World class exporter Slingco using DIT Internationalisation Fund to develop markets in Australia

World-class export champion Slingco is seeking to develop markets in Australia using support from the Department for International Trade’s Internationalisation Fund.

Slingco has benefited from the expertise, experience and wide-ranging knowledge of the Department for International Trade as a key advisor for doing business around the globe, and has now accessed the DIT Internationalisation Fund to explore and develop markets in Australia and the Asian Pacific region. The fund which runs until March 2023 enables Lancashire SMEs to access match-funded grants of between £1,000 and £9,000.

Slingco Managing Director Nick Dykins explains: “The Internationalisation Fund support can help answer questions such as; do buyers go through distributors or do they go direct to manufacturers, what are buying motivators or barriers to entry, who are the key players? “The DIT has always been very pro-active and delivers precisely what we need when we need it.

It has access to such a breadth of resources that if the individual advisor does not have the information we need, the team will certainly find someone who does. Customers in more than 60 countries rely on Slingco for high-quality cable grip and wire rope products in safety critical applications within sectors including oil & gas, civil engineering, aerospace, transport, utilities, marine/offshore and defence. Slingco operates from its head office in Rawtenstall, Lancashire, as well as a base in Georgia, USA, and a recently established manufacturing facility in India, and has a growing workforce of more than 80 people. 

The family-owned engineering company employs advanced 3D design and modelling techniques to bring innovative new products to market, and develop bespoke no-fail solutions for customers, The DIT has provided Slingco with a wide range of support spanning training seminars,  trade missions to foreign countries, access to British Embassies overseas and advice on areas including tax, securing payment from overseas customers and introductions to new markets.

Tiffany Solender is the International Trade Adviser working with Slingco, and is a Northern Powerhouse Clean Energy Sector Specialist. She explains: “The Internationalisation Fund grant provides match-funding to enable exporters like Slingco to explore new markets, assess the demand for its products and determine the most viable routes to those new markets. “As an SME Slingco has access to many export services provided by DIT. These include the UK Export Academy, which has been designed to accommodate different levels of exporting experience, through to market intelligence and overseas introductions via the British Embassies.

Discover how the DIT can help achieve your export ambitions and boost business

Businesses seeking to grow exports can gain match-funded grants of up to £9,000 available from the Internationalisation Fund through the Department for International Trade. The application process is streamlined to make applying quick and easy, and each SME is assigned a  dedicated International Trade Adviser to help them through the process and plan future activities.

More information on the fund is available through www.great.gov.uk. Grants can be used to support a wide range of consultancy and international commercial activity including PR, translation services, market research, IP (intellectual property) advice, developing international social media and SEO.  The cash can also fund market development including trade shows, overseas visits, investigating routes to market and overseas business environments, and due diligence for export.

To discover how the Department for International Trade can help achieve your export ambitions and boost business visit  www.great.gov.uk or contact Lynne Gillen, Export Manager for Lancashire, Lynne.gillen@trade.gov.uk  Tel: 07425 224023.