Case Study - Thain Electrical Ltd

Monday 9 November 2026

From an Aviemore showroom to every corner of the Highlands and Islands

Most appliance businesses either sell machines or fix them. Thain Electrical Ltd does both, for homes and for businesses, and it does it across one of the largest service areas in the country. From a showroom at Myrtlefield Business Park in Aviemore, the company sells, delivers, installs and services domestic and commercial appliances throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

Director Kevin Thain describes it as a niche trade, and the reach is a large part of why. “We do commercial and domestic appliances, and we cover every corner of the Highlands and the Islands, all the way to Shetland.” The business has been operating in the Highlands for close to three decades and is a main dealer for Miele and for Electrolux Professional.

When Highland Council launched Highland Trusted Trader, Thain Electrical was the first business to join.

Sold, delivered, fitted and looked after

Buying from Thain Electrical means one business takes care of the whole job. The office team handles the order, and the company's own technicians and engineers deliver the new machine, install it, take the old one away and come back to service it afterwards.

Kevin's example is a customer from Aviemore who bought a new appliance from the shop. “We delivered it, installed it, uplifted and removed her old one. And she was extremely impressed by how she was handled by our office staff and our technicians and engineers that attended her home and provided her with the service on her new machine.”

The reviews on the company's Trusted Trader profile describe the same pattern: helpful advice on the phone and in the shop, prompt call outs, and quick, tidy installations.

“We're only as good as our last job, so we have to endeavour all the time to make the last job our best job.”

That is the standard every member of staff is taught, from the shop floor to the engineers on the road.

First on the scheme

Highland Trusted Trader launched in September 2025, run by The Highland Council with Highland Trading Standards and supported by Police Scotland. Kevin had no hesitation in signing up. “I felt that it was a very good initiative by the Council to promote and, if you like, protect local Highland businesses.”

Being the first member is something the team are proud of. “We became the very first members of the scheme, so we're quite proud of that fact.”

Before a business is accepted, Trading Standards vet the business and the people who own it. For Kevin, that is the point of the badge. “It gives the business the knowledge that we run the business properly, that we're meeting all the criteria that we should be meeting, and exceeding it. And it just gives everyone within the business and within the community peace of mind.”

Watch Kevin talk about the scheme

Advice for anyone hiring

Kevin's advice to anyone choosing a business to work in their home is simple. “Look at if they're a Highland Trusted Trader, and if they are, then you'll have peace of mind.” It is the same reason he gives for using the scheme at all: it lets people trust a local Highland business to provide the service and support they are looking for.

He would recommend the scheme to other local firms too. “I feel that the scheme would be of great benefit to any Highland business.”

Kevin Thain
Director, Thain Electrical Ltd

Common questions

What area do Thain Electrical cover?
The Highlands and Islands of Scotland, all the way to Shetland, from a showroom at Unit 1, Myrtlefield Business Park, Aviemore.

What do Thain Electrical do?
They sell, deliver, install and service domestic and commercial appliances, including washing machines, dishwashers, cookers, fridges and freezers, carry out appliance repairs, supply spare parts and take old appliances away. They are a main dealer for Miele and for Electrolux Professional.

Has Trading Standards checked the business?
Yes. Thain Electrical Ltd was the first member of Highland Trusted Trader, a scheme run by The Highland Council with Highland Trading Standards, and the business and its owners have been vetted by Trading Standards. Trading Standards do not inspect or approve individual jobs, so the workmanship is judged in the customer reviews on the profile.

• View Thain Electrical Ltd's Highland Trusted Trader profile.
• Read Thain Electrical Ltd's verified customer reviews.
• Visit the Thain Electrical website at www.thainelectrical.com.
• If you would like to become a Trusted Trader, you can apply here.
• If you are a Trusted Trader and would like to leave a case study either as text or as a video, get in touch.