Foreign trade help on hand for hi-tech firms

THE government’s overseas trade body, UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), has launched another programme to help the North West’s hi-tech businesses target international markets.

It has teamed up with Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus to run the Advancing R&D Investments in the North West programme which will run until next March.

Some 30 companies have already benefitted from previous schemes, now funding has been secured to help a further 20 working in the ICT digital, bio-medical or advanced engineering sectors.

But UKTI hope to reach a total of 100 firms with a series of half-day workshops, and weekly clinics at both Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus and Manchester Science Park.

The sessions will offer tailored support based on identifying and overcoming the constraints on small hi-tech firms hoping to trade overseas.

Previous beneficiaries have been Calon, which produces intelligent control systems for building, and Wadaro, which develops technology to monitor the effectiveness of mobile phone networks. Both businesses are based in Cheshire.

International trade adviser David Booth said: “Spend on research and development is key to generating and maintaining the competitive advantage of both North West companies and the UK economy as a whole. As such the government has set ambitious targets to increase spending in this area and has backed it up with specific funding.

“We are not just looking to increase export sales – we want to work with companies to help them realise the value of R&D and to turn their expertise into commercial products which can go international right away.”

For further information contact the North West International Trade Team on 0845 603 7053 or email: info@uktinorthwest.co.uk