WEST SUSSEX FIRM POWERS INTO NEW INTERNATIONAL MARKETS
The race for a bigger global presence is on for a West Sussex firm celebrating its 25 th
anniversary this year.
Littlehampton-based Powerbronze International designs stylised components to
customise and enhance motorbikes. As its name suggests, it is an export-focused
business with an international dealer network.
In May this year Powerbronze approached UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) South East for
assistance with its export strategy. They were advised to join UKTI’s Passport to Export
programme. This 12-to-18-month package of advice and support includes a full company
diagnostic, development of an export action plan, subsidised training and up to £1,500 of
matched funding.
The Powerbronze team worked closely with UKTI International Trade Adviser (ITA)
Stephen Golding, and Sarah Carroll a Registered Export Communications Consultant, on
an Export Communications Review. This provides a comprehensive on-site evaluation of
how a business communicates with its export markets, including a review of websites,
written materials and personal meetings with customers or agents/distributors.
Hazel Clifford, Powerbronze’s Sales Office Manager, said: “The Communications Review
introduced a series of online marketing tools to help improve our global web presence.
For example, we are using Google Adwords to help us monitor conversions, identify key
words and assess the geographical success of our websites.
“Web forums now also play a major role in our marketing strategy and we have recently
joined eBay and set up a very successful online shop there, too!”
Powerbronze now has 11 websites, each dedicated to a country where they have a
distributor. Work is in progress on Dutch, Belgian, Portuguese and Romanian websites all due to be launched before Christmas. Funding from the Passport programme assisted
with translation costs for several of the country-specific websites.
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Sarah Carroll, Registered Export Communications Consultant, commented “It was a
pleasure to work with Powerbronze as they were already very advanced in their
international website development.
However, they were very receptive to the
recommendations I made to take their global web presence to the next level. So much so
that when their International Trade Adviser, Stephen Golding, went to see them a few
days after the review he reported back that they had already implemented a number of
my recommendations. This resulted in an immediate and significant increase in
international web sales, and I am delighted to see that they are building on this success.”
Following its Export Communications Review, Powerbronze purchased 42 domain
names, for countries around the world where they are planning to appoint distributors.
In September, the company took advantage of UKTI’s Export Marketing Research
Scheme (EMRS) of free impartial advice on researching new export markets.
Businesses can receive financial subsidies of up to 50 per cent towards their market
research costs, including travel and accommodation while visiting the target country.
With EMRS funding, the Powerbronze team headed to California to research the best
route for them to approach the market on the West Coast. Meetings were held with
dealers, magazine editors, superbike stores, real estate agents and lawyers. Plans are
underway for establishing a West Coast showroom by Spring 2010.
At the beginning of November, Powerbronze attended the EICMA International Bike
Show in Milan, now the capital of motorcycling in Italy. The 67th edition of the show
attracted 450,000 visitors, and Powerbronze exhibited its latest product range alongside
its Italian distributor Faster96 Srl.
The show resulted in a productive meeting with a potential customer from Singapore who
flew in especially to view the new products; and a packed order book from European
customers.
At the end of the month, Powerbronze was showcasing its products at the Carol Nash
International Motorcycle and Scooter Show. Held at Birmingham’s NEC, this remains the
UK's premier show for manufacturers targeting UK and global buyers. Powerbronze
chose it to unveil its latest Rider’s Seat – a customised replacement Seat.
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Visitors to the Powerbronze trade stand were able to see 20 bikes, including Kawasaki
ER6-N and Suzuki’s GSXR1000, kitted out with Powerbronze products. On a separate
retail stand a range of products, from Airflow Screens to Mudguard Extenders and Swing
Arm Protectors, was shown.
2010 is set to be another busy year for the company, with plans to appoint distributors in
Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Lithuania.
In the spring, Powerbronze’s web marketing plans will go up a gear when it attends
UKTI’s “International Website Marketing and Development Course”.
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