A Somerset-based manufacturer of soft fruit harvesting machines is picking up new orders after working with Trade Partners UK - the government body dedicated to providing UK companies with global expertise on international trade and investment.
SFM Technology Ltd (Somerset Fruit Machinery), which makes machines for spraying and harvesting fruit for the juice industry, is exporting its products to Canada with potential business in the pipeline in New Zealand.
The company was established to manufacture machines for harvesting cider apples and now also manufactures ground support equipment, jigs and tools for the aerospace industry. The company then expanded into the soft fruit machine industry. SFM Technology has developed and marketed a range of equipment for harvesting and spraying cider apples and soft fruits, such as blackcurrants, raspberries and blueberries, which have been purchased by well-known names such as Bulmer's cider, Matthew Clark and Ribena.
With healthy sales in the UK, the company decided to expand overseas and contacted Trade Partners UK through its local Business Link Somerset office. SFM Technology's sales director, Keith Tridgell signed on to the Trade Partners UK's 'Your Passport to Export Success' initiative - a tailor-made programme of support, advice and training for new and fledgling exporters.
After commissioning a Tailored Market Information Report on New Zealand which helped identify contacts in the industry, Mr Tridgell flew to New Zealand where he met British High Commission staff in Auckland who were able to supply him with vital market information in order to progress his export deals.
Mr Tridgell said, "It made a real difference having contact with people there on the ground. The help we had from the High Commission staff was very valuable. It meant that we were not going into client contact meetings cold and our approaches carried more credibility when we had the backing of the British Embassy."
The Passport initiative also provided Mr Tridgell with match funding to attend a fruit grower's conference in Calgary, Canada, where he came into direct contact with key representatives of the fruit industry.
"We knew there was a market for our products in Canada," he explained, "and we had identified some degree of potential business, but we needed to do some further research into that particular customer and the whole fruit industry. Passport provided the funding for me to do this and I was delighted when I came back with a definite order worth £60,000."
The company also received advice and training from Trade Partners UK in identifying export markets, the mechanics of exporting, paperwork for shipping, freight forwarding, and managing agents and distributors.
