Warwickshire plant pot company wins overseas business
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Colourful plant pots created by a Warwickshire firm will be adorning gardens in Africa and continental Europe this summer after its unique designs were snapped up by overseas garden and homeware companies.
Over the past year, Hum Partnership, which is based in Southam, has won, and is in the process of securing, about £50,000 worth of export sales less than two years after the business was set up.
As a start-up venture, using innovative manufacturing techniques and bringing an exciting new product to market, the company set out to make the most of its opportunities.
The firm asked for help and advice from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) West Midlands when it attended a Start Up Global event two years ago as part of Export Week.
Since then, it has worked with UKTI to help it win new business overseas for its range of five-litre pots, which are made in the UK and incorporate UV inhibitors to make them fade-resistant.
Retailers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Nigeria were so impressed with the plant pots, which are decorated in contemporary designs, such as bold stripes, modern geometrics, floral and paisley, that they have snapped them up.
As National Gardening Week begins (April 11-17) and gardeners across the UK begin to tackle their outdoor spaces in earnest, Lara Kelly, co-founder of Hum Partnership, said: “It’s been a real whirlwind these past few months and we are thrilled that our plant pots are not only decorating people’s patios and gardens across the UK but also overseas.
“Following demand from trade buyers, we have upgraded our production line so that it is fully automated, and UKTI has been a real help to us as we spread our wings in the export market.
“We are looking forward to extending our product range and growing the business over the next few years. Exporting has emboldened us as a company and I would encourage anyone who has yet to dip their toes in the export market to see what help is out there.”
Kati Hope, the UKTI international trade adviser who has supported and advised Hum Partnership, added: “When you spot a gap in the market, like Hum Partnership did, and create high-quality goods to fill it, it’s heartening to see the products fly off the shelves.
“We’ve been working closely with the company to help it access overseas markets and we’re very pleased to see how well it is doing.”
Businesses across the West Midlands who have yet to start exporting have the chance to explore the overseas opportunities during UKTI’s Exporting is GREAT Week, which takes place between April 18 and 22.
The main event – the Global Opportunities Summit – aims to inspire the next generation of new exporters from the West Midlands region.
Taking place at the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, the free event on April 21 will see Fraser Doherty, founder of SuperJam, and Will Butler-Adams, the CEO of Brompton Bikes, reveal how their businesses have become global successes.
Emma Jones, the founder of small business support network Enterprise Nation and government Business Ambassador on international trade, will also be offering advice to first-time exporters.
Visitors to the Global Opportunities Summit will be able to find out about the thousands of live export opportunities that are available, and talk to Virgin Business Enterprise Support about start-up financing. Microsoft Gold Partner Warwick-based Zen Zero will also be at the event, demonstrating its app-building software and new devices.
The Global Opportunities Summit on April 21 is free to attend. To register, go to: http://globalopportunitiessummit.eventbrite.co.uk/
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