Look to Poland for trade, says firm after success of mission

While visiting the port city of Gdansk and the capital Warsaw, the company forged a partnership with a leading Polish counterpart.

Neill & Brown has declined to name the company for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

Peter Brown, Neill & Brown’s managing director, said yesterday: “We have been delivering goods by sea and road to Poland for a number of years and saw potential for creating a lot more business with the country.”

The Yorkshire company has since been awarded a contract to transport timber as a result of the mission, which was organised by Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce.

The mission highlighted the importance of trade links between the UK and Poland.

Neill & Brown has gained Polish business through its links with World Trade Centre Hull & Humber, of which it is an official partner.

Mr Brown added: “It is vital to be well prepared for a trade mission, and we ensured that we had meetings set up with appropriate companies before visiting, as well as having literature prepared in English and Polish.”

The UK is Poland’s largest trading partner and the value of UK exports to Poland has soared from £1.4bn in 2004 to £3.8bn last year.

Among the goods that Neill & Brown takes to and from Poland are caravans, vehicle parts, chemicals, packaging, machinery and giftware.

“There are many export opportunities to be pursued by small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly in infrastructure, energy and the service industries,” said Mr Brown.

Neill & Brown operates a fleet of 40 vehicles and every year completes hundreds of thousands of collections and deliveries for a wide range of products.

Mr Brown added: “For companies thinking about trading overseas for the first time, Poland has a lot going for it, including its close proximity and the fact that most people have a very good grasp of English.

“I would really encourage Humber businesses to look at the export potential of their products and services.”

The company’s main market is Europe, in particular Italy and Belgium, but it also has growing worldwide business in the United States, India, and the Far East.