Developing Mexican connections has proved to be a profitable success for Lichfield-based Valve Train Components Ltd (VTC), thanks in part to the International Commercial Centre's Trade & Investment Development Manager - Karl Burrows.
The company, who manufacture components for vehicle engines and gearboxes, has recently received a substantial order from Mexico for 20,000 of its component products, which will be repeated every 2-3 months.
Karl Burrows, formerly the Consul at the British Consulate in Monterrey, Mexico, and now seconded to the International Commercial Centre, acts as a 'Mexico Champion' for the West Midlands region, providing advice, support and imparting specialist market knowledge to local companies with a particular interest in the Mexican market.
Karl said, "This is excellent news. Mexico was one of VTC's target markets, and they attended the Midlands World Trade Forum (MWTF) "Doing Business in Mexico" seminar in January of this year, at which I was one of the guest presenters. As a result of this, we fixed up a subsequent meeting to discuss Mexico in greater detail."
Karl continued "We had a lengthy one-to-one session shortly after our initial meeting. I then signposted them to an "Opportunities in the Mexican Automotive Industry" seminar arranged by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). VTC attended this event in March and signed up for the SMMT mission to Mexico in July. A series of meetings was arranged for them in Mexico, and they secured their first order in mid-September. VTC's success is a perfect case study on how to make the most of the vast network of government assistance available to SMEs looking to break into new markets. The company is small but energetic, and with UKTI's help is managing to punch above its weight."
The company has benefited from undergoing the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Passport to Export programme; a government-funded package of support which includes: a free business health check; attending an export workshop; assistance in drawing up an export strategy action plan and matched funding of up to £3,000 to help implement the strategy; quality training and mentoring advice; access to the full range of UKTI services, government funding and membership of Midlands World Trade Forum, the regional export club. VTC has worked very closely with Maggie Neale, International Trade Advisor for UKTI in Staffordshire, who has consistently supported VTC in all of their export endeavors.
Valve Train Components now exports just over 95 per cent of its output to 21 countries worldwide, and has 40 per cent of the European market and a global share of 14 percent. Such is their success that they won a Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade in 2004, and the MWTF Exporter of the Year Award in 2005. The company, whose export sales have increased by 43 per cent over the last two years, has truly proved the old Mexican adage "El que la sigue, la consigue" - He who goes for it, gets it!
Pictured: Gary Brereton - Sales Director and Peter Henderson - Managing Director, Valve Train Components Ltd