Nine Scots firms in 'fastest-growing' overseas sales list

Image source, GLD Group

Image caption, Blairgowrie-based GLD Group supplies a range of branded clothing and footwear, including Italian shoe line Superga

A Perthshire-based clothing and footwear supplier has been named as the fastest-growing Scottish business for international sales.

GLD Group has been ranked 20th in the latest Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 league table.

It is among nine companies headquartered in Scotland to make it into the UK's top 200.

Together they have grown their international sales by an average of 42% a year over the last two years.

Blairgowrie-based GLD, which appears in the league table for the first time, saw international sales rise by 112% over two years to 拢12.3m.

The group licenses or owns the rights to design and distribute fashion and sportswear brands, including Umbro.

It also supplies Italian shoe line Superga and French rain jacket brand K-Way.

Moray-based food producer Baxters is ranked 34th in the table, with overseas sales of 拢197.6m. The company manufactures in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and Poland, and sells to more than 30 countries.

Image source, BrewDog

Image caption, BrewDog was founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie

Aberdeenshire-based brewer and bar operator BrewDog features for the third time this year, at 193rd.

The firm, which was founded in 2007 by James Watt and Martin Dickie, now exports to more than 60 countries, with international sales reaching 拢13.4m in 2016.

Other Scottish firms ranked in top 200:

  • Glasgow: recruitment consultancy Compello Staffing Group (111th)
  • Aberdeen: manufacturer Balmoral Group (113th)
  • Port Glasgow, Inverclyde: camping outdoor supplier AMG Vango (140th)
  • Bathgate, West Lothian: electronic device recycler Redeem (167th).
  • Inchinnan, Renfrewshire: gas generator producer Peak Scientific (185th)
  • Westhill, Aberdeenshire: catering services provider Entier (186th)

Amanda Murphy, UK head of commercial banking at HSBC, said: "This year's Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 is testament to the exciting opportunities available to ambitious Scottish businesses with appetite to grow their goods and services abroad.

"The nine companies in Scotland are putting the country firmly on the map as a thriving business hub."

To qualify for the table, UK firms must have recorded total sales of at least 拢25m and international sales of at least 拢1m in the latest financial year.

The full list of 200 UK companies can be seen in this weekend's Sunday Times.