect and capsized our boat, sending the whole team into the canal.

Happy to confirm we were still crowned overall winners that year!”

You can watch the race here – https://youtu.be/Yu4ZD7du9_4

Building the Future Together

Lawrence’s 28 years with Luddon Construction reflect a deep-rooted commitment not just to his role, but to the people and values that define the company. His story is a powerful reminder of the loyalty, humour and heart that underpin the Luddon team.

To all our employees, thank you for being part of Luddon Construction’s legacy.

Here’s to the next 50 years!