More firms from across Coventry and Warwickshire can take their business overseas – that’s the message from a leading international trade figure at the start of Export Week.
Mick Page, who leads the UKTI international trade team at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, says despite growing exports from the region over recent years, even more firms can sell their goods and services on a global stage.
The Chamber’s team has directly helped more than 250 companies with their export objectives over the past year and double that figure those supported indirectly through international trade themed events.
During Export Week, which starts on Monday, April 7, the Chamber will be working with partners around the West Midlands region, putting on a range of events.
One Coventry-based event is a market seminar on the Baltic States, at Chamber House over lunchtime on Thursday, April 10. Coventry has been regularly leading business groups out to the Baltics area for over ten years and more companies are finding it a good place to do business each year.
Mick Page said: “Export Week is a great way of promoting and highlighting many of the opportunities that are out there when it comes to international trade.
“Exporting is great news for individual businesses but it’s also absolutely vital for the economy as a whole that we get more and more companies taking their business overseas.
“There is certainly a buoyancy out there among companies and our enquiries are increasing by the day – so much so that we’ve expanded our team here.
“Of course, the Jaguar Land Rover story is a great example of just how important exporting is to a business but our message is that overseas trade is for everyone, not just major, world renowned brands.
“The manufacturing and engineering sector is vital to this region and it is hugely respected around the world. There will be a drive over the coming weeks, months and years to get more small and medium sized companies in this sector exporting.
“But, also, our service sector is highly-regarded too and there are plenty of opportunities out there for knowledge-based businesses to export their expertise.
“The BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) economies remain popular and important and you will hear MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey) and others mentioned more frequently now as they are also rising markets with great potential for export.
“Europe generally and the USA are big markets for this region but I am also keen to highlight the opportunities there are in markets like the Baltic states.
“Certainly this region has developed excellent ties there over the years and we will be visiting it again in June so I would urge companies to attend our event on Thursday to find out more.”