News: Rotherham companies urged to use overseas business networks

Businesses across the Sheffield city region are being urged to use the Overseas Business Network (OBN) to boost exports.

A series of events with representatives from the OBN are being launched by South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC).

The Overseas Business Network initiative, created by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2012, aims to transform the support available to businesses looking to grow through exports.

It is made up of representatives of 41 countries from around the world tasked with helping businesses enter new markets, find customers and offer guidance on international trade.

SYITC is bringing key officials from the countries to the Sheffield city region to meet with businesses through a series of "Meet and Build" events.

At the first event more than 50 people attended, including Vince Cunningham from China Britain Business Council, Chris Wren and Dhini Puspitasari of the British Chamber in Indonesia, Chris Bush of the British Slovak Business Centre, Steve Toogood and Caroline Erskine of the UK India Business Council, along with Jennifer Hainsworth from the British Chamber in Singapore (all pictured).

Nick Patrick, international trade manager at SYITC, said: "The events provide an opportunity for companies in the Sheffield City Region to meet with the Overseas Business Network and vice-versa.

"The OBN is a fantastic initiative which helps make personal introductions to key contacts around the world. I am looking to meet representatives from all 41 markets so when we have a business in the Sheffield City Region looking to expand into another country we can put them in touch with the right person there to help make that process as smooth as possible.

"These individuals are located across the world tasked with helping businesses in the Sheffield City Region to export to these markets. Please put them to use.

"With support from all the Chambers of Commerce, UKTI, South Yorkshire International Trade Forum and Creative Sheffield, we can provide all the necessary assistance for businesses to grow their exports."

Lorraine Holt is the regional co-ordinator for Yorkshire and Humber within the Overseas Business Network initiative. She said: "The Government wants to double UK exports to £1trillion by 2020 and they see the OBN as a critical element to helping business grow existing markets and create new routes into international trade.

"The network provides practical business-to-business support and guidance on their relevant market, preparing businesses to enter new regions, as well as offering access to customers, distributors and suppliers."

The OBN initiative is a partnership between all the British Chambers of Commerce, UKTI and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Representatives from Chile, Columbia, Mexico, Philippines, Romania, Slovakia and Singapore are set to attend the next SYITC event on July 18.

As part of the OBN, Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber has also been hosting "Exporting to" events focusing on South Africa, China, and most recently, Romania. There will be two more held later in the year.

SYITC website
Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber website

Images: SYITC

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News: Get the exporting essentials in Rotherham

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) has teamed up with partners and business organisations to organise events in Rotherham to reach out to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Export Week (November 12 – 16) hopes to inspire and provide practical advice for exporters. It is part of a campaign led by Trade & Investment Minister Lord Green to increase the number of British exporters by roughly a quarter. In this way around £36 billion could be added to the UK economy.

In collaboration with Export Week a host of organisations, including banks, lawyers, export specialists and marketing specialists have joined forces with translation agency Talking Heads, SYTIC and UKTI to host a week long "Exporting Essentials" festival in the Sheffield City Region.

South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) is hosting "Destination Export – an Interactive Journey" on November 13 at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham.

Delegates will hear from experts about the advantages of exporting to overseas markets. The countries discussed at the free event will be six of the key international markets – China, Mexico, Russia, Scandinavia, United Arab Emirates and the USA.

Delegates will "travel" around each country on an interactive digital tour and renowned and successful exporters from the Sheffield City Region will also discuss their exporting experiences and give advice to those looking to enter new markets.

Speakers will include Graham Honeyman, chief executive at Sheffield Forgemasters International and Jon Stewart, director at Siemens VAI, and Giles Searby, partner at Hill Dickinson LLP.

Representatives from UKTI, the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, Creative Sheffield, HM Revenue and Customs, the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Chamber of Commerce will also be in attendance.

Exhibition and networking opportunities will be available, allowing delegates to discuss all matters of international trade with industry experts.

Mark Robson, regional director at UKTI, said: "This event will be a great opportunity for businesses to get practical and useful advice from overseas trade experts that will set them in good stead for expanding their own business internationally."

