Highlands and Islands businesses encouraged to consider exporting
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Businesses in the Highlands and Islands are being encouraged to expand their sales through exporting at a trade event being held in the city next week.
On Thursday November 10, companies from across a variety of sectors will meet at Highlands and Islands Enterprise to hear from experts about the opportunities for them to export to overseas markets.
They’ll also hear about other Scottish exporting success stories and learn more about the support in place for them to grow their business internationally.
The event is being led by the UK Government’s Department for International Trade (DIT), working in partnership with Scottish Development International (SDI), UK Export Finance (UKEF), the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Inverness Chamber of Commerce.
Rachel Gwyon, director of Agriculture, Food and Drink at the Department for International Trade said:
“There is so much potential for businesses in the Highlands to export their goods abroad. We produce some of the finest produce in the world here, and there are markets that would love to buy our goods and services.
“We’re keen to see local businesses in and around Inverness make the most of these opportunities, which is why we’re running this event.
“Those who attend will learn about the support that is available to them to start their exporting journey, and how they can unlock the full potential of their business by selling overseas.”
Places are still available at the event, with those interested in attending encouraged to register online. One to one sit downs are also on offer for any business looking for more specific advice on exporting, and those who can’t be there on the day are able to join virtually.
The latest regional trade statistics showed that businesses based in Inverness and Nairn, Moray, and Badenoch and Strathspey exported £716 mworth of goods in 2020, and the Department of International Trade hope to grow the number of businesses exporting in future years.
Sarah Findlay, International Programmes Manager at Inverness Chamber of Commerce said:
“The DIT Roadshow events will be hugely valuable to any business currently trading overseas or looking for somewhere to start. This hybrid event will provide businesses across the Highlands and Islands region with the opportunity to learn more about the support available throughout the export journey, network with like-minded businesses and find out more about accessing finance.
“We welcome anyone with an interest in growing their international sales to come along and join us in Inverness on Thursday 10th November to meet with the support organisations and meet 1:1 with the Sector teams.
“Inverness Chamber of Commerce are delighted to be involved and we look forward to working with the delivery partners to continue to support our region’s businesses expand through international growth.”
The Inverness session is part of a series of Export Roadshow events across Scotland, each designed to show the potential benefits of exporting abroad.
