Member Article

Exporting for Growth competition reaches final stages

11 North East Businesses looking to export their products and services are set to go head to head for a chance to win more than £5000 worth of support from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI).

Many businesses entered the UKTI Exporting for Growth Competition, which aims to encourage more SME businesses to consider exporting by offering a comprehensive package of support to the best idea.

UKTI Regional Director David Coppock said: “The judge’s task has already been a difficult one, but we’ve now got 11 finalists from a wide range of sectors ready to showcase some really innovative ideas and why now is the right time for them to take up the export challenge.

“The prize on offer could well be the springboard to international growth that they need.

“But the competition is also important in a wider sense as it has helped raise awareness of
the importance of exports to the region’s economy and I’m hoping this will help us reach
our target of helping 500 more companies become exporters this year.”

At a special event this Monday (12 March), the finalists will present their ideas to a live audience of business leaders and a judging panel, which will be headed by former BBC dragon’s Den entrepreneur Richard Farleigh.

He added: “The North East’s future prosperity will not come from domestic markets alone.
Across the world there are markets that are showing strong, long-term growth. We want to
make sure that the region’s firms are not just trading abroad but thriving there.”

Over the last 12 months North East exports reached a £13.211 billion, a 16% increase on the previous year.

Richard Podd, Director at PwC in the North East, said: “As exports from the region are
growing more strongly than much of the rest of the country we must harness this growth to
create jobs and help lift the UK out of the economic slump.

“The many SMEs based in the North East have a key role to play in this. Overseas markets offer many opportunities for them and as there continues to be strong demand for North East products there is no better time to step up to the challenge.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .