As the UK woke up to the news that Scotland had voted to retain the union and remain within the United Kingdom, Scottish bike clothing and accessories brand Endura was putting politics to one side and focusing on its business prospects. The company is delighted to have been selected as one of two SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) National Winners in the HSBC Global Connections Competition.
The competition is an initiative to find the UK’s most innovative and forward thinking companies. This year’s competition has seen national winners in three categories: excellence in innovation, international trade, and mid-market growth.
Over the past three years, the HSBC Global Connections Competition has sent 138 dynamic businesses to International Exchanges in some of the world’s fastest-growing markets, and awarded access to over £3 billion in funding. This year the field was widened to take in companies with a turnover of up to £100 million. And, while international trade remains key for many entrants, domestic-focused companies were eligible to enter too.
The awards ceremony took place at Cameron House Hotel on Loch Lomond, Scotland, on 12 September.
Amanda Murphy, Head of Business Banking for HSBC UK Commercial Banking, said on 12 September, “We’ve spent the day listening to brilliant leaders talk about their brilliant businesses and it has been truly inspiring. Every single company today demonstrated at least one awesome piece of excellence across our judging criteria, from innovation and strategic focus to developing management teams and embedding a strong culture. This is a special group of companies and any one of them would have been a worthy winner.”
Dan Howlett, Head of Corporate Banking, for HSBC UK Commercial Banking said “We were looking for a truly iconic business with innovation at its heart. All of these companies have had to reinvent themselves over time to survive and thrive, demonstrating constant innovation and an ability to adapt. As judges we had an intense debate and the final decision was incredibly close because any of these businesses would have been a deserving winner.”
Jim McFarlane, Managing Director of Endura “We didn’t expect to get to this stage let alone win so we’re surprised and hugely appreciative. We think we’ve got a great business that’s worthy of it and I’m glad that came through in the presentation.”
He continued, “We are planning to establish a venue where we can introduce underprivileged kids to mountain-biking and the funding will go towards that and help accelerate the process. Congratulations to fellow winners Neptune Home (also SME National Winners) and Joseph Joseph (MME National Winners) and all of the competition’s finalists.”
The Endura Lifecycle Barn will be located near Drymen, north of Glasgow and west of Stirling. It is planned to open in spring 2016.
Jim McFarlane said on the Endura Lifecycle Barn “Our ambition is that the Endura Lifecycle Barn can be a hub that will allow underprivileged kids to engage with cycling and all its positive aspects. It should, we hope, allow kids from difficult backgrounds to experience the freedom and exhilaration of cycling in some of the most beautiful countryside in Scotland, help develop their bike skills, and encourage them to be active.
“We also plan to run bike mechanic workshops at the centre to help develop young people’s sense of logic and mechanical understanding in a world where children are too often surrounded solely by computer technology that is impenetrable to them.”
