Member Article

Businesses need more support to export say NECC

A lack of finance, expensive routes to market and a skills shortage in overseas are damaging efforts by North East businesses to improve on their record trade performance.

Over the past 12 moths exports from the region have hit an all time high, and have the potential to improve even further through Governmental support.

However, the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) is now calling for policy makers to complement regional help to ensure the region is able to build on this strong export performance, and meet targets to double overseas trade by 2020.

The number of firms involved in export in the region is relatively low, and the NECC now believe that there is a huge untapped potential to help it grow even quicker.

NECC Director of Policy, Ross Smith, said: “There is increasing support out there for North East firms looking to open up export markets.

“NECC, as part of the consortium “Go Global North East” with NEPIC and RTC North are improving the level of export support available in the North East. As part of our agreement to deliver the UKTI contract we are currently recruiting a UK export finance adviser and two more staff to work with mid-sized businesses to access overseas markets.”

NECC also operates its own export training programme, but is calling on the Government to reduce Air Passenger Duty from regional airports to help remove a barrier to new direct links overseas, introduce further and higher education business qualifications to include commercial export skills and re-establish languages within the curriculum including a cultural focus to help with future business deals.

Ross added: “If the Government is serious about doubling exports and exploiting new and lucrative overseas markets then more support is required.

“There is no doubt the region can achieve this, but in an era when banks are less willing to undertake trade specific credit arrangements there is a greater need for more appropriate state support to mirror that which available to other exporting countries, such as Germany, Japan, USA.”

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