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One stop shop for trade support
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13/04/2007
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In the North-East, a new single contract has been created bringing together UK Trade & Investment's wide range of support services under one roof in an innovative move that may be adopted across the UK.
From 1 April, UK Trade & Investment's team of International Trade Advisers moved from the region's Business Links to the Regional International Trade Office (RITO), in Durham, a subsidiary company of the North East Chamber of Commerce.
RITO was launched in 2004 as a coordination facility for UK Trade & Investment's regional international trade services such as Passport to Export, Virtual Export Manager, market visits and Overseas Market Introduction Service. It also runs the North East International Trade Hotline - 0845 05 05 054.
Now it has also taken on responsibility for the work of the International Trade Advisers themselves, creating a "one stop shop" for companies already involved or that want to get involved in international trade.
International Trade Advisers work closely with individual companies, carrying out diagnostics to assess their export potential and then assisting firms in developing and implementing an export plan.
Brendan Murphy, (pictured) NECC director of international trade, says: “This is a wonderful opportunity for the region's businesses - by centralising international trade support we can ensure easier access for companies wanting to get involved in international trade.
“Our aim is to help them compete in the global economy and we want to encourage more businesses to go international and enter new markets.”
David Coppock, UK Trade & Investment’s international trade director, says: “The new single contract brings together all the elements of UK Trade & Investment's work in the North East under one roof, consolidating our services and making it even easier for companies to access them.
“We work closely with our partners across the region to ensure companies have the skills and knowledge they need to succeed overseas and the North East Chamber of Commerce has been one of our strongest allies.
“The Regional International Trade Office is a unique resource and has already proved its worth in running the North East International Trade Hotline and coordinating our services and we look forward to working with them as one team, with one aim - to improve the region's international performance. Its success is being monitored and it is a model that may be adopted around the country.”
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Author
Chris Rowlands
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