Innovation is their motivation at the Scottish Rural Awards

Forward-thinking companies have been rewarded for their innovation.

The Scottish Rural Awards are the ultimate benchmark of success in Scotland’s countryside, highlighting the enterprise, skill and innovation of those who live and work in rural areas.

Biotechnology company Xanthella, based in Oban, were overall winners in the Rural Enterprise and Innovation category, with judges praising their exciting work to create renewable electricity from algae.

South Queensferry-based IceRobotics landed runner-up spot. IceRobotics is the world’s leading developer and provider of data collection and analysis products for monitoring dairy cow behaviour.

South Queensferry-based IceRobotics landed runner-up spot in the Rural Enterprise and Innovation category

MacRebur Ltd were highly commended in the category.

MacRebur was co-founded by three friends: Gordon Reid, Toby McCartney and Nick Burnett in early 2016 who were sick of potholed roads in Dumfriesshire. Inspired by an Indian method of melting plastic into craters to fill and seal them, they developed a patent-pending pellet from plastic which would otherwise end up in landfill.

Last night’s event, held at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, is the culmination of a fourth year of partnership between Scottish Field and the Scottish Countryside Alliance to host the awards, in association with the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS). The awards are backed by category sponsors including Barclays, Chiene + Tait and HW Energy.

Deacon Blue drummer Dougie Vipond was compere for the evening, hosting over 400 guests and presenting three awards in each of the 13 open categories – a highly commended, runner-up and overall winner.