Other free events taking place at the AMP on November 13 include local language and culture experts Talking Heads hosting a workshop on communicating with international customers through printed and online information.

Businesses can also book in with experts in various export fields for a 15 minute one-to-one session.

Export Essentials website

UKTI website

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News: Free language tuition for businesses to boost exports

South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) is offering a new programme of language tuition for local businesses.

The centre is a partnership of all the South Yorkshire Chambers and offers broad support for businesses locally to grow their global market.

The courses, which include tuition in Arabic, Chinese, Spanish and Russian, are fully funded through SYITC and are available for free to all local businesses and employees, including volunteers and those who are self-employed.

Designed to "up-skill" individuals, the aim of the courses is to help businesses increase their export sales, encourage trade with new markets and achieve better relations and dealings with their overseas business partners.

Michelle Daniel, international trade manager at SYITC, said: "International trade is an increasingly vital area of business growth and communicating in the right language is crucial when doing business overseas.

"It's important that businesses look to global markets to provide them with the opportunity to generate revenue, ultimately having a positive effect on our economy. Knowledge of more than one language does not only benefit individuals in their current role, but can also be the source of future career developments.

"At SYITC we make it our aim to work directly with each business, providing advice and assistance to those willing to gain extra skills and improve their trade performance overseas.

"By breaking down language barriers between businesses, confidence amongst employees will be raised, ultimately leading to a better performance and expansion of overseas trade and exportation."

SYITC website

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News: Exports increase across Sheffield city region

The South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) has seen a 20 per cent increase in export documentation based on statistics for April and May 2012 compared to the same months a year ago.

SYITC is a not for profit organisation providing international trade support throughout South Yorkshire. It is a partnership between local chambers of commerce.

The figures also show that export documentation produced was worth more than £19m during May alone. This represents around 20 per cent of overall exports for the region, as many products are provided to the EU and North America, which do not need documentation, or are sent indirectly through UK supply chains.

The United Arab Emirates, Turkey and India remain the top countries for export documentation, and the month of May saw a 100 per cent increase in consignments to China and a 46 per cent rise to India.

Michelle Daniel, international trade manager at SYITC, said: "It is extremely encouraging to see such positive figures from the Sheffield city region, particularly as they are going against the current national trend.

"International trade is an increasingly vital area of business growth and it's important that businesses look to global markets to provide them with the opportunity to generate vital revenue, ultimately having a positive effect on our economy."

SYITC website

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News: Export support strengthened with new partnership

South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) has teamed up with the South Yorkshire International Trade Forum (SYITF) to promote and increase international trade in the Sheffield City Region.

The partnership will see them align their services to promote the benefits of international trade and provide information and services to companies to help them achieve success overseas.

SYITF, an organisation of companies that aims to share experiences, knowledge and best practice in international trade, will act as the voice of businesses engaged in international trade in the city region

SYITC, a partnership of Barnsley and Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield Chambers of Commerce, will continue to work directly with all companies in the region supporting their everyday trade activity with documentation, translations etc.

Michelle Daniel, international trade team leader at SYITC, said: "SYITC and SYITF have shared objectives to work with businesses to ensure they are well equipped and informed about the overseas trade opportunities available to them.

"We already work closely with United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) in identifying international opportunities so we now have a single joined up offer to the business community. We also run joint networking activities where each of us concentrates on our particular strengths to ensure businesses get a one-stop, simple support offer.

"In order to develop the economy, it is important that international trade continues to grow. By working together, SYITC, SYITF and UKTI can help further promote the benefits of expanding into the international market as a real way of giving their business, and the UK economy, a sustainable future."

SYITC website
SYITF website

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News: SYITC see rise in exports in the region

South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) has seen a rise in export documentation by 20 per cent during the last six months.

The rise comes on the back of a renewed focus on an export driven economy buoyed by favorable exchange rates for UK exporters and resulted in a successful year for SYITC.

The centre is a partnership of all the South Yorkshire Chambers and offers broad support for businesses locally to grow their global market – a key area outlined in the proposals by the newly launched Local Enterprise Partnership.

