Scots division of US firm W. L. Gore behind Gore-Tex sees profit gain altitude

Scottish arm of global firm that produces high-endurance products used in harsh environments such as space sees its profits ascend.

The firm's products have visited the moon and been used in NASA's Mars Perseverance 2020 Mission. Picture: contributed.

The UK arm of a global firm behind products including high-resistance material Gore-Tex, and which has a sizeable presence in Scotland, is forecasting further expansion after achieving “steady” growth in full-year profit.

W. L. Gore & Associates (UK) – which has about 260 staff (known as “associates”) across Livingston and Dundee – has posted profit after tax of £12.1 million for the year ended March 31, 2023, up from £10.8m in the previous year, and £5.7m in the 12 months before that. It added that its “strong balance sheet continues to provide a sound platform for future growth”, and its Performance Solutions division’s revenue has remained stable, with a reduction in fabrics in line with strategic decisions, while its Medical Products arm has seen an increase in revenue and market share since the pandemic.

Sheona Barlow, Gore UK board member, said: “The results are in line with our business plan with steady growth in profit. The end of the pandemic saw demand for our medical products rebound to pre-pandemic levels. We expect to see growth to continue in the coming years, thanks to the outstanding commitment of our associates, whose expertise and dedication ensure that we continue to innovate market-leading solutions across a wide range of sectors.”

The W. L. Gore & Associates group was founded by Bill and Vieve Gore in their basement in 1958, and launched its European presence in the UK in 1965 selling electronic products. Now boasting more than 12,000 staff, and turning over $4.5 billion (£3.5bn) a year, it has seen its output – that also spans the electronics, industrial, and medical sectors – used to solve technical challenges in demanding environments, including Mount Everest and space, with its cables arriving on the moon via an unmanned mission a few years before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin did. Indeed, NASA's Mars Perseverance 2020 Mission used wire and cable made by Gore at its Space Centre of Excellence in Dundee, and the firm has also received various awards for being a good employer.