Subcontractor secures chinese contracts through UKTI initiative

Ford Aerospace already exports its products around the world including France, Germany, Italy and the US but was keen to explore the potential of the chinese market. Having already benefited from the support of UKTI's Passport to Export initiative and taken part in two market visits to China during 2009, the company signed up to G3 and commissioned a number of Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) reports to gain a more detailed knowledge of the market, potential partners, customers, suppliers, distributors and agents Mark Podmore, operations director at Ford Aerospace, explained: "We've now completed the G3 programme and its support has been invaluable. It enabled us to make further visits to China in June and September this year, when we signed an agreement with an aerospace sector distributor. We now have two distributors – one in Anshan looking at commercial markets and the other in Xian looking at aerospace. "G3 also allowed us to produce additional chinese marketing materials and translate our website into chinese. We've also been able to take on a chinese placement student permanently. Dou Tsang, whose placement was organised by UKTI, is now helping us to develop the market further. "To date we've had enquiries about orders in excess of £400,000 and we've secured and delivered orders worth £80,000 for manufacturing components for two steel mills in China, in Handan and Chenggang. "As a result we're now investing in new machinery that will enable us to produce components up to 1.5 metres in diameter. This will be installed in January and we're certainly hoping to win more orders in 2011." For more information about G3, the 2011 programme of market visits and other support available through UK Trade & Investment to help your company succeed overseas call the North East International Trade Hotline on 0845 05 05 054 or email: enquiries@ukti.rito.co.uk.