Home arrow News arrow Chamber News arrow Chambers to offer new international trade service after ‘dismay’
Chambers to offer new international trade service after ‘dismay’ Print E-mail
Friday, 22 February 2008
A new support service to help South Yorkshire businesses capture a growing share of the international trade market will be launched in a matter of weeks, it was announced today.

The move comes as Chambers of Commerce and businesses in the region remain dismayed over the loss of a £7.41m funding package from Yorkshire Forward to the acclaimed South Yorkshire International Trade Centre.
Without the funding the Centre, based at the Sheffield Chamber’s offices in Savile Street, Sheffield, will close with up to 18 posts affected. Sheffield Chamber Chief Executive Nigel Tomlinson said: “Our staff and clients are dismayed at the decision to withdraw funding and very upset at some of the associated comments in the media attributed to Yorkshire Forward.

“We do not wish to engage in a tit for tat argument but we have to defend our reputation. Some of the comments made were not rooted in fact,” added Mr Tomlinson.

Until 2006 the SYITC had a brief to deliver all international trade services through separate funding contracts from Objective 1, Yorkshire Forward and UK Trade and Investment. However a new three year funding package issued under the auspices of Yorkshire Forward, and with support from the European Regional development Fund and UK Trade and Investment, brought changes.

“The introduction of the new scheme – which included the Targeted Export Support Scheme – meant that the SYITC became a brokerage service, and meant that the Centre was entirely reliant up on public funds.

“Comments made in the media by Yorkshire Forward have been critical of our performance and value for money, yet we have met agreed budgets and achieved outputs and outcomes set by the regional development authority, including, it should be noted, that our contracted outputs are in some cases as high as 85% of the regional budgeted outputs highlighted in the Yorkshire Forward Corporate Plan.

“Indeed, whilst companies have not claimed the budgeted amounts of money available to them under the TESS scheme, the SYITC contract has overall met all of its outputs for a smaller budget than was originally even envisaged - that surely has to be value for money.

“We are puzzled by the negative comments on performance and efficiency especially when UKTI has confirmed the Yorkshire and Humberside region is the top performer of all the UK’s nine regions and that for the last nine months we have received 100 per cent customer satisfaction feedback.”

 Mr Tomlinson’s comments have been backed by scores of businesses from across the region. Martin Davey from Imes Systems, formerly part of the Davy Group, based in Prince of Wales Road, Sheffield, said: “What is happening, are the maniacs taking over the asylum!

 “What amazes me is that these decisions are taken without consultation with businesses which the services support. The fact that we have signed a contract with SYITC on a TESS that runs to September, which now appears up for negotiation, is not acceptable or understood.

“If I ran my business in this manner I would soon lose customers for future business. I would appreciate a clear explanation of what is happening and whether I have a right to object about the changes. Change is a good thing, but change for change sake is distracting and costly,” added Mr Davey who, with the help of the SYITC, is building his industrial measurement business in the key markets of America and the Far East.

Alison Fletcher, Director with ABI Electronics Ltd, based at the Dodworth Business Park in Barnsley, said: ““The SYITC appears to be working extremely well so I would question the need for change at this moment in time, especially with such little notice to the businesses it works with. 

“We have worked with the SYITC for a number of years and have enjoyed a very good relationship – particularly the advice that has been offered for the many different overseas and worldwide markets we target,” added Alison whose company designs and manufacture high quality electronic testing and fault-finding equipment.

Mr Tomlinson added: “It is clear there is an overwhelming need for international trade service support based here in South Yorkshire for South Yorkshire businesses. Rest assured the SYITC will still exist. A new model will be created in the coming weeks drawing on the strength of our reputation. We will be doing what the Chambers have always done – supporting businesses from our catchment areas wanting to trade overseas.
 
< Prev   Next >
[ Back ]