Downpatrick-based business Treidliacht Limited has won the First Time International Exporter Category in the International Export Challenge delivered by Invest Northern Ireland and British Airways.
The competition challenged local businesses to provide details of their export plans and the rationale for the approach taken in a bid to win a unique package of support.
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Alastair Hamilton, Invest NI Chief Executive, and Brenda Morgan of British Airways, pictured with Cahir King of Treidliacht Ltd from Downpatrick, centre, who were successful in winning the exporter support package.[/caption]
Treidliacht Limited is family-run and focuses on animal care. It has developed a new product called “Calf Stick™” for use in cattle and is keen to market and sell this product abroad. The company will receive free market research conducted by Invest NI, one return flight to their selected export market, free accommodation for up to four nights and support with arranging and executing a market visit schedule.
Cahir King from Treidliacht Limited said: “The International Export Challenge was a unique and valuable opportunity to showcase our product and our export strategy. We are delighted to win this package of support and will use it to visit Germany, Poland and Hungary to explore potential business opportunities there.”
Speaking about the competition, Alastair Hamilton, Invest NI Chief Executive, said: “The response to the competition shows that an increasing number of Northern Ireland companies are looking at international markets to help grow their business. In particular, we were delighted to see so many entries from first time exporters, as one of our priorities is to increase the number of Northern Ireland businesses that are exporting. I would encourage the winning companies to use the support package to help them identify new markets and reach new customers.
“Small businesses are sometimes daunted by the idea of exporting. That’s understandable, as there is a lot to consider, but we offer a wide range of support to help businesses target export markets and the rewards are worth the effort.
“Invest NI is delighted to have had the opportunity to work with British Airways on delivering this unique competition.”
Brenda Morgan, British Airways Partnership Manager for Northern Ireland, said: “At British Airways, supporting the growth of the business community in Northern Ireland is very important to us. With our daily service of up to six flights from Belfast City to London Heathrow, we aim to make doing international business easier and more accessible for local companies. We recognise that the route is a vital artery for the flow of business and commerce and it offers excellent connectivity to our global network of almost 130 destinations worldwide.
“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to work with Invest Northern Ireland on this project and to support and grow the local export market. We would like to congratulate all winning companies and hope that our flight support will contribute to them growing their business to new and extended international markets.”
Invest NI’s export support includes workshops on developing export skills, help with market research and a comprehensive market visit programme which gives local companies the chance to target opportunities around the world and get a feel for whether they are a good fit with what they are selling. This is coupled with in-market expertise that can provide on- the-ground help to local companies.
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