UKTI set out Export Week agenda

BUSINESS leaders, top economists and entrepreneurs will be sharing their knowledge and experience during UK Trade & Investment’s latest Export Week initiative.

UKTI is holding a week of free events between November 11 to 15, culminating in a high profile seminar in Lancashire in association with TheBusinessDesk.com, where HSBC’s economist, Mark Beresford-Smith and Lancashire entrepreneur Matthew Moulding will be among the speakers.

Export Week is a bi-annual national event which forms part of a drive to double UK exports to £1 trillion by 2020 and get 100,000 more companies exporting.

Events in the North West include a series of roadshows in each county focusing on ‘Export Essentials’ – everything new exporters need to know before embarking on their export journey.

Export Essentials will cover everything from presentations on logistics, banking, intellectual property and market research to hearing from currently successful exporting businesses, and there will be plenty of time for networking and one to one advice from a team of international trade experts.

In addition, Clive Drinkwater, UKTI’s Regional Director, will be visiting a selection of exporting firms to hear their stories and explain how UKTI can help them maximise overseas sales.

There will also be an overseas trade conference at Salford Reds Stadium in Greater Manchester, and the Lancashire a ‘Let’s Get Exporting’ event at Deepdale Stadium in Preston, which will include case studies from successful companies and a keynote speech from renowned HSBC economist Mark Beresford-Smith.

Export Week will also see the announcement of the next round of UKTI Export Champions for 2014.  So far over 35 of the North West’s best exporting companies have been chosen to work alongside UKTI to mentor and assist SMEs in growing their international sales.

The Export Champions programme is unique to the North West, and involves recruiting successful international firms to help and advise new companies on their export journey, offering peer to peer support in addition to the wide range of individually tailored professional services available from the UKTI team.

Clive Drinkwater, UKTI’s regional director for the North West, said: “I hope the events taking place during Export Week will encourage even more businesses and entrepreneurs to start trading abroad. We are providing free sessions throughout the week on how exports can help businesses to grow, with the Export Essentials workshops providing an excellent opportunity for new exporters to learn as much as they can at a one-stop shop.

“I am also looking forward to announcing the new 2014 Export Champions during Export Week.  Once again, we have a range of successful international firms from right across the North West. By accepting the Export Champion title they are helping contribute to the prosperity of our region, both via their own success and with the help they have pledged to give other local firms, promoting the benefits of export and sharing their knowledge and expertise.

“Earlier this year I launched a challenge to find 1,000 new exporters in the North West.  We are already well on our way to achieving this objective and I am sure that Export Week will boost the region’s progress. Virtually any company can export its products and services – from one-man operations to large corporations employing hundreds – and I would urge anybody interested in exporting to come along to one of our events and see how UKTI can help.”

The following events are taking place in the North West during Export Week:

Export Essentials Roadshows

:: Cumbria, Rheged, Penrith, November 11, 2013

:: Merseyside, Liverpool Chamber, November 13, 2013

:: Cheshire, Knutsford, November 14

:: Business of Overseas Trade Event – Salford Reds Stadium, November 12

:: Let’s get Exporting – November 15, 2013, Preston North End, Lancashire

For further information on all these events, please contact the North West International Trade Centre on 0161 875 2341 or email events@uktinorthwest.co.uk

To register for the Lancashire event at Deepdale on November 15, please email sophie.barriere@thebusinessdesk.com