Last updated 12:04, Monday, 18 August 2008

A BARROW company which makes lightweight manhole covers originally designed for the USA is expanding its sales horizons to Japan the Middle East and Russia after getting help from government export experts UK Trade and Investment.

EXPORT TARGETS: Workers with the shuttle mould carrier at Structural Science Composites, with inset John Alderson and, top right, one type of manhole cover. The Barrow firm is expanding its sales horizons to Japan, the Middle East and Russia

It has won an initial contract supplying the covers to a major utilities firm in North America.

As well as reducing injuries to staff who need to remove them for access and being non-conductive, the lightweight covers also cut the risk of injuries and explosions in cities where underground steam heating systems are common like in the US.

John Alderson, business development director of SSC, was introduced to South Cumbria-based international trade adviser Peter Gawne-Cain last October by Furness Enterprise, and signed up for the Passport to Export programme, UKTI’s flagship scheme for new and inexperienced exporters.

The two days of training, which are part of the Passport programme, helped him fully understand the export process.

Mr Alderson said: “I thought that I knew a lot about exporting, but I actually learned things on the course that I hadn’t been aware of.

“I found the information extremely useful and it was also good to meet other business people from different sectors and hear their perspective.”

SSC decided to work with UKTI to research additional markets, and commissioned reports from the Overseas Market Introduction Service, which provides research, introductions and business support and advice sourced through IKTI’s contacts in embassies and consulates worldwide.

It is now looking at exporting to Japan, the Middle East and Russia.

Mr Alderson said: “We can’t tackle the whole world at once, but we have found the help from UKTI invaluable in understanding which overseas markets to target.”

There are 20,400 registered businesses in Cumbria, representing nine per cent of the 232,900 businesses that exist as a whole in the North West region. UKTI North West has intensively assisted 579 companies in Cumbria and there are 169 Cumbrian businesses currently signed up for the Passport to Export programme,

For further information on UK Trade and Investment services, contact the North West International Trade Team, tel 0845 603 7053, email info@uktinorthwest.co.uk