Humber firms’ venture to seek out new global opportunities

World Trade Centre Hull & Humber, which is privately-funded, was formed just over a year ago after public sector funding dried up for the previous body.

In its second year the centre, part of the global network of World Trade Centres, is targeting Brazil, Russia, Qatar and India.

Nine companies so far have signed up to join a mission to Recife in Brazil in June, which will focus on opportunities arising from new developments at its docks.

The mission being organised between the WTC, Team Humber Marine Alliance and UK Trade & Investment will concentrate on the Brazil Naval Shipyard and Shipbuilding Programme, which is part of the huge $224.7bn Petrobras Brazil investment over the next five years.

Director Carolyn Burgess said smaller businesses were sometimes reluctant to sign up to go on trade missions, because of the time involved, and lack of familiarity with the language or culture, but they were holding sessions to prepare participants so they could make the most out of the trips.

She said: “It is a bit of a risk, but then business is a bit of a risk. If you are willing to take it there are big prizes on offer.

“Some of the smaller companies here have people with years and years of experience and these emerging economies like Brazil, Russia and India, need help with their engineering projects.”

There will also be a trade mission to India in the Spring or Autumn where there are opportunities to export expertise in the food industry, ports and infrastructure and education.

Moscow is the venue for the World Trade Centres Association general assembly in October; the focus there will be opportunities in oil and gas.

The centre based in waterfront offices in Queen Street, in Hull, offers video and telephone conferencing facilities, incubator space for new businesses and a 24-hour interpreting service and a seminar and board room. Advisors from UK Trade & Investment are also based there.

Ms Burgess, chief executive of Hull-based translation and interpreting firm Language is Everything, said: “Three of us decided to get together and make a go of it privately. We haven’t asked for any public money. It’s great because it means we have the freedom to be quite creative in what we do. To say it has been easy would be a lie, it has been difficult in some respects.

“We have encouraged our partners to put their money where their mouth is; to get together and focus on the one thing we have in mind – putting the Humber on the map. As businesses we want to help our businesses, but we want to help other businesses grow.”

She added: “It has been quite interesting getting other companies to work together and share information.

“It is not a natural thing to do – it has taken time. I think this year has been very much about running the facility and build up our networks – year two is about going for it and having an impact.”

During their first year the centre has held regular international trade events, introduced a 24-hour interpreting service, represented the Humber in Moscow, Doha, Recife and Sao Paulo, supported a digital gaming and entertainment conference Platform Expos and launched No Boundaries, a networking and discussion forum intended to improve the outlook for the region’s businesses.

Last week representatives were meeting other world trade centres at the WTCA headquarters in New York to look for new business partnerships.

The not-for-profit business has nine private sector partners: Language is Everything, Garthwest, Andrew Jackson, Neill & Brown Global Logistics, Henderson Insurance Brokers, HSBC, Select Group, Mapa Public Relations and newly-signed up Smailes Goldie Chartered Accountants.