Fowler McKenzie is proud to celebrate a remarkable hat trick of national accolades for its work on the iconic Ardgowan Distillery roof. The company secured Kalzip 1st Place for Best Project Over 1,500 SQM, along with the NFRC Scottish Roofing Contractor of the Year for Roofing & Cladding 2025 Award, recognising excellence in technical delivery, craftsmanship, and project execution. These achievements accompany the team’s standout honour from the UK National Federation of Roofing Contractors Awards Ceremony in London – the Industry Choice Award, voted “Best of the BEST” by peers across the UK, and regarded as the most prestigious award of the evening. Together, these three awards underscore Fowler McKenzie’s industry-leading expertise and the outstanding quality of the Ardgowan Distillery project.
Phil McKenzie said, “The Industry Choice accolade is particularly meaningful to us as a relatively small, specialist business competing alongside some of the largest names in the industry”.
From the outset, the Ardgowan Distillery project promised to be one of the most technically challenging installations we had ever undertaken. The design called for a Kalzip roof system fitted to a steel portal frame with a consistent 6-metre eaves height, paired with a tapering ridge that drops from 21 metres to 10 metres over 72 metres. Adding to the complexity was the requirement for a perfectly smooth, curved eaves radius and a continuous sheet aesthetic stretching seamlessly from ground level to the duo ridge. Finished in red copper patina with sporadic bronze accents, the building not only reflects the natural tones of the surrounding landscape but also aligns with the distillery’s drive toward carbon neutrality.
The technical demands were formidable. Every 400mm-wide cladding sheet required a unique radius due to the curved profile, and the installation relied on absolute precision with zero tolerance. Our teams worked from MEWPs on slopes of up to 65 degrees, coordinating fixed points, sliding clips and halter brackets with painstaking accuracy. Structural steel tolerances added another layer of difficulty, but through intensive collaboration with Kalzip, the architect, engineer and steelwork contractor, we refined a solution that left no room for error.
Workmanship on site was equally meticulous. Wall liners were manually handled into position, roof liners were hoisted using rope and pulley systems, and daily checks ensured installation remained true to design parameters despite the challenges of wind, rain and a complex, multi-contractor environment. Throughout, the client’s enthusiasm was palpable, with regular site visits and public praise – including impressive drone coverage – highlighting the project’s emerging visual impact.
Under the leadership of our managing director, Phil McKenzie, and supported by our dedicated site, design and project management teams, the result is a flowing, sculptural roof form that has been widely commended for both precision and beauty.
As one of Scotland’s leading roofing and cladding specialists, Fowler McKenzie is proud to add the Ardgowan Distillery to our portfolio of visionary, award-winning projects – a true testament to skill, collaboration and craftsmanship.
