International Trade
International trade is a vital aspect of the regional economy.
In 2004, the Northwest exported £17.7 billion of manufactured
goods. However, the Northwest is still not performing as well as it
should in the international market. Independent research has shown
that companies that internationalise their business are more likely
to:
- be competitive
- be capital intensive
- have a higher level of productivity
- enjoy higher than average growth rates
- employ more people
- be able to deal with domestic downturns
The NWDA and UK Trade & Investment are working together
to enhance international trade in the region, working to overcome
the barriers of:
- ignorance of overseas market opportunities
- a lack of resources to develop export markets
- perceived risks attached to exporting
- a lack of understanding of the processes involved in
exporting
- a lack of knowledge and skills to develop export sales
This partnership positions UK Trade & Investment as the
international trade arm of the NWDA, bringing together a
network of frontline business support agencies.
Links
UKTI (Northwest)