Bringing together the expertise and resources of business support organisations Business West, One Midlands, the Growth Company and Enterprise Nation Export Growth Partners wants to ease the complexities of exporting as the UK gets ready for Brexit.
“It can be complicated for businesses to get into exporting. They may need extra factory space, staff, require funding and partners both here and in their target country,” Business West managing director Phil Smith told Real Business.
“If they have corns on their feet or back pain then they know they need to go to Boots to get help. But when it comes to meeting their exporting needs business owners don’t know where to go.
“They struggle to know where to turn to for help, advice and hands on fulfilment including how to get paid.
He said that Expert Growth Partners, combining public sector support from the Department for International Trade and private sector partners such as banks, VAT specialists, translation agencies and shipping agents, will cover everything a business needs to know to begin exporting.
Bespoke export support packages, involving either paid for or free services, will include market research, overseas market visits, finding buyers and fulfilling export documentation.
?We will create a channel where the A to Z of exporting will be located in one place. There will be private sector support and we will also flag up and signpost Government initiatives such as grants to attend overseas tradeshows,” he said.
?Four of us pooling our resources and contacts together will be able to accelerate exports much faster than each one working alone. We will work to get our brand out there and yes, be the exporting equivalent of Boots. We will be the go to place.
Despite highlighting business reservations about exporting the four organisations have already done sterling work in helping boost UK business.
Between them, since 2015 these organisations have supported over 56,000 businesses to export, creating more than 14,000 jobs for the UK economy.
Last year alone, they assisted UK businesses in achieving additional export sales of £2.26 billion.
?We want more UK businesses to benefit from globalisation, but we also want to help those currently exporting to cope with potential changes resulting from Brexit,” Smith said.
