Head of outdoor kit specialist leading mission to grow global footprint and double turnover

● Second-generation family business adapting to changing consumer trends

Ramin Golzari explains that when his father Bahram came to Scotland to study at the University of Edinburgh, he wanted to continue his passion for mountaineering and climbing that he had developed in his native Iran.

Finding that the kit on sale at the time was expensive and niche, when military surplus specialist Leith Army Stores went into liquidation he decided to take it over, and High- lander started out in 1985.

As the business grew, Golzari senior tapped into his engineering knowledge to break down the costs and create something built to last but affordable, and Highlander started to supply independent outdoor and military stores across the UK with its own lines.

Ramin Golzari took the reins four years ago after studying at the University of Glasgow, but had grown up with the firm. “I’ve done pretty much every job there is to do in the business,” he says.

The company, which designs and manufactures adventure equipment, now has a product range covering more than growth market for us”. The vast majority of these are to Europe, with Germany its largest market outside the UK, and Golzari also highlights Italy, France and Spain.

The firm has been recognised for its growth in overseas sales, which hit £2.5m in 2016, by the latest Sunday Times SME Export Track 100.

But with Highlander having such a European focus, and Golzari aiming for it to be known as a global company in ten years, how concerning is Brexit? “I don’t think we’re worried — but we’re actively engaged in it,” he says. “We’re looking at plans and we’re analysing what might happen.”

Looking at outcomes from best to worst, he says that if things become “problematic” when dealing with Europe, Highlander will need to examine different business structures as it looks to continue overseas growth. “[That] shouldn’t be something that’s blocked by Brexit — if anything, we’d like to find a solution that makes it even easier.”

In terms of market size, the latest data from the European Outdoor Group found that the wholesale value of the sector in Europe in 2015 was €5.3 billion (£4.8bn) in 2015. The two largest markets, Germany and France, grew by 2.2 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively in the year, while the UK came in third at 1.8 per cent.

But while the ultimate impact of Brexit remains obscured by cloud, what is more immediately evident is the change Golzari highlights in the way consumers approach retailers.

“We’re in a very dynamic and a very different marketplace than we were five years ago and I think it’s going to change even further,” he believes. “Outdoor clothing is no longer about just keeping you dry and warm. It’s got to do so much more than that — it’s an extension of who you are.

“As a result we’re seeing a lot more colour and a lot more flamboyance coming through our designs for 2018 and beyond.”

And while there are undeniably many high-profile competitors in the market, he is of the view that with customers now researching a company’s identity in far more depth than previously, like-for-like comparisons in say, market share or designs, are decreasingly relevant to him.

“What we’re trying to do… is an extension of who we are and ultimately that’s really what people buy into going forward.”