Exporters must lool beyond Europe to boost their sales

British firms squander up to 10 billions pounds a year in missed opportunities, a report shows.
Identifying new markets can help them.

The management team at Images and Editions, a photographie greeting_card firm in Stamford, Lincolnshire, has developed a succesful export strategy . Although it is a small firm , with 45 workers and annual sales of less than 5 M pounds ? Exports account for 30% of turnover and they are growing.
Images and Edition is unusual . Most small exporters , especially those trading on the Continent , are hit by a combination of the strong pound and the weak euro . Many also feel the effect of cheap imports coming into Britain.
But the company has developed an overseas trading strategy that spreads far beyond Europe and takes in Australia , New Zealand and America .
Ms Jo Forrow , head of business development , says : « Our products are not specific to a certain area . We have continued to grow the business because we are working with customers to meet their needs . The strong pound has had an effect , but we found it has made us more focused on what the market needs . »
There is already a trend among exporters to trade outside the european union , especially as the pound remains strong relative to the euro but stable compared with the dollar . From the last quarter of 1999 to the first quarter of 2000 exports to the EU grew 1,5% and to non EU countries by 8%.
Ian Peter , deputy director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BBC), says identifying new markets is one way in which small firms can ensure their survival . So far small firms such as Images and Editions have avoided failure by looking to America rather than relying solely on Europe .
But a report last week reveals that Britain is squandering up to 10 billions pounds a year in export opportunities because of a lack of focus and poor organisation .
« The problem hits exporters to Europe more than elsewhere ,