Construction SMEs and product manufacturers interested in participating in the global economy are being urged to take up initial appointments with advisers from UK Trade and Investment.
The Exporting is Great campaign hopes to reach 3,000 new potential exporters and is part of National Export Week, from 11 to 15 November, during which more than 1,000 events will take place around the country.
Export Week aims to engage 700,000 SMEs across the economy and is part of the government’s strategy to raise the proportion of UK companies that export from a fifth to a quarter.
In construction, the UKTI is highlighting the success story of building and engineering consultancy Cundall, which drew just 1% of turnover from overseas sales in 2003 but now earns 30% of its revenue from abroad.
Director Carole O’Neill said: “Cundall have used the UKTI Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) several times and have found this really helpful in terms of market research, understanding what opportunities are available in international markets; and connecting with staff in the embassies overseas that are able to use their business network to introduce you to contacts in international markets that may be able to open doors for you.
O’Neill: British expertise
She added: “There is a real interest in British expertise in our field overseas – in particular in the Middle East and Hong Kong where green buildings and sustainability expertise are sought after. Western Consultants are in demand there and naturally that helps our business as we have the staff capabilities in this area.
“Cundall has been able to leverage its involvement in the Lee Valley Whitewater Centre for London 2012 and is now working on white water canoe courses in New Zealand and at the Rio Olympics on the back of the success of our work in London.”
Meanwhile, the UKTI has been working with the Construction Products Association to encourage construction product manufacturers to take the plunge into exporting for the first time.
Mike Josypenko, exports manager at the CPA, told CM that a survey of members about attitudes to exporting revealed low awareness of the practicalities of exporting.
“The survey results bore out what we thought would be the case – there’s a lack of knowledge of the support services available, from the UKTI and UK Export Finance, a lack of information on overseas markets, and difficulty in finding overseas clients and distributors,” said Josypenko. “There’s a need for information on how to get paid, and customs regulations.”
The CPA has therefore established a new section on its website pointing SMEs to the services and resources available, including the Institute of Exports and Open to Export, a peer-to-peer website where UKTI posts overseas opportunities for SMEs.
Josypenko added that the CPA also plans to engage with UK contractors and consultants that operate overseas, to encourage them to specify British products on projects abroad and help UK manufacturers enter new markets. “Exporting is an important part of the Industrial Strategy for Construction, so this will be part of our wider strategy to grow exports further down the line. We need to interact with a wide range of partners.”
Meanwhile, business secretary Vince Cable is currently in Moscow on a UK trade mission, targeting opportunities around the Fifa World Cup 2018.
Cable is accompanied by 31 current and potential exporters, including Turner & Townsend and architect Populous.
