Export help is boost to Tees manufacturers

Nov 7 2006 Anastasia Weiner, Evening Gazette

An innovative export programme has helped 18 Tees Valley firms increase their overseas sales.

The Virtual Export Manager programme, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, offers small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) up to 30 days' flexible support over a six-month period to help them pursue export opportunities.

Among those to have benefited from the scheme, which is managed by the Durham office of UK Trade and Investment, is Eaglescliffe-based Thorncroft Drinks - a specialist manufacturer of naturally flavoured cordials and carbonated soft drinks.

While the firm has enjoyed considerable UK success, it quickly realised that it needed to capitalise on export opportunities and so signed up to the VEM programme.

The company was matched with experienced export manager Piero Alberici, who helped Thorncroft devise an action plan to raise its profile and promote its products in new markets, including the US, the Far East, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Guy Woodall, Thorncroft's managing director, said: "In the last nine months we've extended the number of export markets to 18, and we're confident that within the next two years export sales will account for more than half the company's turnover.

"We could not have achieved so much in such a short period of time without the aid of this scheme."

Mr Alberici said: "Thorncroft has a superb range of products and my presence enabled them to be more focused on export opportunities.

"We produced a new range of marketing materials, updated the website and diligently followed up all the 70 contacts we obtained at the ANUGA exhibition in Germany."

He added: "We combined these initiatives with a new pricing policy and multi-lingual labels to bring Thorncroft to the forefront of UK quality cordial and soft drinks exporters."

VEM project manager Stephen Muir said he was keen to expand the scheme further to ensure more companies benefited from the practical hands-on support and assistance the scheme offers.

"We now have about 30 experts who have signed up to work as virtual export managers with a wide range of skills and experience, so we can find the right match to suit a company's needs," he said.

"They work by operating a hands-on policy with the company, becoming part of the team, developing procedures and establishing a solid platform on which the company can build."

Mr Muir added the programme had already helped a cross-section of firms, including those from the engineering, manufacturing, chemical, environmental, travel, tourism, food, drink, creative and media industries.

The scheme costs £250 per day, but is subsidised by 50%.

* To find out more, call the North East International Trade Hotline on 0845 05 05 054 or email enquiries@ukti.rito.co.uk