International Trade Development

INTERNATIONAL TRADE DEVELOPMENT

The Economic Development Unit has established many important links with businesses, locally, nationally and internationally.

To date the Netherlands has been a very successful target market for Lisburn companies:

European Outlook Trade Mission to the Netherlands 2008

Participants on European Outlook Programme 2008 with Colin McClintock, Director of Environmental Services, LCC and Steve Murnaghan, Managing Director, NITC

This initiative is targeted at growth-orientated Lisburn companies seeking to gain increased exposure to business opportunities in mainland Europe.

The European Outlook Initiative allows growth-orientated companies to improve their business through a number of avenues, such as:

• Increased sales through export development
• Increased domestic competitiveness through experiencing & adopting best practices
• Increased domestic competitiveness through sourcing in 'euroland'

Lisburn City Council's 7th consecutive European Outlook Programme culminated in the Market Visit to the Netherlands from 19th - 21st February 2008. The programme was launched by Northern Ireland Trade Consultants (NITC) in December 2007 and the 7 companies (11 participants) who visited the Netherlands included:

• Creative Composites Ltd
• Easa
• Linton Ag
• Mac & Bell - ToolLock
• Micon Distribution Ltd
• Source 2 Resource
• Superchip

Micon Distribution Ltd

Mac & Bell  

Source 2 Resource

Trade Development Programme to Czech Republic 2007

Northern Ireland Trade Consultants (NITC) working in partnership with Easylink Business Services managed and delivered this, Lisburn City Council's 4th successful trade mission to Central & Eastern Europe.

The programme recruited 5 local companies onto the programme:

• Fairhaven H&V
• Micon
• Smiley Monroe
• Arca-Tech
• Tractormatic

All 5 companies travelled to the Czech Republic in May & June 2007 and were given the opportunity to research the Czech Republic as a potential export market and to meet with potential importers/agents.

In total 25 meetings took place with Czech companies throughout the Czech Republic and all companies stated that they had met with appropriate potential trading partners.

• Fairhaven have identified a suitable partner for future projects with a potential value of £1m, that the company is bidding for in the UK.
• Smiley Monroe have delivered a small amount of product to the Czech Republic - achieving their first export sales to this country. A long-term partnership with a leading Czech conveyor-belt supplier shall develop within the medium-term.
  
• Arca-Tech are currently quoting for £75,000 of business as a direct result of meeting a leading telecommunications company during the Visit.
  
• Micon & Tractormatic remain in contact with Czech companies met during the Trade Visit, with a view to commencing trading when prices and delivery terms can be agreed.

If you are a company based in the City of Lisburn, would like to establish international partnerships and feel that your business has the capacity and commitment to take advantage of the opportunities which foreign markets may present then contact the Economic Development Unit  for further information.

Access the Economic Development Progress Reports 2003 - 2004, 2002 - 2003  and 2001 - 2002 and 2000 - 2001 for further information on the type of international trade development projects funded and the associated programme outputs.