Firm wins £20m of new business at IFB2016
A LIVERPOOL-based company has secured a deal that could result in more than £20m of new business whilst exhibiting at the International Festival for Business 2016.
Abbey Group has won the new business with one of China’s largest private banks, which was a member of the Chinese delegation from Dalian Jinpu New Area.
The deal will see the Chinese organisation purchasing Securablinds Limited products produced by Abbey Group at its Knowsley plant and subsequently having them produced under license.
Precision engineering company Abbey Group chose the IFB2016 to promote Securablinds to a wider audience. Since displaying the product at the festival for Business the company says it has been inundated with interest from companies from around the world.
The protective blinds are custom built and can protect against more than 500kg bomb blasts and provide secure forced entry prevention for windows and doors.
Brian Wilkins, chairman and inventor at Securablinds Limited, said: “It’s a great feeling to be able to be in your home city, the city where your product is manufactured, and be able to show it off to a global audience. Liverpool is a gateway to the world thanks to the IFB2016.”
The company is already growing fast – having just invested £1m in new equipment created 20 new jobs in the past eight weeks.
Wilkins added: “We have supplied our products to different parts of the world but the IFB2016 has significantly boosted our global profile.
“After signing the memorandum of understanding with Liverpool, the Chinese delegation passed our stand and had an immediate interest in our products. They said they had never seen anything like it, which I would say is an absolute testament to British engineering innovation. From that moment we were in conversation with senior figures at one of the largest private banks in China.
“The IFB2016 has put us in face to face contact with people from around the world. Something that would otherwise involve a lot of time and effort. I can’t begin to emphasise how helpful it is to have a global market in one convention centre.”
