Export Week aims to show looking overseas is not just for the big players

WHEN the Tour de France arrives in Yorkshire next summer, it will provide a once in a lifetime opportunity for local firms to reach out to a global audience.

Next month, UK Trade & Investment is holding a series of events which will aim to encourage more Yorkshire firms to move into export markets, and it will also announce an initiative to capitalise on the Tour de France’s arrival in our region.

Export Week, which runs from November 11 to 15, is targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises who are keen to expand into overseas markets.

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UKTI is joining forces with a host of partners and business organisations to run a number of events, including the ExploreExport event on November 12, which offers face-to-face meetings with experts representing British Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates in more than 60 different countries.

The week opens with an event entitled: ‘Can You Export?’ which is due to be held at the Advanced Manufacturing Park, near Rotherham, on November 11.

The week will also see the launch of an International Festival of Business which will tie in with next year’s Grand Depart of the Tour de France. UKTI wants local firms to cash in on the global interest it will bring to Yorkshire.

Mark Robson, UKTI’s regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “We’re keen for as many local businesses as possible to support Export Week, attend our events and find out more about the opportunities available in overseas markets.

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“There’s still a perception in some quarters that exporting is only for the big boys, and that some companies are too small or niche to compete in the international marketplace. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

“We have a wealth of enterprising SMEs across the region achieving success in all corners of the globe, and the message is simple: They can do it, and so can you!”

The Tour de France will be the biggest ever sporting event held in Yorkshire, giving the county a showcase via television to 188 countries. Riders will race from Leeds to Harrogate via the Dales on July 5 and through the Pennines from York to Sheffield on July 6.

For more information about Export Week and to book your place at any of the events, log on to the website at www.exportweek.ukti.gov.uk