Atradius supports British businesses to export £22bn of trade

As the seventh annual UK Trade and Investment Export Week takes place, trade credit insurer Atradius is reaffirming its support to help UK businesses to succeed in the global economy.

Export Week is run by the UK Department for Trade and Investment, putting the spotlight firmly on exporting and the opportunities for UK businesses to expand not just their horizons but also their bottom line through export trade. Export Week sees events across the UK, aimed at businesses to either start their export journey or increase their international business. Previous Export Weeks have seen over 17,000 companies in the UK attend exporting focused events.

Taking products or services to an overseas market is a big step but any business can export successfully by identifying the risks and by effectively managing them. Already this year, trade credit insurer Atradius has enabled UK businesses to export more than £22bn of trade, all supported by expert risk management and the firm is offering a free guide on exporting to UK businesses.

Talking about export week, Marc Jones, head of sales for Atradius UK, said: “Atradius is a proud supporter of the UK Trade and Investment’s Export Week and its aim to put export on centre stage. Raising awareness of the commercial opportunities that exporting brings to UK businesses is crucial. Export is a key driver for growth which is recognised by the government’s recently doubled export target of £1tn by 2020.”

Atradius can trace its history back almost a century ago to when it was set up by UK government to inject an economic stimulus to the British export scene in the aftermath of World War I. Today, decades later as a private sector company, Atradius continues to protect exports for thousands of businesses sending their goods or services to all corners of the world.

Marc said: “At Atradius, we consider ourselves the export experts, offering a wealth of advice as well as a comprehensive range of protection against the risks of trading in overseas markets and the amount of trade we have facilitated is testament to that.

“Exporting offers a very real opportunity for UK businesses – there is a whole world out there with new markets and new customers. In the past, businesses might have dipped a toe into the export market slowly and close to home, for example France and Ireland have been traditional trading partners. However, with significant improvements in accessibility and substantial growth in global markets such as China, South America and Africa, we are noticing that the first step may often be a leap.

“Trading overseas brings with it inherent risks as it can be a completely new trading environment with different payment practices, currencies and business customs. There is always a degree of caution amongst businesses looking to export for the first time but the right support is available.

“The strength of Atradius’ position as a trade credit insurer is that we take the weight out of many tough decisions for export businesses. We assess and manage the risks of export using intelligence we gather from millions of businesses around the globe. We also have an international team on the ground which can advise on local trading conditions, support trade relationships and, if things go wrong, provide an umbrella of protection both by paying out claims and instigating our global debt collection service.

“Exporting is not a quick and easy way of making money but it can offer a prime opportunity to develop and grow within new markets, and with the right advice and support, success is within reach.”