A North Berwick-based company that specialises in converting Volkswagen Transporter T6 vans into luxury camper-vans has become Scotland’s latest employee-owned business, with 15 staff becoming the owners.

Founded in 2006 by husband-and-wife team Simon Poole and Catherine Brookes, Jerba Campervans carries out internal layout conversions, offering six standard configurations to meet a range of different needs.

Having spent long periods travelling in a VW camper, both as a couple and later as a family of five, Simon and Catherine use their experience to identify optimum layouts and features, working with a highly skilled team to make their designs a reality (www.jerbacampervans.co.uk).

In addition to producing around 50 vans a year, Jerba offers a selection of its conversions for hire; this allows customers to ‘try before they buy’, while enabling the company to test new products, fixtures and fittings.

Commenting on the decision to become employee-owned, Simon Poole said: “The matter of succession was in the back of our minds as something we would need to consider in a few years’ time, but when we looked into employee ownership, we were so sold on the benefits that we decided to make the transition sooner rather than later. It is an excellent business model, which benefits everyone.

“Catherine and I can continue with our day-to-day roles in the business for as long as we need to, with the knowledge that the future is taken care of, while our employees are given a stake in the business and a say in how it is run.

"Not only do we envisage this driving job satisfaction, productivity and innovation, it ensures that the unique ethos is preserved.

“Protecting jobs was also an important factor in our decision. Many employees have been with us for years and have played a vital role in the growth and success of the company.

"Moving into employee ownership gives job certainty to everyone who works here and enables them to have proper control of their future. The staff are very excited about the opportunities it will bring for the future growth of the business.”

Jerba is receiving further support from Scottish Enterprise through a ‘By Design Grant’, which is being used to develop a rear elevating roof for a vehicle, and through a 12-month placement for a digital marketing specialist (as part of the ScotGrad programme).