Pictured above: (l-r) Richard Hartley and Malcolm
Vaughan from Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce check
out some alpaca knitwear
A specialist Warwickshire knitwear company set up after its
founder experienced some difficulties whilst travelling extensively
in South America, is hoping to double its export sales after
tapping into UK Trade & Investment expertise.
The Alpaca Collection, based in Little Alne, is a wholesale
business creating, designing and importing the finest quality
alpaca knitwear. The company, owned by managing director Richard
Hartley, blends historic Inca patterns with modernity to create a
statement in the wonderful alpaca niche market that has produced
120 UK customers from little boutiques to mighty palaces.
Richard, a professional accountant originally, started the
company after travelling in South America. Whilst travelling, he
viewed first hand some of the problems local people faced, and as a
result, decided to give something back to the people of the
continent. He established a fair trading association with Bolivian
producers and this approach to trading fairly remains in place to
this day thanks to links with Peruvian knitters who he visits
regularly.
Richard was well-used to travelling the globe to visit suppliers
in South America but when he decided he wanted to export more, he
turned to UK Trade & Investment for help and advice.
International trade adviser Malcolm Vaughan helped him to enrol on
UK Trade & Investment's Passport to Export programme to access
advice and expertise on doing business with a wide range of
countries.
The Alpaca Collection has now secured business in Russia, Japan
and Hungary and is looking to launch the range in the Netherlands,
Germany and Scandinavia in coming months.
Richard hopes that the company's new-found expertise will enable
the Alpaca Collection to more than double its export business to
about £150,000.
Richard said: "I was aware of the deep decline of Sterling
against the euro last year and decided to speak to UK Trade &
Investment for some advice on opportunities abroad.
"Malcolm has been very helpful and, through UK Trade &
Investment, we have been able to access expertise which we may not
have otherwise had opportunity to have."
Malcolm Vaughan, international trade adviser at Coventry and
Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "It is always a pleasure to
work with companies like the Alpaca Collection, which have a
genuinely proactive approach to international business, and it
invariably leads to success."