WIREDGOV

Powys based manufacturing company Zip Clip will be one of the businesses taking centre stage at a Welsh Government conference aimed at driving up export levels in Wales.

The Wales Export Conference 2018, which is being held at Cardiff City Stadium next month, will seek to provide new and existing exporting companies with the information, advice, guidance and support they need to increase their overseas trade.

As part of the conference, successful exporting companies such as Zip Clip will share their experiences of developing overseas trade, and talk about the support they accessed from the from Welsh Government that has helped  drive up their profit margins.

In Zip-Clip’s case, the company, which employs 18 full time staff from its base in Powys, took the decision to fight the recession by targeting the high specification suspension systems that they produce for the electrical, mechanical, heating and ventilation industries, at overseas export markets.

Before 2008, Zip-Clip’s business was solely reliant on the UK market, but the economic downturn resulted in a 30% reduction in its annual turnover.

The company responded to this dip by seeking to expand its client-base into new overseas markets, including Germany, South Africa and Australia.

Its drive was assisted by the Welsh Government’s export support programmes,  including the International Trade Opportunities programme which assisted Zip Clip in  identifying potential business partners, and the Overseas Business Development Visits programme, which  enabled the company to visit their target markets and attend key trade shows.

Indeed an important trip to Qatar which was supported by the  Welsh Government,  opened the door to a whole new range of opportunities for Zip-Clip.

Overall the company’s export drive resulted in a 40% increase in its overseas trade in no fewer than 23 countries.

Steve Goldsworthy, managing director of Zip-Clip said:

“Like many companies across the UK, the recession had a detrimental impact on our business as many of our clients were forced to cut back.

Thankfully, the Welsh Government’s support programmes were available. Their support has changed the dynamic of our business, providing assistance for our expansion overseas. It has been invaluable."

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said:

“Companies such as Zip-Clip are proof that exporting really does have the potential to transform a business and take it to the next level, and increasing Welsh exports is more important than ever as the UK prepares to leave the EU.

The Welsh Government is keen to work with companies looking to build up the exports arm of their operations and offer them the right support for wherever they may be in their business development.

As part of this work we will be holding a major exporting conference in Cardiff next month.  I would encourage companies from all sectors and from across Wales to come along to find out more about how the Welsh Government can help them to develop this element of their business, and to speak to companies like Zip-Clip who have experienced the benefits first hand.”