Export Success

50 years ago Electroplating came to Swinton and operated in 3 small workshops in the town centre. Within three years, growth in the business forced relocation to premises in Pendlebury which, in turn, were expanded so that now the site at Oak Street is double its original area. Providing Engineering coatings to many diverse industries has built both experience and a reputation that extends worldwide. In this inconspicuous corner of the town the company supplies a coating service to many, major, International Corporations. A part of that service supplies to Export markets some of which has to be sent originally from the other side of the world! As with most manufacturing industry, the company endured a massive downturn in 2009. In order to reduce the impact of any future repeats, the company decided to put more attention in to diversifying to other markets. To aid this effort MD, Godfrey Evans, enrolled the business onto the UKTI’s (UK Trade & Investment) “Passport to Export” programme. This provided much needed assistance and guidance in how to win business from overseas. With the expert assistance of International Trade Advisor, Malcolm Arnold who is based in Manchester, Swinton Electro-Plating has been able to develop its International presence. A Multi-Lingual website was one of the significant developments and this has generated web-based visits that otherwise may not have happened. The 12 month programme was highlighted when Godfrey Evans joined a Trade Mission to Russia for the Moscow International Oil & Gas Exhibition where he exchanged contracts to supply services to a new customer. The Mission also had meetings with senior political figures in the region of Kazan and most notably, the First Minister of Energy for that region. The Passport to Export programme is designed to get results and Swinton’s aim is to build export business to 25% of its turnover within three years – while increasing total turnover anyway! At the end of the 12 month programme Exports represented almost 20% of the business - which puts them firmly ‘on track’. In recognition of participation, UKTI presented a Certificate of Completion to the company. This certificate was presented to Godfrey Evans by Shaun Earl, Head of Department for Energy, Extractive Industries and Consumer Goods at the British Embassy in Moscow. Shaun was in the Northwest to follow up on the Trade Mission that he led last September and was able to see for himself the deepest commercial Hard Chrome Plating facility in the UK. Shaun was accompanied by Chris Lesniak, UKTI’s Northwest Russian Market Consultant and following a lengthy meeting and factory tour, both left having been impressed by the size of the facility, the cleanliness of the working environment and (more importantly) the range and quality of the product from this small corner of Swinton. The work of the company in expanding its Export activity is coordinated by Stuart Logan seen here alongside Godfrey Evans as he receives the certificate from Shaun Earl. This 50th anniversary year is shaping up to be the busiest yet and this visit came as another consignment of work is on its way from Murmansk for Swinton Electro-Plating to repair. Godfrey Evans says that he is fiercely proud of the company’s achievements to date and happy too that the increasing business means that he is recruiting more staff – doing his bit to reduce the unemployment figures that everyone is talking about. He also says, “British manufacturing has a lot to offer to the world economy and the current exchange rates mean that buying British is happening. The UKTI programmes, and efforts like ours, are helping to enhance the reputation that British manufacturing excellence already enjoys!” Related articles: http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/319398-swinton-firm-celebrates-export-success.html?news_section=4148 http://www.salfordonline.com/businessnews_page/35742-swinton_firm_celebrates_export_success.html