Engineering firm supplying NASA to launch US base

A Leeds engineering component supplier which works with NASA, the McLaren F1 team and across 106 markets in the world, is to open its first overseas office this year.

Quality Bearings Online (QBO) will open a sales office in Chicago to support its ongoing export success.

Around 80% of the firm’s revenue is generated overseas, and export orders from Europe, Africa, South America, the US and Canada have driven QBO’s growth since it began in 2012.

The business now hopes that establishing an office in the US will double sales in the country. At the same time, a push into Asian markets, including South Korea and Thailand, will further support growth, with sales forecast to double during 2018.

Director Simon Riley said: “With the support of the Department for International Trade (DIT), we visited the US to meet existing and prospective customers last year, and it really opened our eyes to the potential of this huge market.

“We are thrilled to be opening this new office. Having a base in Chicago will help us to overcome barriers to market entry in the US and help us to futureproof the business.

“Initially we will open a sales office, and if successful. we’ll look to build on this by setting up a US company.”

QBO has 12 staff based in Edison Business Centre and was founded six years ago to supply high-quality bearings and other engineering spares like lubricants and adhesives.

It sources its products in countries across Europe and Japan and sells them around the world. As well as NASA and the McLaren and Mercedes F1 teams, QBO also counts packaging giant Tetrapak and a wealth of smaller-scale engineering firms among its customers.

Simon said he began to realise the business’ export potential three years ago after overseas customers began placing orders on the firm’s website. Sales have doubled every year since.

Riley said: “The UK market is very competitive and there is a slow uptake of buying supplies online. When our website started getting some export orders three years ago, we started researching the potential of overseas opportunities.

“We got in touch with the Department for International Trade and joined its Passport to Export scheme, a six-month programme that helped us better understand international markets and target international customers.

“That gave us the courage to push the business forward by recruiting new people with the skills we needed.”

Mark Robson, DIT regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “Quality Bearings Online is a highly-entrepreneurial local business with superb growth potential around the world.
“DIT was able to help give an insight into the challenges that come with trading overseas and support the business in developing an effective export strategy.

“Now overseas customers are driving QBO’s growth, which shows no sign of slowing.

“It’s all part of our focus to convert successful Yorkshire companies into successful exporters.”