Creative, retail and luxury goods firms urged to attend export roadshow
WEST Midland SMEs operating in the creative, retail, luxury and food and drink sectors and who are looking to develop their export strategies have been urged to attend a roadshow being organised by UK Trade & Investment Trade.
The event, part of UKTI’s GREAT series – which showcases the best of British goods and services, takes place at the National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull on Thursday, September 12. It will feature UKTI development chief, Crispin Simon as its keynote speaker.
Joining Simon will be other expert speakers in the field of overseas trade: Richard Hobbs, co-founder of The HUB; Gordon Hamme, national committee member, Silver Week, British Jewellers’ Association; and Steve Barnes, commercial director, Food and Drink Federation.
Simon said: “Increasing the number of UK businesses selling overseas is a fundamental building block of the government’s plan for growth. Worldwide there is a growing appetite and appreciation for British goods and services and awareness of Brand GB remains very high following the success of London 2012 and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
“The GREAT Weeks series is designed to capitalise on this by using UKTI’s global network to put companies in front of potential customers in fast growing markets. The campaign will provide a powerful platform for the retail, luxury, food, drink and creative industries to showcase their value in new markets and assist them to grow their businesses.”
The event is part of a series of roadshows travelling around the country during September promoting UKTI’s GREAT Weeks. The GREAT campaign is the biggest ever integrated Government international marketing campaign, driving both inward investment and tourism to the UK and increased exports from the UK.
Paul Noon, regional director for UKTI West Midlands, said: “The goods and services produced by West Midlands firms are in demand all around the world and we know that companies which export grow faster and survive longer than those that don’t. If you’re a firm looking to export to the creative, retail, luxury and food and drink sectors – an excellent place to start is by coming along to the GREAT Roadshow in Solihull and finding out how to access the wealth of opportunities that are out there.”
The GREAT Weeks series will also host a series of trade missions in overseas markets including Vietnam, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Brazil, UAE, Hong Kong and Macao, China and the USA in 2013 and 2014.
UKTI will offer businesses participating in the missions customised programmes as well as the opportunity to meet potential investors, buyers and suppliers.
More information is available by visiting www.greatweeks.co.uk/uk-roadshows
