Weighing up the Overseas Market

Marsden Weighing Group in Rotherham manufacture a range of scales used primarily in the healthcare industry – for both humans and animals.

In 2004 the company felt ready to venture into overseas markets and they went to South Yorkshire International Trade Centre (SYITC) for advice. Here, an International Trade Adviser introduced them to two programmes that quickly put their business on the international map.

With Yorkshire Forward’s Targeted Export Support Scheme (TESS), the company were able to finance a sales catalogue in four languages which enabled them to reach, and soon appoint, distributors in Sweden, Holland, Spain and Italy.

At the same time they were made aware of UK Trade & Investment’s Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) which provided them with a personalised report on business leads in Holland in Spain.

Richard Black, Finance Director said: “The OMIS reports are compiled locally by UKTI staff based in the embassies and consulates overseas, and we found them extremely well researched and well targeted. It’s like having your own business intelligence scout on the ground over there, and well worth the cost - around £800.”

The two country reports put the company in touch with 10-15 possible customers in each country and even gauged the degree of interest from them, to save the company valuable time.

Richard added: “We were amazed that within a week of commissioning the OMIS reports we had active interest from a Dutch customer and within six weeks we began trading with them.”

With a staff of around thirty, most of the manufacturing for the scales is done in Rotherham, while the electronics are made in the Far East.

The company has just applied for more TESS funding to launch a series of new products into their growing overseas markets, and they are planning further OMIS reports to explore business opportunities in other markets.

In just two and half years exports have grown from 6% to 15% of turnover. This is a steady rate of growth which the company hopes to sustain as it looks to penetrate the healthcare markets overseas.

Eric Holland, International Trade Adviser at SYITC who has been assisting the company said: “I’m happy that we have been able to identify a mix of funding and research that works for the company by combining two excellent programmes from Yorkshire Forward and UK Trade & Investment.

“We are keen to support local companies who wish to develop overseas markets for their products and services.”

To find out more about Marsden Weighing Group visit the website.

Visit the TESS section of this website for more information on the scheme.