A call for more government ‘effort and funding’ to be put into trade promotion was made by David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, at the International Trade Today and RBS Trade Awards presentation lunch at the House of Lords.

As guest speaker, he told his audience of nearly 100 leading business people that he was a great supporter of UK Trade and Investment and believed in its importance. However, he felt there had been too much emphasis on inward investment and the balance with regards to trade promotion needed redressing.

He also felt that too great a spotlight was put on China and India at the expense of other markets. Also, neither country was easy to enter, particularly at the SME level. ‘ I have just returned from India, which is not a market for the faint-hearted. You need a lot of time and money.’

As the head of an organisation representing 100,000 businesses, Frost said that, personally, he had a passion for manufacturing and international trade, as well as a huge respect for SMEs and ‘the achievements we have seen here today’.

He added: ‘Exporting has a positive effect on the UK economy. Those that export have higher than average productivity. They also spend more on R&D and have a greater understanding of new technology.

‘In fact, 40 per cent of new entrepreneurs expect 25 per cent of their business to come from abroad. So there is clearly a global thought process from the outset.’

Guests were welcomed to the event at one of Parliament’s two exclusive riverside dining rooms by Ian Campbell, the magazine’s consultant editor. In particular, he thanked Lord Haskel (former Government spokesman on trade and industry), who stood as sponsor for the lunch, and then introduced the speaker for RBS, which has backed the Awards programme.

Simon Roberts, the bank’s sales director, commercial and regional corporate, also thanked Lord Haskel and commented on ‘the great venue and view’.

He said that the Awards recognised ‘trade development and the passion behind it, in both the corporate and SME sectors, which is all good for UK plc.

‘I am proud to head a team that shares that passion. RBS supports thousands of businesses and has good working relationships with them as well.

‘The global marketplace is a constant challenge and it is our job to ensure that businesses get the right advice and financial tools.’

He added that the Awards had brought together a range of entrants ‘stunning in terms of turnover and sectors. The quality of the winners is excellent and all are at the forefront of the UK’s trading future’.

The 12 regional Award winners were introduced by Ian Campbell, who declared the day ‘part of their finest hour’.

They were:

Long O’Donnell Associates (NW winner)

The company’s core business is quantity surveying and commercial management but over recent years it has expanded into the health and safety, project management and inspection disciplines.

Having identified Ireland as a key overseas prospect, it is now the number one supplier to the Irish Gas Board for commercial management services, as well as being a main provider to the Railway Procurement Agency in Dublin.

Immunodiagnostic Systems (NE winner)

IDS manufactures immuno-assay kits to test bone and mineral samples drawn from patients to enable the measurement of what’s in the blood to assist doctors in making a diagnosis.

IDS has concentrated on those markets where there is a greater spend on this type of diagnostic testing within health services – whether for cancers, calcium or vitamin deficiencies, diabetes or other long-term diseases.

Nisa (Yorkshire and Humberside winner)

Nisa International has set out to respond to the market needs of British expatriates living in Spain, North America, the South Atlantic and further afield. In doing so, it has also developed new markets for traditional UK branded consumer goods, which have expanded and sold to domestic consumers in those markets.

It now claims to be probably one of the largest grocery export wholesalers outside the US. It currently sells more than 12,000 supermarket items to more than 500 customers in more than 120 countries. It supplies products such as Typhoo tea and Bisto to such far-flung destinations as Uzbekistan and the Ascension Islands.’

Geothermal International (West Midlands winner)

Geothermal International was established to provide a turnkey carbon neutral and ‘very green’ solution for the design, installation and commissioning of ground source heat pumps and cooling systems.

Some of its highest profile projects are: the Swiss Re building (the London ‘Gherkin’), Gloucestershire’s new police headquarters (the largest system so far in Europe) and Buckingham Palace.

University of Nottingham (East Midlands winner)

In the last academic year (2006-07) Nottingham became the first foreign university in the world to open a new university inside the People’s Republic of China. There are currently 2000 students at the University of Nottingham Ningbo, with numbers set to double next year.

No other university in the UK attracts as many international students as Nottingham and it was judged ‘UK University of the Year’ at The Times Higher Education Awards for 2007. It also won Queen’s Awards for International Trade in 2006 and Innovation in 2007 and was declared ‘Outward Investor of the Year’ by the influential 48 Group Club, the UK’s pre-eminent trade association with China.

GigaSat (East of England winner)

When GigaSat reviewed the vast satellite communications market looking for niches that could be exploited, it decided that one of its key unique selling points would be to ‘push the boundaries of ingrained expectations within the industry by providing a product range that exceeded those previously available’.

But the ‘perfect idea’ had to be matched by sophisticated technology and an equally refined sales approach to ensure global reach and a ‘24/7 response’ throughout the world.

Star Syringe (SE winner)

Star Syringe is a medical innovation company that aims to protect people through better basic healthcare products and sustainable development of those products. It has saved five million lives in the developing world.

Star innovates and licenses the technology to manufacture single-use disposable syringes to developing countries. Every year 40 billion injections are administered worldwide by a range of healers and healthcare workers. In developing countries more than 50 per cent of these injections are unsafe, using syringes and needles that have been reused or 'recycled’.

The Ford Farm (SW winner)

Ford Farm makes many varieties of traditional cheese by hand from its own milk and that of a few selected neighbours and has also developed new varieties that include Coastal, a cheddar that crunches as the calcium from the milk crystallises, and Cave Aged Cheddar, matured in Wookey Hole near Cheddar in Somerset.

The company sells its customers a ‘complete package’ comprising cheese, presentation, service and support and ensures each is fulfilled to a high standard. Also, by selling directly to the retailer or distributor, the supply chain is shortened, improving response and reducing prices.