Stuart Steel, head of international trade at SYITC, said: "The rise in export documentation is pleasing to see and follows the work we have done around developing a new strategy for a more coordinated approach to international support.

"We've developed new services which are non-competitive with other local providers and are looking to form partnerships with relevant key organisations that support international trade.

"SYITC continue to support companies that export through documentation, training, language services, events and consultancy services."

Richard Wright, executive director of Sheffield Chamber, added: "The Chambers in South Yorkshire will continue to promote international trade as a key area for business growth and will directly support importers and exporters with relevant services like export documentation and letters of credit so necessary to their everyday business.

"Great businesses need customers and these are increasingly global. It is no longer enough to focus on the home market or even Europe. To really exploit products commercially you have to sell them world-wide. SYITC makes that process easy to understand and helps you avoid the many pitfalls."

SYITC website

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News: Exporting made easier with SYITC

South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) is hosting a free export event in Rotherham this month as part of the Global Manufacturing Festival: Sheffield.

SYITC is a partnership of all the South Yorkshire Chambers and offers broad support for businesses locally to grow their global market.

Taking place at the Advanced Manufacturing Park Technology Centre on March 24, "Exporting Made Easier" will bring together experts from all areas of international trade to give five minute overviews on how they can help exporters overcome some of the issues faced in international trade and enable them to become more competitive in international markets.

An exhibition area will be open where delegates will be able to network and discuss issues relating to international trade.

Following the main presentations, there will also be the opportunity to attend three longer specialist presentations on Export Finance products from the ECGD, Overseas joint ventures, partnerships, licensing and different models of internationalisation and Efficient, cost effective, environmentally friendly global supply chains.

A recent survey from the British Chambers of Commerce identified a general lack of understanding from exporters of the support available to help them trade overseas. This event will showcase the services available that can help exporters save money, time and ensure they are following best practice in international trade.

GMF Sheffield website
SYITC website

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News: SYITC expands international trade service

South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) has expanded its services and aims to create a more joined up approach to export support for businesses across the region.

SYITC is a partnership of all the South Yorkshire Chambers and offers broad support for businesses locally to grow their global market – a key area outlined in the proposals by the newly launched Local Enterprise Partnership.

Working with other organisations in the region all areas of international trade have been covered. UK Trade and Investment working on market development, Sheffield Hallam University on business strategy and research, South Yorkshire International Trade Forum running informative network events and Creative Sheffield developing strategic overseas relationships with other organisations providing specialist support and advice.

SYITC now looks to establish a string of additional core services to make their offering to members unique and enable it to add value to companies’ international trade departments.

Services will cover export training, translation, import and export advice, export documentation, international student placements, letters of credit services and an international trade office consultancy service, helping its clients concentrate on core business issues.

Stuart Steel, head of international trade at SYITC, said: "Delivery of this new plan will strengthen SYITC's position as a provider of key services to local importers and exporters, while looking to align ourselves better with export services provided by local and national bodies.

"By developing a partnership approach with local partners including UK Trade and Investment, Creative Sheffield, South Yorkshire International Trade Forum and Sheffield Hallam University, will help ensure all business needs are met."

Mark Robson, director of UK Trade and Investment Yorkshire and Humber, added: "International trade is a vital part of the economic recovery and the partnership will assist exporters to run the most efficient, cost effective international trade departments possible."

SYITC website

Images: syitc.com

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News: South Yorkshire trade mission to the USA

South Yorkshire business community is forging strong links with the largest economy in the world and the UK's single biggest export market – America.

South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC), along with Creative Sheffield and UK Trade and Investment, has arranged a trade mission to Philadelphia and Richmond in Virginia.

Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in USA and the city region is home to nearly six million people. Strong sectors for the area include manufacturing, oil refining, food processing, health care and biotechnology, tourism and financial services.

Stuart Steel, head of international trade at SYITC, said: "A trade mission group recently returned from a successful trip to Chengdu, in China, where delegates enthused about the support that travelling as part of a business delegation provided.

