Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council is leading a major trade mission to North America, from November 5-8, accompanied by ten ambitious local companies seeking to tap into the world’s largest, most competitive and technologically advanced market.
As well as exploring new export growth opportunities, the joint civic and business delegation led by Lord Mayor Mealla Campbell will unite in profiling the borough – with its strong economic credentials and major pulling power – as NI’s most attractive destination for inward investment.
Among the local SMEs travelling to Philadelphia on a quest to find new prospective business partners stateside are Armagh Cider, Burren Balsamics, Envision Intelligent Solutions, Impact Fabrications, Interrailing Packages, Irish Bog Oak, Jacqueline Rooney Art, Jasmine and Lily Floral Wreaths, Lough Neagh Distillers and Tique Lights.
Representing a range of sectors, they will learn about doing business in the US marketplace and be invited to showcase their company’s highly innovative and award-winning products and services to suitably matched prospective business partners in Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey and Vermont.
Speaking ahead of her departure, Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Councillor Mealla Campbell, said: “As an economically ambitious council, our focus is firmly fixed on helping local companies identify new markets and fast track their way to exporting success, while also promoting our borough’s strong proposition to a global pool of potential investors.
“The forward-thinking companies accompanying us are already successfully exporting to markets closer to home. With their wealth of experience, expertise and capacity, coupled with our leverage and contacts, they are well-primed to enter new international markets.
“By forging new economic partnerships across the pond, we can help these companies scale up, accelerate their time to market and ultimately achieve their growth targets.
“Moreover, we will be able to gain market intelligence, strengthen government links and identify areas for partnership and knowledge transfer – further maximising the potential long-term economic benefits that can be derived from this trade mission.”
Council representatives will engage in high-level meetings with senior international trade officials from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and City of Philadelphia, and meet with influential business leaders from Almac, Tourism Ireland and the Thomas Jefferson Institute of Bioprocessing.
Mayor of Philadelphia, Jim Kenney, will also host a special reception for the visiting delegation.
Alderman Stephen Moutray, Chair of the Council’s Economic Development and Regeneration Committee, added:
“Growing NI’s export base has been a key pillar of the Executive’s Economic Strategy for some time, and we have aligned our priorities with this.
“Our region is a global leader in many sectors for which the US has growing demand. By mobilising our efforts, we can help local enterprise explore, target and exploit new commercial opportunities in this lucrative market.
“This is our second outward bound mission to the US in the past 18 months, as we raise our game in pursuing a more robust export-led growth strategy and maximise the borough’s connections worldwide to drive growth.”
Delivered as part of the Council’s Global Dimensions Programme 2019-2020, this is the first in a series of outward-focused business initiatives aimed at supporting 60 local businesses establish export links and forge profitable, result-generating relationships in new markets.
Between now and March next year, the Council will lead on a further three trade missions to ROI, GB and India.
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