THE Board of Trade was welcomed to a number of sites during a visit to Furness this week.
The Board of Trade, whose membership boasts top civil servants, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot, Peers, the Lord Mayor of London, and top Government Ministers has spent two full days touring Barrow and Furness.
Barrow’s BAE Systems played host to the Board of Trade’s official meeting.
The tour began with the caucus calling on ABP ports on Tuesday evening. From there, a group of business leaders, officials, council staff, and others joined the delegation for a reception in Barrow Town Hall’s banqueting hall.
Lindal based Wax Lyrical were present alongside other Cumbrian traders to showcase their products as part of the ‘Made in Cumbria, Sold to the World’ roadshow.
On Wednesday the Board of Trade meeting was held at BAE Systems, before a tour of the shipyard, and later a visit to Oxley in Ulverston to learn more about their business and to meet with staff to chat about the work they to boost international trade in Furness.
The tour ended with a reception at Furness Rugby Union club in Barrow with a delegation of local councillors, and representatives from Lakes BioScience.
The Secretary of State, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, was accompanied by Simon Fell, MP for Barrow and Furness, and a wider Board of Trade team during a visit to the Ulverston-based Oxley Group.
The group toured the Ulverston factory to see some of the world leading aerospace and defence technology being designed and manufactured inhouse.
During the visit the team showcased the new technology developed for the KF-21 fighter jet in South Korea.
Oxley has worked with KAI on the development programme over four years and has supplied a fully qualified external LED lighting system for the prototype aircraft.
The Secretary of State met the skilled Oxley team based onsite including apprentices, design engineers and technicians.
The Board of Trade visit to Cumbria focused on future opportunities for growth and Oxley showcased the work they are doing with young people to develop future skills and build a pipeline to meet this growth opportunity.
The Secretary of State Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “Our Export Champions play a vital role in helping us deliver our trade strategy and achieve our Race to a Trillion pounds worth of exports by the end of this decade.
“Oxley Group is an excellent example of the hard work and successful collaboration between DIT and these Export Champions. It was a pleasure to visit their site and find out how this world-leading company is boosting growth and creating jobs in the region, which in turn is helping us to level up the entire UK.”
Oxley Group CEO, Darren Cavan said: “Oxley was delighted to host the visit from the Secretary of State. Innovation and export are part of the Oxley DNA and increased international trade is critical to our future growth.
“The Secretary of State’s visit gave us the opportunity to demonstrate our global leading technology and capabilities that makes Oxley the choice of defence and aerospace companies across the globe.”
Simon Fell MP has praised the visit as ‘hugely successful’ and ‘historic’.
He said: “This has been a hugely successful visit. It has been a pleasure to have the Board of Trade in Barrow and Furness, to show off some of our very many amazing organisations, and the incredible work that Furness folk do here.
“Barrow is a town that was built on trade – from exporting iron ore, and then steel, building the world’s railways, to our prominent role over the years in shipbuilding and in producing the nuclear deterrent. With a full order book in the shipyard and huge opportunities in energy production, pharmaceuticals and advanced engineering locally, this was the perfect time for the Board of Trade to visit.
“This visit has raised Furness’ profile amongst the very top decisionmakers in government and to host the Board of Trade has been a great honour.”
The Secretary of State Anne-Marie Trevelyan added: "I was delighted to host the Board of Trade in Barrow - a town that has traded around the world for over 6000 years.
"Through our ambitious 71 trade deals we will continue to help boost exports, creating highly skilled local jobs and levelling up the U.K.
"It was fantastic to join our local Conservative MP Simon Fell to visit some of the world-class organisations in his constituency from Cumbrian traders at Barrow's stunning Town Hall to Oxley Developments in Ulverston, ABP, and BAE Systems in Barrow.”
The visit also raised the profile of further export support for UK businesses from the Department for International Trade, by way of a new UK Tradeshow Programme.
Mr Fell added: “As the MP for Barrow and Furness I’ve spoken to a number of local businesses from across Furness that have been hard at work, growing their business, despite the backdrop of the global pandemic.
“Exporting to markets around the world is one way to do this. For all those local businesses who sell their goods and services in Furness, and across the UK, then I would urge them to consider selling to international customers. Expertise and support from the Department for International Trade is available, and I stand by to help make the introductions for any interested businesses locally, to the Department.
“The newly launched UK Tradeshow Programme aims to help businesses to maximise their impact at international tradeshows, whether as exhibitors or visitors. Exhibiting at international trade shows can help small and medium sized enterprises in Furness to gain essential market knowledge and increase company brand awareness and potential sales.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here