Language skills help Doncaster firm secure multimillion deal

A DONCASTER-based company has secured a major European contract for distribution in 40 countries after brushing up their language skills.

New Era, which specialises in nutrionally balanced diets for ornamental fish, secured the deal to supply Aquarium Master after attending the world’s biggest international pet show in Nurembourg.

However, Peter Kersh, managing director of New Era, said there was no doubt that it was the company’s ability to work in five languages while at the show including French, German, Spanish, Italian and Portugese, that helped clinch the contract.

“By making sure that my staff were up to speed with modern languages, we were able to make our case at Interzoo,” said Mr Kersh.

“Had we not had a working knowledge of these languages, we would not have secured this agreement.”

He said that the language training given by Sheffield-based RLN YH had had a “dramatic effect”.

Mr Kersh was speaking at a Business Champion event in Leeds, where he and other delegates agreed that young people should be given a change to see how important languages are in a corporate environment.

More than 40 companies have joined the mentor driven project since it was launched in 2006.