It's a dog's life for international trade

Jun 12 2007 By The Journal

European funding is helping North East businesses to broaden their horizons and sell their products and services in international markets.

The North East Chamber of Commerce established its Export Market Research Assistance (EMRA) scheme in 2005, with the backing of a £508,956 grant from the European Regional Development Fund.

It allows SMEs with fewer than 250 employees to access up to 40% funding to research overseas business opportunities, visit markets and improve international trade skills.

One of the most successful beneficiaries of the scheme is Barnard Castle-based company Colliewobbles, which originally specialised in running sheepdog and agility courses.

Owners Mandy and Marcus Bainbridge decided to diversify, tapping into the export market with a range of doggy products including clothing, soft toys, backpacks, DVDs, whistles, books, mugs and ornaments.

They have achieved a huge increase in turnover after setting up a website and travelling to trade fairs around the world.

"We decided as a business, we needed to diversify," said Mandy. "So we set up the website and got support from EMRA and UK Trade and Investment. Now we have customers from all over the globe who, like us, have a passion for collies.

"We use our own dogs as models for a lot of our products and now have other companies paying us a royalty to sell our designs worldwide."

EMRA subsidises visits to overseas destinations, covering costs such as car and fuel hire and bed and breakfast accommodation. There is no maximum limit per trip but the maximum any single business can receive from the scheme is £2,500 per calendar year.

"The importance of researching and visiting an overseas market can't be under-estimated," explains NECC's chief executive James Ramsbotham.

"We designed the scheme to help companies improve exporting skills, increase awareness of international competition, help them understand business cultures and explore potential routes to market.

"Colliewobbles is a prime example of spotting a potential business and export opportunity and taking it forward to help contribute to a profitable business."

ERDF money has also played a key role in the establishment of the North East international trade office, a regional innovation which has pulled together all the region's export support and expertise under one banner.

PIC CAPTION : Mandy and Marcus Bainbridge of Colliewobbles