Materials manufacturer and DiT look to private sector for support

When materials manufacturer Tufcot wanted to branch into the marine sector, the Department For International Trade (DIT) introduced the firm to Lloyd International Communications to produce a strategic plan. Greg Majchrzak, Managing Director of Tufcot, and Mary Cousins, Director of Lloyd International, share how beneficial the venture has been.

Sheffield-based Tufcot offers composite bearing solutions to various industries around the world, continually developing the number of sectors they export into. One industry Tufcot was interested in exploring was the marine sector. Majchrzak said: “We’d scratched the surface, but we’d not got a marine plan together. That’s where we got involved with DIT, it’s been a real success since then.”

In 2018, Tufcot’s International Trade Adviser (ITA), Paul Garnett, suggested Tufcot work with a third-party company to bring export knowledge and provided Greg with a range of suppliers to choose from. Tufcot trusted Paul to make good suggestions and welcomed the idea of working with a consultant. “DIT has always been great in terms of identifying what is considered best for Tufcot,”  Majchrzak added.

He chose Lloyd International Communications who specialise in in-depth reviews; they analyse a company’s current export position and look at ways for them to expand into a new sector and accelerate overseas success.

With Cousins, the firm developed an action plan to target the marine sector. The project included an international communications review, market research, as well as website internationalisation.

To help fund the project, Garnett recommended Tufcot apply for the Exporting for Growth grant. “Without funding we would have probably reconsidered going down this route,” said Majchrzak.

The funding was welcomed by Lloyd International Communications as it would enable Tufcot to implement their suggestions. Cousins added: “So often we visit a company and they say, ‘that’s a great idea but we haven’t got the money’ whereas with a little bit of funding that can be overcome.”

With Tufcot now growing year on year, Majchrzak considers DIT and Lloyd International Communications to have been imperative to the company’s development. “Without Paul, we would never have found Lloyd International Communications, and we probably wouldn’t have even been looking!” said Majchrzak. “I can’t say enough about how invaluable Paul and Mary have been in terms of us progressing to that next level, I’d not even question working with other private sector companies suggested by DIT.

“It’s crucial for private sector companies to become involved with DIT, otherwise they’re not going to get past reception!” says Mary, who believes DIT is a great organisation to work alongside. “It’s good relationship for lots of reasons, one of them is the quality of the referrals. DIT make it their business to know who the exporters are in this region so is ideally placed to act as a broker for new business development. Any supplier can be helped to find good clients if they work with DIT.”

If your company provides a service that can help businesses in Yorkshire & the Humber to grow a global business, speak to DIT: T: +44 (0) 300 365 1000 E: yorkshire@mobile.trade.gov.uk

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