Chemical firm has eyes on Europe
Mar 26 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal
A CHEMICAL company has laid out plans to expand into Scandinavia and France and grow its presence in the US as it continues to take advantage of the weak British pound.
Cambridge Research Biochemicals (CRB), of Billingham, is hoping to tie up a deal with one of its large existing clients which will take it into Sweden as well as winning more clients in Europe and the US on the back of a partnership with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI).
The firm has signed up to UKTI’s Passport to Exports programme which has given it financial support to participate in more trade exhibitions around the world than would otherwise have been possible and also to extend its business activities into France and Germany.
CRB manufactures and supplies the biological and pharmaceutical sector with reagents - substances which cause chemical reactions that are used in various areas of scientific research.
With around 50% of its revenue streams coming from overseas sources, it has enjoyed strong growth this year as the value of the pound has dwindled amid tough economic conditions.
Next month the firm will attend an event in Denver, Colorado, which will focus on cancer research - a sector which relies heavily on reagents such as those made by CRB.
In the summer it will also attend a meeting in Sweden as it bids to enter the Scandinavian market through existing multinational clients who already have operations there.
CRB commercial director Emily Humphrys, who owns the business alongside operations director Alison White, said: “We believe passionately in doing as much business as possible face to face and we also have a long-term focus - we sow the seeds today which we will reap tomorrow. We realise strong export sales are derived from hard work, planning, investing the time until eventually a new account is born.”
UKTI trade advisor Keith Stockdale said: "CRB already has a strong reputation in its field and is an experienced exporter, but the company was still able to benefit from additional support available through Passport to help it identify and target new markets.”
CRB was set up in Cambridge in 1980 as a peptide manufacturer and a few years later introduced the production of custom antibodies (detection tools for human diseases).
