A chemical manufacturer in the UK has managed to sign a £1 million project with the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia after successfully increasing its international presence.
Serchem Ltd, which manufactures premium chemical products for the catering, laundry and medical decontamination sectors, sought assistance from the Department for International Trade (DIT) three years ago to help the Telford company increase its business overseas.
The move has clearly paid off, with the Shropshire Star recently reporting that it has been successfully exporting its chemical products to the Middle East thanks to the DIT support.
In April this year, it managed to secure a tender with the Saudi Ministry of Health for a two-year initiative. Meanwhile, there are potential contracts in line for Dubai, Kuwait and South Africa.
Business operations manager at Serchem Ltd Robert Lamb told the news provider that the health market in Britain “can be extremely challenging”.
“Export markets represented only a small percentage of our turnover previously but engaging with the DIT and being able to tap into their knowledge and resources has been a game-changer for us,” Mr Lamb stated.
He noted that prior to this, the firm “had no clear plans for expansion into overseas markets” and had a lack of experience and knowledge to do so.
However, advice from the DIT as well as a grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) enabled them to attend the famous medical conference in Dubai called Arab Health in 2017
This event is put on annually to showcase the latest healthcare innovations, including advanced technology, treatments, and processes.
All the best product manufacturers and service providers in the Middle East and further afield come to the four-day exhibit every year, making this an “essential business medical event” for those in the sector.
Therefore, attending this event gave Serchem Ltd the contacts it needed to grow within the Middle Eastern health market.
“Exports have grown steadily over a few years, with our distributor network helping to get our products known and reputable in the overseas health market,” Mr Robert remarked.
As a result, he predicts export sales will account for a quarter of its gross turnover over the next five years.
He attributes this success to the support from DIT and the ERDF fund, without which the group “would still be hugely reliant on improving our sales in the UK’s existing and competitive market”.
International trade adviser at the DIT Shernel Stevenson said she is “thrilled” to hear this positive news from Serchem Ltd about its expansion success.
She went on to advise other businesses in Shropshire to consider expanding into the international market by reaching out to the DIT for support, guidance and advice, stating there are “so many opportunities” to be had for UK businesses overseas.
Chemical manufacturing companies in Britain that are keen to follow Serchem Ltd’s footsteps and export to the Middle East may first need to improve the efficiency of their toll processing services. Get in touch with us today for more information.
