Rumors started swirling final week that long-time Scottish biking clothes and safety model Endura was shedding staff and shutting down their headquarters in Scotland. At first, it wasn’t solely clear what was taking place, or what was actually shutting down? So we reached out to Endura, and ended up with UK mother or father firm Pentland Group, who’d quietly purchased the Scottish model all the best way again in 2018.
And sure, Endura is relocating, leaving Scotland and heading south to England. However it’s probably not nearly reducing their work power.
Endura leaves Scotland after 33 years
Endura was born in Scotland again in 1993, crafting stable biking gear meant to maintain you using in all climate, and for all disciplines. I’ve principally ridden Endura’s mountain bike gear over the past couple of a long time – jackets, shorts, pads, helmets & footwear. However our entire Bikerumor group has lengthy appreciated their no-nonsense, principally reasonably priced strategy throughout a number of disciplines.
We even toured Endura HQ again in 2018 the place they custom-made biking package for professional groups, occasions, and newbie golf equipment. Endura made {custom} biking clothes in-house in Livingston, Scotland at their HQ for nearly thirty years, whereas their manufacturing gear was nearly at all times manufactured overseas. However as {custom} profitability waned, and particularly after monetary losses added up previously two years, even with discuss of current progress, Endura ended {custom} manufacturing early final yr, and relocated operations to close by Edinburgh.
And now their UK clothes Pentland Group mother or father firm is consolidating, shifting Endura out of Scotland, to a brand new mixed Hub workplace in central London, the place they may share sources with different out of doors gear manufacturers within the Pentland portfolio.
What’s subsequent for Endura?
Pentland says they’ve excessive hopes for the long-term worldwide progress of Endura. And so they’re particularly specializing in increasing within the US. However they determined that Endura and its different out of doors sister manufacturers, like British out of doors gear firm Berghaus, merely needed to come collectively in a brand new London Hub to maneuver ahead extra successfully.
Leaving Scotland is definitely going to be a giant blow to these long-time Scottish staff, a few of whom have labored at Endura for many years. Pentland defined that some staff had been provided the chance to relocate to the brand new workplace. And so they clarify that the transfer isn’t about reducing their workforce. However we’ve seen a great deal of worker tales on LinkedIn about being let go – like their heads of design, advertising and marketing, and a few product managers. It’d be a fairly large leap to go from working in a city of 50k exterior of Edinburgh to the center of 15 million folks in Western Europe’s greatest metro space in central London. Which may enchantment to some, however in all probability not most of the free-thinking “mavericks on a mission” biking employees at Endura who created irreverent using gear campaigns, like ‘Aye, y’can.’
So now, we’ll have to attend and see what the transition brings.
Can an Endura primarily based in London retain that enjoyable however sensible ethos that outlined the biking model for many years?
We definitely hope so.
EnduraSport.com
Learn Pentland Manufacturers’ official assertion beneath, because it “evolves model operations to help long run progress“:
Pentland Manufacturers is making adjustments to its advertising and marketing, product and finance operations to strengthen its model capabilities and help continued worldwide progress.
The adjustments will see the Berghaus and Endura manufacturers transfer to a extra streamlined product course of, designed to ship modern merchandise to market sooner and extra effectively. Advertising and marketing functionality can even be expanded in key worldwide markets, constructing on the current progress in each manufacturers.
As a part of this evolution, Pentland Manufacturers has begun session with quite a few staff throughout its UK workplaces, with some roles proposed to relocate to its new London Hub in Farringdon. The Hub brings artistic, model, digital and business experience nearer collectively, enabling better collaboration and agility in model constructing. General headcount throughout the group is predicted to stay the identical following the adjustments.
Chirag Patel, CEO of Pentland Manufacturers, feedback: “We all know these proposals might be tough for a few of our colleagues, and we’re dedicated to supporting everybody by this era. On the identical time, these adjustments are about investing in the long run success of our manufacturers. Constructing the suitable capabilities, in the suitable locations, to strengthen our competitiveness and proceed our progress internationally. Each Berghaus and Endura are performing nicely, with Berghaus increasing globally and Endura returning to progress after a difficult interval for the biking class.”
Session is ongoing, and additional updates might be shared when applicable.
