South Lanarkshire business founded by two brothers goes into employee ownership

Wetrooms International Group - a growing enterprise started from scratch by two brothers - employs almost 80 staff, including those working in its Ceiling2Floor branches in Anniesland, Govan and Kirkintilloch.

Its team in Rutherglen operates a store as well as being the hub for the firm’s Wetrooms Distribution operation, supplying merchants throughout the UK and Ireland.

Brian and Bill Crombie launched Wetrooms in 2005 and have worked together for nearly 50 years. As part of their continued commitment to the business, they have retained a 26% share in its transition to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).

Staff have celebrated being handed a greater stake in the firm’s success as the PVC panelling specialists also recorded a 20% increase in turnover during the first quarter of 2025.

Brian said: “For us, this is about building a legacy for our team, recognising the loyalty of our staff. Becoming an EOT was the logical step for us to take. It makes sense for everyone. Most of our staff have been with us for a long time and we have a great management team.

“Becoming an EOT opens opportunities for our people to develop their careers, brings benefits to us and provides a level of comfort and confidence to the staff, suppliers and customers we work with that Bill and I are still here. It’s the ideal fit.”

Bill added: “The business is in a real period of growth with huge potential to expand significantly over the next five years. We have the right team in place to achieve that.”

Trustees to oversee the business have been appointed from the workforce as part of the new EOT structure. They include Group Managing Director Linda Smith.

Wetrooms International has been guided through the transition to employee ownership by Ownership Associates, with assistance from Reference Point Advisory and legal advice from Lindsays.

Matthew McPhee, Annieslad branch manager at Ceiling2Floor, said: “Our transition to an EOT is a really positive step.

“While it’s business as usual for us and our customers, the change internally gives our management team greater involvement in the business operations, which is really exciting. I’m looking forward to this new chapter.”

Employee ownership unlocks a capital gains tax exemption for shareholders who sell their shares to an EOT and the ability to reward employees annually with qualifying bonuses of up to £3,600 per year per employee, which can be paid free of income tax.

Nicholas Howie, a Glasgow-based Partner in the Corporate Law team at Lindsays, said: “Brian and Bill’s decision to transition to an EOT allows them to continue to play a key role in the future of the business while putting a legal and financial framework in place that creates a long-term legacy for their team. It’s the ideal fit for them.”

Ownership Associates Director Carole Leslie said: “It’s fantastic to see a growing business such as Wetrooms realise the positive impact of employee ownership, not least allowing the team who have helped deliver its success so far to retain control of its future and share the benefits.”

Wetrooms, which specialises in PVC ceiling and wall panels for bathrooms, supplies both merchants.

In 2008, following extensive development work, the firm introduced the first 100% waterproof hollow core PVC WidePanel shower and wall panels to the market.

The brothers, who began their careers in sales to the home improvement, builders’ and plumbers’ merchant markets, have been working together since April 1977. They previously successfully established Showerwall in the late 1990s, selling that business to the St Gobain Group in 2007 to focus on the development of fully-waterproof shower panels and associated products.

The firm also supplies easy-to-fit drop-click flooring, with new patented panelling products set to be launched.