Resilience is a trait that many have had to develop working in the world of agriculture - whether you're a farmer, or your business is one relating to agriculture.

It's certainly an attribute that Caledonian Marts has had to have in spades over the last year or so, as the livestock auctioneers have what has been the most testing and turbulent time in their 53 year history.

They've come out of the other side now though, and the mood is a positive one at their main site at Millhall on the outskirts of Stirling.

"Things were really tough from maybe July 2014, right until April 2015" admits John Kyle, who has been with the company for 38 years, "but we've come through it, and since April this year things have been nothing but positive!"

New ownership since the spring of this year means that Caledonian Marts now have a strong and positive future marketing stock from all over Scotland through the Millhall and Oban marts.

"The 20th of October marked six months since the new owners came in. I feel that the team have really embraced the positivity of working for the new business over the past six months and it's all going really well" continues John, "we're ahead of our budgeting forecast, so things are like night and day compared to this time last year."

"The new owners are happy to stay in the background, and I welcome the fact that they have promoted me to the role of managing director and leave the day to day running of the marts to myself and our team on the ground. The renewed investment is also allowing us to spend a bit of money on things again, which was something we hadn't been able to do for quite some time.

"At the end of the day, we want to be able to do things to the benefit of our customers. That's what the whole thing's aimed at!"

Their customers seem to very much be at the heart of Caledonian Marts, and John can't credit them enough as far as their attitude is concerned.

"When we were having issues it was incredible how people stuck by us. Yes, some people did go elsewhere, but even then some of those customers have come back to us. The support really was fantastic though, if it wasn't for that I really don't know how things might have played out."

In addition to their main, Stirling site, Caledonian Marts have also successfully operated the mart in Oban for the past 20 years. A well supported market, Oban is thriving, and has a steady throughput each year, with several high profile sales like the Highland Cattle Society breed sales and the store calve sales. These sales are a highlight in many people's calendars and certainly keep Oban Mart yard manager Ronnie McCormick very busy!

The business sells store cattle and sheep through both centres, as well as OTM and prime and cast stock through Stirling. Like Oban, Stirling also hosts breeding sales, pedigree sales and calf sales throughout the year.

The Caley team play an active part in the trading of island stock too, conducting the annual sales on Islay where a successful and competitive trade usually prevails.

Whilst livestock sales are very much the core of the business, the company and its customers also benefit from a joint venture with Baird Lumsden, specialising in property sales, valuations and compensation claims, among other things. Implement sales are also becoming a bigger feature of the calendar at Milhall, with six or seven of these sales now held throughout the year, with increasing success.

The Caledonian auctioneering staff split their time across the two sites, and it is evident that John is very proud of the strong team spirit in both the auctioneers and across all staff.

"On the selling front, it's myself, Alistair Logan, our assistant manager who has also been with the company for 38 years, and Gregor Brodie that do the bulk of the selling of stock. As well as this, we have recently invested in the future by taking on two trainee auctioneers, Tommy Fairbairn and Oliver Shearman, so they'll progress and take on more responsibilities as well. I do think you need to invest in young blood to make sure you have a strong future in the business."

"Experience is also invaluable though, and we hope to be in a position in the near future to take on another fulltime, fully qualified auctioneer as well. We do realise that we need more people on the ground, getting out and about, so hopefully that'll be something for 2016."

"Personally, if we boost the existing team it may allow me to escape the rostrum a bit more and allow me more time for business development and business management tasks. These are important if we are to continue to attract new customers, maintain and build existing relationships and ultimately grow the Caledonian Marts business."

"The recent addition of Neil Leslie to the team means we are already better able to serve our customers, old and new, in Angus and Perthshire. Also, following his retirement from the rostrum, the weel-kent face of Jim Dunn, has stuck with us, and is looking after an area from Fife, through the central belt and across into Renfrewshire."

"I hope to get out and about more in 2016 and support these two agents and our further flung customers."

"We have strengthened our finance department too, with the addition of Karen Harrison as finance manager. Nan McGinty also keeps things right in her credit control role, as does company secretary Jim Renfrew."

Long-time customer Robert Waugh of Avonbridge supports the Caledonian plans for growth and investment in a larger team.

"I've sold here for a long time" he explains, "and I like to stick to what I know, and I do get a good service, but more people out and about and maybe more buyers too - neither of these things would go a miss. On the whole though, I can't complain."

Sale days at Milhall see a smooth flow of stock through the ring thanks to the yard manager John Bowman and his trio of Andy Young, Alan Hughes and part-timer Robin Stewart. More yard staff are brought on at Milhall and Oban when required for big sales and in the height of the sales season.

In the office, the admin team of Claire Sangster, Wendy Waugh and Lorna Mitchell are often the first point of call for customers, and their knowledge of the business is second to none.

"We wouldn't get much auctioning done without the support of our office and yard staff" admits John, "they really do know their stuff and keep things going."

The professional and positive attitude of the staff, is one that also seems to be echoed by their customers, both those buying and selling.

Gillespie and Shirley Cameron travel from Gorebridge, Midlothian on a weekly basis to buy stock at Stirling.

"It's a good market" explains Shirley, "we come to try and get a good deal. We come every week, and we couldn't fault the service. You get a good quality of stock in this part of the country too, and we find its value for money! It's central as well, so you get stock from all places, so it gives you options. We've been coming for a long time and I certainly don't see that altering any time soon."

"It's a friendly market" agrees Hugh Kyle (no relation) of Roseberry Estates, who sells sheep through Stirling, "its user friendly and farmer orientated. I've always come to the Caley and I was really glad to see them getting through their troubles. One thing you did notice when they were going through the bother was that they kept their customers informed. I think that was really appreciated. Being kept in the dark would have made things much worse."

Caley certainly aren't dwelling on the past now though, and looking to the future, John is positive, and you can see that Caledonian Marts overall have a strong belief in where they are heading.

"We're busy, and we're moving forward and developing, so it's going great guns from what I can see" John tells us, "yes, there is a lot of competition in livestock auctioneering, but that has always been the case. Apart from anything, competition between livestock marts is important, it helps trade!

"We're well placed geographically. We're central so we get business from far and wide - we're accessible."

"There will always be a place for livestock auctioneers. It's the most competitive way of selling stock, and it's the only way for producers to get the true market value of their animals."

"I also like to think that, as well as getting over our own problems, we're well equipped to help our customers deal with any problems. It will be interesting come December to see how payment delays take hold, but we'll do our best to stay competitive and stick by our customers, just as they have us."

With resilience and positivity like that, it has to be said that the future seems bright for Caledonian Marts!