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Project part-financed by the European Union
Portaski (www.portaski.com) is compact and lightweight ski carrier, invented by Barnsley based businessman Mike Johnston.
Mike said:
“It all started when a friend of mine took his two kids on a skiing holiday and ended up carrying his own as well as both the kids’ skis and poles while slogging through the snow in his ski boots. I spent several years perfecting the design and I set up the company in 2003.
“I always knew that the major market for Portaski was likely to be overseas and with that in mind I signed up for UK Trade & Investment’s Passport to Export programme in June 2005.
It turned out to be just the beginning of a fantastic overseas support network for my business”
While attending the Passport training Mike was also introduced to other UK Trade & Investment services such as New Products from Britain (NPfB) and the Overseas Market Introduction Service
(OMIS) both of which have proved extremely useful to developing his expanding overseas business.
Mike added:
“The Passport training event put a lot of my thinking about the business into context. It was also very motivating to be with other companies like myself who were hoping to break into exports.
“I have since commissioned OMIS reports from the UK Trade & Investment staff based in Germany and Finland which apart from the business leads they have generated, have given me an excellent insight into the business cultures in those countries. But I have to say that the New Products from Britain service is not only incredible value for money but it has really been productive for me.”
New Products from Britain, takes innovative British products and publicises them in the trade press overseas in English or in translation. Portaski has already commissioned the service in Germany Switzerland, France and the USA and has plans to commission another in South Korea. The NPfB story that ran in Germany attracted interest from a Finnish company who initially bought just 20 samples to test the market in Lapland where the skiing is alpine and the season is longer. The company was so pleased that they have now placed their first order - for over 1000.
Portaski has also taken advantage of the International Business Network (IBN), which is run locally by UK Trade & Investment, and offers Yorkshire businesses networking opportunities with a chance to hear international speakers.
Mike added:
“The speakers at the IBN are outstanding and it’s a very motivating event. I’ve also met a number of interesting companies during the networking sessions, including one of my future business associates, an internet search engine company. I’m now working with the company to develop my website business and, in turn, I’ve made them aware of the UK Trade & Investment services which have been so productive for me.”
UK Trade & Investment’s Jo Barker works at South Yorkshire International Trade Centre. She has been instrumental in advising Portaski about the export services available. Jo said:
“I think Mike has been pleasantly surprised by the amount of government support that is available to all levels of exporters through UK Trade & Investment. We will continue to help him develop his international business in any way we can.”
Contact: Mike Johnston on 07801 183716 or mike@portaski.com
UKTI contact: Jo Barker on 07764 233 206 or jbarker@syitc.com
