Coventry and Warwickshire companies can rise to the challenge of increasing export markets, according to business leaders in the region.
The Government has launched a new strategy to boost exports as a proportion of GDP from 30 per cent to 35 per cent.
The plan ranges from encouraging more firms to trade overseas by showcasing successful exporters through to raising awareness of the support available to do business abroad.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce delivers international trade support to companies across the city and the county, and the region is one of the most fertile for exporting goods and services across the globe.
Already this year, Coventry and Warwickshire has achieved £172.11 million worth of export sales through Department of International Trade support via the Chamber which is substantially ahead of target.
Ajay Desai, Trade Director at the Chamber, said: “One of the key factors in getting more companies to trade overseas is to make sure the message gets out there.
“The new Government strategy is all about ensuring that businesses know that there is help available and that there are markets out there that are ripe for their goods and services.
“Coventry and Warwickshire has a fantastic record in trading overseas and we have absolutely no doubt that we can rise to the challenge of increasing our exports from this region.
“It’s a great opportunity to remind businesses of the benefits of trading overseas – those companies that export are more productive, more profitable and have much better growth rates.
“Our job here at the Chamber is to ensure that those companies which already trade overseas look at new opportunities and new markets. On top of that, we are here to support companies taking their first steps in exporting to see which markets they are best to concentrate on first and how to approach it.”
James Ahearne, International Trade Commercial Executive at the Chamber, added: “Of course, there is a great deal of discussion and concern around Brexit and, whatever the outcome, it will have an effect on our international trade.
“But we have to look beyond that as we will still be an exporting nation once we have left the EU and businesses will still require support in those efforts – probably even more so than before.
“So we would encourage companies to make full use of the services available here at the Chamber to increase our overseas markets and build on the positive reputation the UK has across the world when it comes to exports.”