Firms hope for Turkish delight
YORKSHIRE businesses are targeting Turkey as part of the first UK trade mission of its kind.
WYG, Principle Healthcare and Sarclad are among the 29 firms taking part in the two-day visit which starts tomorrow and is the first to be focused specifically on mid-sized businesses.
Leeds-based technical consultancy WYG already has a market-leading business in Turkey as part of its wider Middle East and North Africa operation.
Chief executive Paul Hamer said: “With Istanbul now the fastest-growing city in the world and the fact that by 2017, Turkey will have the 7th largest global economy, the demand for infrastructure and commercial development will continue to rise.
“WYG will seek to extend its market position and grow through its expert offering and ongoing collaboration with key partners.”
The mission is being led by Trade Minister Lord Green and John Cridland, director-general of the CBI and will involve meetings with the Turkish Government and senior business figures.
Mr Cridland said: “If we are to achieve the Government’s ambition of doubling our annual exports by 2020 to £1 trillion, we must look beyond the BRIC countries to other successful, high-growth markets such as Turkey.
“Turkey has a dynamic, growing economy, with an increasingly aspirant middle class keen to buy the sorts of goods and services we excel at, such as construction, education, and high-value manufacturing.”
The CBI has described the 10,000 mid-sized businesses in the UK as the “forgotten army” of the country and called for more support to help them reach their potential.
Skipton-based Principle Healthcare is taking part in the trip just a week after being award a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of its export success.
Meanwhile, Rydale business woman Joanna Oliver is leading a trade mission to Brazil on behalf of UKTI.
Ms Oliver, director of global programmes at the Construction Equipment Association, whose head office is based near Helmsley, will deliver an extended trade mission to Brazil for a mining and related infrastructure development project.
The mission will promote opportunites – valued at $5bn – for UK manufacturers and service providers in connection with the opening of a major iron ore mine in the South American country.
The mission takes place between May 24 and June 1.
Ms Oliver said: “It’s an amazing prospect for UK manufactures, suppliers, contractors and experts in the mining and construction equipment sectors to present themselves to key decision makers in what will be an immense and highly prestigious project in a country that has the sixth biggest and fastest growing economy in the world.”
