Beedspeed

Up to speed with the international scooter set

A Grimsby company that specialises in supplying scooter parts and accessories is racing full speed ahead with its newly designed interactive website, www.beedspeed.com. And the new easy-click ordering system is catching the eye of more and more overseas customers.

Twenty five years ago the local economy in Grimsby was still suffering from the aftermath of the Cod Wars and employment prospects were at an all time low. But despite those unpromising times Alan Beedham’s entrepreneurial spirit was alive and well. He decided to turn his life-long interest in the scooter culture into a thriving business.

Advertising locally and in national magazines, Alan soon built up a reputation and a strong client list.

Alan said: “It seems like scooters will never go out of fashion. Their popularity has reached cult status here in the UK and in other countries like Japan, even with all their own brands of powerful motorbikes, there’s something about the scooter culture which seems to have a constant appeal.”

Recently Alan recognised that he needed to upgrade his basic website to reflect the needs of his international clients as well as those in the UK. A meeting with UK Trade & Investment’s international trade advisor at the local Business Link helped his company step up a gear when it proved to be eligible for a Targeted Export Support Scheme (TESS) grant.

This Yorkshire Forward funding programme delivered by UK Trade & Investment across the Yorkshire and Humber region assists local companies into new overseas markets, or helps them launch new products overseas.

Alan added: “Austen Ward, the international trade advisor from UK Trade & Investment alerted me to the TESS funding which I was able to put towards the design and production of a new international website.

“It now offers an easy and reliable ordering process in nine languages including Japanese. Now customers can actually see a picture of what they are ordering as well as read the lists of products available in their own language. Since the website has been operational we have had a lot more orders from overseas and we expect to keep building up overseas sales over the coming months.”

Now the company is looking to promote the website with a range of search engines that could pull in customers from all over the world.

Austen Ward added: “The next few months will be crucial for Beedspeed, which despite its name is taking a steady approach to expanding its international profile. The company knows just how much business it can comfortably handle and is therefore taking things one step at a time, but the new website has definitely given its business a boost both at home and overseas.”

www.beedspeed.com