Leather goods firm forges bridge into China from IFB2016

A LIVERPOOL-based bespoke leather goods company has forged links with Chinese delegates and gained access to the country’s 10 million-strong student community.

The Leather Satchel Co also met Liverpool-based logistics company Wynne Aviation Services, which owns thefreightcentre.com, at the International Festival for Business 2016, currently taking place at the Exhibition Centre in the city.

Leather Satchel and Wynne hae begun working together to distribute The Leather Satchel Co’s products as far afield as Colombia, South Korea and New Zealand.

The Leather Satchel Co received significant interest from the Chinese delegation attending the IFB2016 which included Chinese shopping malls and, crucially, representatives from China’s biggest student union.

Both the Leather Satchel and Wynne are second generation family businesses.

Wynne Aviation Services, based in John Lennon Airport, has grown from 10 to 85 employees in eight years.

Similarly, since launching their website and beginning to export in 2010, The Leather Satchel Co., based in Huyton, has grown from eight to 30 people.

The two companies met at an IFB2016 event where The Leather Satchel Co was encouraging businesses to take part in the IFB2016. Since then they have formed a partnership that helps export leather goods made in Liverpool around the globe.

Keith Hanshaw, executive director and master craftsman at The Leather Satchel Co, said: “The IFB2016 has been very successful for us. The festival puts us in touch with traders from around the world without the cost of travelling there. It is a total no-brainer for us to attend.

“Wynne Aviation Services have enabled us to transport our goods all over the world at really competitive rates. It’s far more rewarding and profitable to forge links with a local company that is growing like we are. 

“We have been at IFB2016 for one week and had more sales leads than anticipated from areas, such as Cheng Du in China, that we never would have met.  It’s gone so well, I’ve had to order more business cards!”

Thomas Hughes, business development director at Wynne Aviation Services said: “It’s great to help another Liverpool company take their goods to the rest of the world and help them to expand.

“All of these companies from around the world are at IFB2016 and at any point you will meet someone really useful that you would not have met if you hadn’t attended.

“A good example for us is the China Britain Business Council, which has opened the door to us potentially being part of a trade delegation visiting China. An opportunity we would not have had if it wasn’t for IFB2016.”

IFB2016 runs until July 1.

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