Press release: Exporting is GREAT ‘Hero’ campaign unveiled at London City Airport

• Minister for Export and Trade Promotion Baroness Fairhead visited London City Airport to meet airport executives and SMEs as new Exporting is GREAT campaign is unveiled
• London City Airport announces partnership with Department for International Trade (DIT) to promote British exports and support the Exporting is GREAT campaign
• Baroness Fairhead consults airport on emerging Export Strategy shortly after making final call for business to help shape the UK’s trading future

Baroness Fairhead, Minister for Export and Trade Promotion, visited London City Airport yesterday and unveiled new Exporting is GREAT branding featuring 5 export ‘heroes’.

Celebrating their partnership with the Department for International Trade (DIT), the airport is hosting the creative campaign to inspire and support more UK companies to take their first steps towards selling overseas.

The artwork is being displayed in the airport’s departure lounge and on their main ‘City Icon’ digital screen outside the terminal over the coming weeks.

Five businesses featured in the creative campaign met with the minister and CEO of London City Airport, Robert Sinclair, to discuss their export journeys. They are:

• Chemian Technologies (North East)
• Stitch and Story (South East)
• Norton Motorcycles (Midlands)
• Sensoteq (Northern Ireland)
• Joe and Seph’s Popcorn (London)

The visit came shortly after Baroness Fairhead made a final call for businesses to input into the government’s new Export Strategy which will report in the coming months.

Speaking at London City Airport, Baroness Fairhead said:

I am determined to help British businesses seize global export opportunities across the world.

The Department for International Trade is helping thousands of new companies to export every year through our online export support tools at great.gov.uk

This campaign provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase our export heroes and inspire many more businesses to sell their products overseas.

Robert Sinclair, CEO of London City Airport, said:

As a vital gateway for business travellers, and with its proximity to growing clusters of SMEs in East London, London City Airport is uniquely placed to strengthen DIT’s new campaign, and reach a truly captive audience.

Already the airport is associated with trade exports totalling over £11 billion per year, and once our 4 year £480 million development programme is complete, even more routes to new destinations and markets will help connect businesses with opportunities overseas – helping an outward-looking Britain to prosper.

Ian Dell, Managing Director of Chemian Technology, one of the companies profiled in the campaign said:

Exporting has always been of fundamental importance to Chemian Technology since I founded the business in 1996. Most of our turnover currently comes from overseas sales and we now sell to more than 30 countries worldwide.

Exporting is certainly not an easy process but I’d encourage every company with an innovative product to do what we’ve done and look overseas for growth.

DIT’s Exporting is GREAT campaign is currently showcasing 30+ UK businesses – from a range of sectors and regions – to inspire and support firms up and down the country to export.

Background

1.
The Export Strategy is expected to report in the coming months. Evidence will be taken until 18 April 2018.

2.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) secures UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment, and championing free trade. We are an international economic department, responsible for:

• bringing together policy, promotion and financial expertise to break down barriers to trade and investment, and help businesses succeed
• delivering a new trade policy framework for the UK as we leave the EU
• promoting British trade and investment across the world
• building the global appetite for British goods and services

3.
Exporting is GREAT is the government campaign to inspire and support more UK companies to take their first steps towards selling overseas and help existing exporters grow further. At great.gov.uk UK businesses can apply for real-time global export opportunities, access expert advice, trade services, training and events.

4.
Featured companies:

Chemian Technologies

Darlington-based Chemian Technology develops and manufactures ingredients for the pharmaceutical, chemical and cosmetic industries. The company began exporting after a request from an overseas customer and has received market support from DIT. Overseas sales make up 70% of its revenue and they export to over 20 counties.

Norton Motorcycles

Founded in 1898 and selling its first motorcycle sold in 1902, Norton Motorcycle has been an iconic British brand for nearly 120 years. Its current owner, Stuart Garner re-established the company’s UK manufacturing base and delivered the company’s first motorcycle of the new millennium in 2010.

It now sells around 1,000 motorcycles each year all over the world and employs 120 staff in the UK. Government support has allowed Norton to grow its business in key markets like Australia, Japan and the USA.

Stitch and Story

Stitch & Story, a knitting kit manufacturer, has seen sales increase by 200% in the last year as a direct result of exporting to the US, following support from DIT.

Based in Dartford, Kent, the business distributes to US marketplace Uncommon Goods, as well as independent gift stores and retailers. The exporting opportunity was secured after Stitch & Story exhibited its products at consumer trade show, NY Now, with support from DIT.

The success of Stitch & Story’s international expansion is being celebrated in DIT’s Exporting is GREAT campaign.

Sensoteq

Northern Ireland based company Sensoteq, design and manufacture bespoke low power wireless sensors for remote machine health monitoring. The company have been exporting for over a year after government support connected them with customers overseas.

Joe and Seph’s

Joe & Seph’s are a family owned and run business on a mission to produce the best-tasting popcorn in the world.

The company started exporting after a French department store saw the popcorn in Selfridges in London.

Working with DIT the company started to understand the size of the export opportunity and over the last few years have focused much more proactively on exporting.

Their products are now stocked in over 25 countries with the main focus on Scandinavia and the Middle East.

Further information

• Contact the DIT Media Team on 020 7215 2000 or email newsdesk@trade.gov.uk
• Follow us: @tradegovuk or gov.uk/dit