Swindon businesses are to be helped prepare for the challenges and opportunities that Brexit will bring when an Export for Growth roadshow arrives in the town next month.
The day-long Trade Horizons event is one of four being staged across the South West by Business West – the region’s largest business advice group, which also runs and the Swindon & Wiltshire Initiative.
The Swindon event takes place at the Steam Museum on June 28 and will host five keynote speakers – two from successful British export businesses – and the others Brexit experts. They will discuss potential future issues as well as opportunities and trends.
Following this morning session, visitors will be able to explore the Export Advice Zones where they can access a wide range of free support tailored to the needs of their business, including a free ‘Brexit Health Check’ or advice on how to pitch their product in China.
Brands taking part in the roadshow include Green & Blacks, Innocent Drinks and Beer52, making it the perfect place to gain inspiration from businesses who are trading successfully overseas.
The Trade Horizons Roadshow is part of a wider series of activity Business West is staging in preparation for Brexit. Last month it teamed up with Business Showcase South West to host a meeting with International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox, who addressed 150 businesses on the positive position the South West finds itself in terms of export opportunity and growth.
The Trade Horizons Roadshow will visit four locations across the South West in June and July, including Bristol on June 26.
Business West commercial director James Monk said: “The Roadshow is a fantastic way to help companies in the region understand more around the challenges and opportunities that Brexit brings – not just within Europe but across the rest of the world.
“At Business West we can do much more for companies than just provide support through Export for Growth and the Department for International. Once we’ve encouraged and prepared businesses to export we don’t stop there – we support those companies even further.
“As one of the country’s leading and largest chambers of commerce we can provide export documentation and help companies with fulfilment of orders, getting their goods into the marketplace and working with banks and with letters of credit to ensure companies get paid.
“We don’t just encourage people – it’s all about helping them to physically make the contacts and then do the business.
“The Trade Horizons Roadshow is another example of Business West going the extra mile to ensure companies are prepared for what Brexit brings. In the last couple of years we’ve collectively taken the South West from being the worst performing region in the country in terms of export to the fastest growing.
“We’re confident that we can guide the South West through Brexit with events like this and ensure this region continues to grow its export activity in the future.”
Trade Horizon Roadshow locations/dates in the South West are:
St Austell Conference Centre, Cornwall, June 21
Aerospace Museum, Bristol, June 26
Steam Museum, Swindon, June 28
Sandy Park Conference Centre, Exeter, July 3
For more information or to book, visit www.businesswest.co.uk/tradehorizons
