42 Yorkshire and the Humber businesses head to Dubai as part of Northern Powerhouse trade mission

A 42-strong delegation of businesses based in Yorkshire and the Humber are planning to boost exports to the Middle East on a Northern Powerhouse trade mission to the Arab Health healthcare exhibition in Dubai.

The trade event, from 30th January to 2nd February 2017, is the largest gathering of healthcare and trade professionals in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region with more than 4,400 healthcare companies attending from 70-plus countries.

The mission was organised by the Department for International Trade (DIT) and Sheffield-based Medilink, the representative body for the UK life science and healthcare technology sector and DIT partner.

A total of 62 businesses from the Northern Powerhouse region including the 42 from Yorkshire and the Humber such as Royston Lead Ltd of Barnsley and Bradford-based Sunflower Medical are attending the event.

Mark Robson, DIT regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “Whilst we can’t underestimate the growing importance of global trade conducted online, most is still undertaken by meeting people face-to-face and getting to know customers and their requirements via the personal touch.

“That’s why it’s so important and potentially beneficial for first-time and established exporters to join DIT trade missions such as that to Arab Health.”

Tom Elliott, international manager, Medilink and life sciences regional sector specialist for DIT Yorkshire and the Humber, added: “The DIT recognised the extensive opportunities that companies can access at exhibitions such as Arab Health. This Northern Powerhouse mission gives organisations within our region the opportunity to access foreign markets whilst being supported by industry experts and specialists.”

Established in 1926, Royston Lead Ltd is a specialist in the manufacture and distribution of lead products for industries including nuclear, medical, subsea, defence, petrochemical and mining. The business currently exports to South America, its biggest market, mainland Europe, South Africa and Russia, but is now looking to further expand in the Middle East.

A member of the specialist products specification team at Royston Lead, is attending Arab Health on a fact-finding mission to establish a network of contacts for potential future orders.

In addition, Sunflower Medical, a designer, manufacturer and supplier of bespoke medical furniture,, will be represented at Arab Health by sales director Stuart Anderson and export manager Carron Wood.

Other Yorkshire and the Humber businesses at Arab Health include Wetherby-based Curepharma, Bioclad Ltd and Clinicept Healthcare from Harrogate, BR Pharmaceuticals, Optimum Medical and Brandon Medical Co of Leeds, Huddersfield-based firms Paxman Coolers and Innovate Orthopaedics and Granton Medical and Bolton Surgical of Sheffield.

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