Autonomous vehicle pioneer drives international growth with £30m export order
Sports car manufacturer Westfield, a specialist in driverless vehicles, has won a £30m contract in South Korea.
The Dudley-based group is set to supply three autonomous vehicles to Ulleungdo Island, a tourist hotspot, as part of South Korea’s ongoing investment in infrastructure.
The PODs will be used by residents and tourists to explore the scenic east coast island.
In the UK, the vehicles have been trialled in Bristol, Greenwich and the Lake District.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) helped introduce the business to key contacts in the market, which led to the successful launch of two of the vehicles in South Korea last year.
The firm already exports across the globe, and the latest win is boosting export sales by 167%.
Julian Turner, CEO at Westfield Technology Group, said: “The research and development aspect of autonomous vehicles is at the forefront of the international transport agenda. As a business operating in the sector, we are experiencing so much demand from governments and councils from far and wide.
“It is only with the help of the Department for International Trade that we are able to meet demand and arrange introductions with the right people to bring our global expansion to life.”
Ian Harrison, head of exports at DIT, said: “Westfield Technology Group is making huge strides across the globe, and this new export win is another positive marker of its success.
“Exporting does not come without its complexities – translations, finding the right suppliers or meeting the right contacts being just some of them.
“We have a number of international trade advisers on the ground in the West Midlands who are here to support aspiring businesses as they learn more about new markets and we have access to a unique overseas network in some 108 countries. We also hold a number of workshops and events that are solely built to find solutions to businesses’ concerns when it comes to exporting.”
