STAFF and management at Emergency One in Cumnock welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay to their factory last week.

They were greeted by managing director Mike Masden, Provost Jim Todd, East Ayrshire Council chief executive Fiona Lees and Deputy Chief Lieutenant Nigel Martin.

It followed an event last year at Dumfries House when Prince Charles had joined Mr Masden and staff at an event to mark the delivery of a new vehicle to London Fire Brigade.

Mr Masden revealed that the company are taking over the derelict Cumnock College building nearby as they go from strength to strength.

One of the first workers to speak to the VIP visitors was lone-serving electrician Martin Hastings, who stays in the town and has worked for Emergency One for 18 years.

He told the Chronicle: “I started off in here as a joiner, because the vehicle cabs used to be made of wood and a metal frame was built around where the crew sits.

“I then progressed into coach-building, which was basically cutting and fitting and started working on the electrical side which I enjoyed.

“I am now an electrician’s assistant and help with the harnesses, an important part of the vehicles as it runs all the wires through for things like the lights.”

There are now 180 people employed full-time at the factory, at Caponacre Estate — triple the original workforce when the company started in 1989.

Mr Hastings added: “We all get on really well and everyone looks forward to coming to work as there is something different every day.

“No two days are the same, different manufacturers and different brigades are after a wide range of fire engines of all types.

“You get to see it at the start, then the finished product at the end which is exciting. It is also a source of pride when you see your product in action at major incidents.”

While Mr Hastings is nearing two decades with the firm, 18-year-old Robert Browning is a second-year apprentice.

A former pupil at Loudoun Academy, he attends Ayrshire College as part of his apprenticeship and spoke to Prince Charles at length.

Robert is under the wing of numerous experts at Emergency One. including coachbuilders Jim Barker and Kenny Nailen.

Mr Barker, also from Cumnock, said: “Prince Charles was interested in what we do, we design a range of cutting equipment so firefighters can reach casualties as quick as they possibly can.

“I have been here for 16 years and, as it is two minutes down the road, it is a good place for me and the future is looking good with new contracts coming from Manchester, among other places.”

Part of the success story of the company is the number of apprentices taken on board in conjunction with The Prince’s Trust, who were represented at the visit.

Michael Wield, programme executive of the trust’s Get Into programme, said: “We do an employability programme here at Emergency One.

“Young people are recruited from the local area to come in and do an employability week and a work-experience week.

“The outcome is that they can get an apprenticeship at Emergency One under the programme, which has been running for four years and has been really successful.”

Mr Wield said the company are huge supporters of the scheme and know the benefits it can bring to young people.

“Because they want to grow so much, the company can see there is definitely a future in the programme and we can play a part in linking young people with such as successful employer,” he added.

Before they departed, Charles and Camilla joined the current batch of 32 apprentices, who are learning trades across a wide range of skills.

Courses include auto electricians, coachbuilders, mechanical fitters and automative painters.