Pictured above: (l-r) UK Trade & Investment
international trade adviser Paul Keeling pictured with Russell
Venvil and Simon Pearson, co-directors of Sirus Automotive at the
company's premises
Black Country firm Sirus Automotive, which adapts vehicles for
use by disabled people, has launched its products into the European
market, with help from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI).
The Wednesbury company has just returned from the Autonomic
Exhibition in Paris where, along with its newly appointed French
distributor, it has been exhibiting Sirus 'Drive From Wheelchair'
and 'Passenger Up Front' vehicles with financial support from
UKTI.
The Autonomic show - the biggest event in the industry - is held
every other year in Paris and attracts manufacturers and dealers in
disability equipment, health and social care professionals, and
disabled people and their families.
Sirus Automotive's co-director Simon Pearson said: "Europe holds
huge potential for us. Whilst it's very early days, we are
targeting a 20 per cent growth in exports for next year and with
two new distributors - in Germany and France - we are confident we
will enjoy success here and in a number of other countries showing
interest.
"We have had invaluable help from UKTI and in particular our
international trade adviser, Paul Keeling. The Overseas Market
Introduction Service (OMIS) report we commissioned from UKTI's
commercial team at the British Embassy in Paris helped us to
understand the French market and flagged up partners for us to
approach as potential dealerships.
"The Passport to Export initiative helped us to focus on the
areas we needed to understand when exporting to Europe, and has
assisted our presence at the Paris exhibition.
"We are looking for exports into Europe to give a big boost to
our current annual turnover of £6m. We moved to larger
premises in January last year and have nearly doubled our staffing
numbers to 67 to be ready for what exporting to Europe can deliver
for us.
"The exhibition was a huge success for us; there were no other
vehicles showing which even came close to the Sirus conversions in
terms of quality and affordability.
"The launch of our vehicles into France will make this kind of
mobility solution much more affordable to a greater number of
people, and we are confident of a rapid development in the market
for wheelchair accessible vehicles such as ours."
UKTI international trade adviser Paul Keeling, based at Black
Country Chamber of Commerce, delivers the international element of
the Advantage West Midlands-funded Automotive Cluster.
He said: "The Paris exhibition has been a great success for
Sirus and its new French distributor - ACA - and I'm delighted that
we were able to help.
"Our flagship programme - Passport to Export - provides a
package of support for new or novice exporters, and in this
instance provided valuable food for thought for the firm's
directors to consider before entering the market."