Lord Livingston met with local businesses to find out more about their experiences of exporting and take part in a unique behind-the-scenes tour of two thriving businesses in Peterborough.
(Image removed)The first stop of the day was at Masteroast’s HQ, where Lord Livingston will sample some of the coffee that the team roast and blend onsite before selling to retailers across the globe. Over a specially blended cup of coffee, Lord Livingston will hear about the exporting experience of over ten different local businesses, before officially launching the Get Exporting campaign.
Created by the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Get Exporting has been developed to provide exporting guidance, support, inspiration and advice to local businesses who want to grow. In a recent ONS survey, 85% of companies said that exporting led to a ‘level of growth not otherwise possible’, which is why the LEP is keen to open up a world of opportunities to more local businesses.
Lord Livingston then visited Redring Xplelair’s HQ and manufacturing site, where a VIP launch was held to celebrate their £10m investment in the state-of-the-art production facilities.
Grahame Nix, Chief Executive of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP), explains: “Helping businesses to grow is a key priority for the LEP, and we know that exporting can provide a significant boost to companies who want to grow. Whilst exporting has historically had a reputation for being difficult to develop and build, there are services available and Get Exporting will gather together this support and guidance, alongside inspiring case studies and events, to help more of our local businesses to Get Exporting.
“Both Masteroast and Redring Xpelair are shining examples of how exporting can deliver major business growth within our local area. We hope that they will serve as an inspiration for other companies thinking about exporting their goods and services, motivating them to take that first step towards exporting.”
Trade and Investment Minister Lord Livingston said: “There is a huge appetite for ‘Made in Britain’ products and services overseas, so I welcome GCGP LEP’s ‘Get Exporting’ campaign and look forward to working with them to get more firms winning overseas business.(Image removed)
“We know that companies that export grow faster and are more competitive than those that don’t. Our UKTI and UKEF Trade Advisers have years of business experience and can give businesses of any size advice and support along their exporting journey.”
John Bridge, Chief Executive of the Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce and LEP Board Member, who will be attending the launch event added: “The Chamber of Commerce provides local businesses with all the support they need for Global Reach and in particular to unravel the complexities of export documentation. Our experienced team provide practical advice and a comprehensive service that makes exporting anywhere in the world a straightforward process.”
As a local exporter, Redring Xpelair has recently invested £10 million into their state-of-the-art facility in Peterborough to help meet growing demand. With almost half of its products being exported, Redring Xpelair understands the significant positive impact international markets can have on a company.
Nitin Patel, CEO of Redring Xpelair, said: “It’s an extremely exciting time for our business, with this investment programme highlighting our commitment to both local and UK manufacturing to meet the needs of its global markets and the importance we place on this for the wider British economy.
“We employ 350 people at our Peterborough site, making us a major employer in the area, and this investment will not only safeguard their jobs, but it will also enable us to upskill our existing workforce and give us the opportunity to create more jobs in the future as the business continues to grow.”
You can find out more about the Get Exporting campaign by visiting www.get-exporting.co.uk.
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