Black Country manufacturer secures first orders from Africa
A BLACK Country firm specialising in designing and manufacturing construction products has secured its first overseas orders from Africa.
Strut Direct, based in Wednesbury, makes flat roof support systems and the new deal, worth £129,000 to the firm, will see it export one third of its goods every year to water treatment plants in Nigeria.
Steve Richards, managing director and founder of the family-run business, said the firm was now planning to expand its market in Nigeria and also look to achieve success in other sectors such as waste water and power and utility areas.
It also plans to start selling its StrutFoot range of flat roof systems in Africa next year.
The firm has worked with international trade advisors in the Black Country for the last three years in order to boost its export capabilities.
With the support of the Department for International Trade advisors, Mr Richards was able to liaise with DIT trade teams in France, Portugal, Netherlands and Germany. He has also received support for a market visit to United Arab Emirates and is currently working on an export strategy for that region.
The firm is now on target to double its sales to £620,000 in its second year of trading with a company in France, while in Germany it has eight new projects, which could be worth as much as £250,000. If the sales go as the company expects, it could achieve more than £1m of growth by the end of 2017.
He said the firm’s export business was growing to over 30% of turnover and in the next 18 months was expected to be worth up to £3m.
“Our international trade adviser and the support staff have been an invaluable help in us moving our export business forward. It makes a difference when you are dealing with people who have been hands on in the market place,” he said.
Christine Hamilton, interim regional director of DIT West Midlands, said: “The West Midlands has a long and proud heritage of innovation and manufacturing and Strut Direct demonstrates that even a lack of language skills is no barrier to exporting success.”