MET Studio Design (London winner)

MET Studio Design is an award-winning design company, specialising in museums, visitor centres and eco parks for a wide range of clients and audiences of all ages worldwide. Since 1982 the company has built a formidable international reputation for innovative, exciting and intelligent work in the design and delivery of museums and exhibitions covering a plethora of areas ranging from natural history, natural science, history and pre-history to applied sciences, medicine and many others.

MET offers its clients a dedicated service from master-planning through to final installation and beyond into the production of a maintenance schedule that enables clients to operate and maintain their new visitor experience efficiently and effectively for many years to come.

Randox Laboratories (Northern Ireland winner)

A private company founded in 1982, Randox now manufactures five per cent of the world’s clinical chemistry products. Throughout its 25 year operation, Randox has excelled in the design, manufacture and marketing of a vast range of high quality products for laboratory medicine. It now ranks 23rd in the global clinical diagnostics market and offers instrumentation and tests for clinical chemistry, immunology and quality control materials.

Randox is also the world’s first manufacturer of an automated protein biochip array platform and this innovative technology has proven to be the most revolutionary multi-analyte testing platform in the world.

Daniels Fans (Welsh winner)

Daniels’ is a leading supplier of industrial fans to aluminium and steel heat treatment furnace manufacturers worldwide. The fans range in weight from 250kgs up to 40 tonnes with impellors up to2.65 meters diameter rotating at up to 3000rpm in gases of temperatures up to 1200°C. Such technology requires advanced skills in stress analysis, metal selection, welding, manufacturing and testing procedures.

Following a review of export customer needs, it embarked on a rapid programme of product development and a complete review of manufacturing to allow flexible, small-batch production on short lead times. It also invested heavily to ensure that it remained competitive in a world market.

4i2i Communications (Scotland winner)

4i2i undertakes micro-chip design to enable the most difficult part of digital video to happen. It then licenses its software and intellectual property cores for use in semiconductor devices. High performance video coding IP cores are used for applications in closed circuit TV, video conferencing, broadcast TV and mobile telephony.

The company has clearly defined its niche, established customer needs and used effective marketing channels to get product to market. It has been described as a classic ‘better mousetrap’ supplier and the big electronics companies are beating a path to its door.

SME Category

Tony Bush, editor of International Trade Today, presented the prize in the SME category.

He said: ‘Several of our regional winners qualified as SMEs. The judges looked for those who, despite their size, displayed a truly global approach in marketing, coupled with professionalism and the highest standards of product development and customer service.

‘The short-listed companies were:

4i2i Communications from Scotland
– designers of micro-chips for global digital video manufacturers

Ford Farm from the South West
– for marketing new varieties of British cheese to the US – and the world

Immunodiagnostics Systems from the North East
– for helping diagnose and treat diseases worldwide

M E T Studio Design from London
– for designing everything from museums and eco-parks to restaurants on the QE2

The winner was: Ford Farm

Innovation Category

Simon Campbell, publisher of International Trade Today, presented the prize in the innovation category.

He said: ‘This category presented the judges with some difficult choices. Comparing, and choosing between, medical and hi-tech advances, innovative marketing and new product development led to lots of debate on the panel.

‘The final shortlist comprised:

Geothermal International from the West Midlands
– for using the earth’s natural energy to heat buildings and reduce carbon emissions

Gigasat from Eastern England
– whose satellite antenna systems now enable television stations worldwide to deliver on the spot 24/7 news

Star Syringe from the South East
– whose revolutionary non-reusable syringes and partnership with global agencies are saving millions of lives globally.

The winner was: Star Syringe


GigaSat is a ‘flyaway’ winner
 
The quest to ‘better the best’ led to GigaSat being chosen as the East of England regional winner. It also secured its position as overall winner of the 2007 International Trade Awards.

The company’s philosophy was simple – however, the implementation was anything but...

When GigaSat reviewed the vast satellite communications market looking for niches that could be exploited, it decided that one of its key unique selling points would be to ‘push the boundaries of ingrained expectations within the industry by providing a product range that exceeded those previously available’.

But the ‘perfect idea’ had to be matched by sophisticated technology and an equally refined sales approach to ensure global reach and a ‘24/7 response’ throughout the world.

As far as the former was concerned, the Bedfordshire company’s initial focus was on ‘flyaway’ satellite news gathering antennas, including associated electronics such as encoders and modulators. This was a niche that is perceived had received insufficient attention to detail by some major competitors and, accordingly, the available products were ‘not led by customer need’.

During the past year GigaSat has concentrated primarily on vehicle mounted antennas introducing the concept of a monocoque construction to provide environmental protection of the associated electronics, which can be contained within the structure of the antenna. This approach removed the need to carry heavy, noisy and hot amplifiers within a vehicle, thus freeing up space.

Now that GigaSat is an established company ‘with products in the field’, it is able to leverage that presence to gain entry into other territories.’

Managing director Christopher Lay said: ‘The product is highly technical, and is used in a variety of harsh and demanding operating conditions. This throws up a need for exceptional service and support, which was another area where we perceived we could gain an edge.

‘The UK office can service Europe, Middle East and Africa, whilst the Australian office offers 24/7 support throughout Australia and the Pacific Rim and the American office services the whole of that continent. ‘We have now opened a third satellite office in Thailand to lead our thrust into China and associated areas. We already have orders of around $2m from this new strategy.

‘Much of our trade is with overseas governments or state broadcasters, and entails lengthy tender processes. It is essential to have local agents working on our behalf to identify forthcoming tenders, work toward ensuring that our products will be compliant with the tender specifications, representing us through the tender process, and helping to manage the product delivery and commissioning. All four offices have developed and managed networks of agents throughout their territories and we have formal agency agreements in some 40 countries.’