Business

Northern exporters go Dutch - and vow it will be 'business as usual'

Dutch and Northern Ireland companies raise a toast to continuing trade between the two regions
Dutch and Northern Ireland companies raise a toast to continuing trade between the two regions Dutch and Northern Ireland companies raise a toast to continuing trade between the two regions

TRADE between Northern Ireland and the Netherlands continues to grow - and exporters from both regions have pledged to continue to maintain linkages.

Representatives of around 60 exporters from the north joined Dutch guests at the award-winning Heineken Experience in Amsterdam at the 11th annual trade dinner organised by the Northern Ireland - Netherlands (NI-NL) Trade and Export Society.

And despite the obvious threat that Brexit will present, NI-NL founder Steve Murnaghan insisted that given the flexible nature of family run companies in the north, the low labour costs and the current value of sterling, that "there has never been a better time to do business with Northern Ireland”.

Invest NI director of trade Alison Gowdy said Northern Ireland has increased manufacturing exports over the last year by 6 per cent to £7.41 billion and that European markets represent 55 per cent of the region's total export sales.

She told guests: “The Netherlands remains a strategic partner for Northern Ireland business, large and small and across many business sectors, and the tremendously successful 'Going Dutch' programme, run in conjunction with Northern Ireland Trade Consultants, continues to deliver sustainable partnerships business for exporters.”

More than 100 companies have availed of Going Dutch to take their first steps in exporting, and many of the alumni from the programme present with partner companies for the dinner were congratulated for their individual successes.

Gerard Wilson, sales director of Antrim-based SAM, the UK's leading manufacturer of MDF mouldings, said: “The Going Dutch programme was a fantastic tool for our business and was our first step to becoming the committed exporter we are today.

"Not only did we benefit from Invest NI’s expertise in receiving a detailed analysis of the market sector and meetings with all the key players, but it gave us the confidence to invite European partners to our site and to roll out out new products globally - not only in Europe, but also the USA, Australia and South Africa.”

Regarding SAM’s future in a new Europe, he added: “It's clear there will be uncertainty which could last several years, and the result of negotiations will be out of our control, so we need to focus and play with the cards that we have been currently dealt.

"We will continue to innovate new products, raise service levels and drive efficiencies to allow us to compete and partner with great companies, like our current Dutch customers and their teams. Therefore it is business as usual.”