"Travelling as part of a group gives companies unique access to the support available through local business agencies which organise activities such as briefings, networking and business match-making.

"The visit to America will be of great use to businesses in the Sheffield City Region looking to expand their work into the world's largest market."

Joanna Lavan, international manager at Creative Sheffield, added: "In times of economic uncertainty, businesses need to look for opportunities across the world in order to grow and fill their order books.

"This trade mission is a fantastic opportunity for organisations and entrepreneurs in the region to take the next step towards developing their business on this global level.

"Desk research has its value but there is really no substitute for visiting the country and meeting with potential clients and investors. The USA is the UK's single largest export market and therefore has vast potential for businesses."

The USA trade mission will take place from January 29 to February 4 and tickets cost £1,295 which covers the flights, hotel accommodation, transfers and benefits including briefings, networking receptions and business matchmaking.

Eligible companies will be able to receive £665 of grant funding towards the cost of the trip.

SYITC website

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News: Plan for business expansion with SYITC

A Business Expansion Plan programme offered by the South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) can make a world of difference to the growth of Rotherham companies.

The Business Expansion Plan (BEP) programme sees the SYITC's team drawing on more than 20 years of wide-ranging and practical experience to take businesses step-by-step on a journey to progress and further development.

BEP programmes are three, six or 12 months long and can include the services of a trade mentor for a day a month, as well as assistance and advice with trade samples, freight, languages, documentation and supplier trade show visits.

SYITC business development manager Phil Downing said: "Businesses are aware that they need to quickly increase their knowledge of new procedures and methods to maximise the results, while minimising the extra effort.

"But sometimes deciding the best way to use this new found knowledge becomes a problem in itself. The BEP not only provides that extra advice - both for imports and exports - but adds the practical "hand-holding" element to ensure the business grows in the quickest and smartest way possible."

The SYITC is a partnership of Barnsley & Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield Chambers of Commerce, providing solutions in international trade by offering a comprehensive portfolio of services including languages and interpretation services, business expansion plans, credit checking service, market research, trade opportunities, export sales training and a comprehensive export documentation service.

SYITC website

Rotherham

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News: Rotherham firms to access a world of export opportunity

A South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) with a new look and new services has re-opened its doors to the region’s exporters. The new SYITC will be part of Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and a joint initiative of Sheffield Chamber working with Barnsley & Rotherham and Doncaster Chambers and will be managed by Sheffield Chamber's international trade manager Renate Halton. The SYITC will host international events, promotional seminars and networking opportunities as well as offer services including languages, HMRC briefings, patent workshops, EU legislation advice and updates, inward and outward trade missions, market information and research and an enhanced portfolio of training courses. Sheffield Chamber chief executive Nigel Tomlinson said: "The SYITC will be all about working in partnership - with Sheffield and the other South Yorkshire Chambers, as well as its sponsors and supporters. "The region has been missing a strong voice for its exporters but a re-launched SYITC will help put international competitiveness back on the map for South Yorkshire."
Sheffield Chamber website
Barnsley & Rotherham Chambers website

The Star article
Rotherham

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News: Funding uncertainty for South Yorkshire International Trade Centre

The uncertainty of the new Business Link contracts through Yorkshire Forward have led the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce to state that 23 jobs are under threat at the South Yorkshire International Trade Centre. Yorkshire Forward previously channelled funding to Business Link South Yorkshire, which then used SYITC as a sub-contractor but it would be against EU rules for Yorkshire Forward to fund the centre directly. Sheffield Chamber is looking to retain the brand and seek to deliver services for businesses. The next SYITC event taking place in Rotherham is a "Trade Secrets" Export clinic on February 21.
SYITC website
The Star article
Rotherham

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News: Exporting Business Advice Event in Rotherham

A free event on successful exporting is taking place at Hellaby Hall Hotel in Rotherham on February 5th. Organised by the South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), local businesses will be able to meet the export experts to gain information on the Passport to Export scheme for new exporters, market research, legal advice, language and cultural barriers, export finance and HM Revenue and Customs.

SYITC flyer

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