Pictured above: Peter Hogarth, International Trade Director for UK Trade & Investment East Midlands

UK Trade & Investment East Midlands, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce and the CBI East Midlands, welcomed the news that East Midlands exports hit £4,416 million for the first three months of 2011, the highest quarterly figure in the last three years and an increase of 12% year on year.

Peter Hogarth, International Trade Director for UK Trade & Investment East Midlands, said: 

"These are very impressive figures, so great news for East Midlands as we desperately need to grow the local economy.  These figures prove that at the moment exporting offers a real opportunity to do this, so we need to go out there and 'Sell British.'

"Last quarter, the East Midlands had the lowest regional increase compared to the same period of the previous year. These new figures push East Midlands up the export table, though we are still below the national average increase of 17.6%.

"These figures provide the baseline for exporting for the region, however they can't show the whole picture as they don't pick up on the many companies exporting on a small scale, which is where UK Trade & Investment comes in:  We are here to help those companies grow and go on to the next level of exporting.

"Many companies across the East Midlands have grown, or in fact have only survived, by exporting. And essentially, if you can sell your product here, you can sell it overseas. We have a huge range of talented, innovative companies out there, such as 

Nottingham's SMS Manufacturing who recently topped the 100 fastest growing UK exporters poll after export sales grew by 418 per cent. Hinckley's Eurokey Recycling and Leicester manufacturers Guidance Ltd, were also named in the same poll. And Nottingham-based Go Digital All is due to expand its IT community learning to Jamaica, after help and advice from our trade advisers and attending market visits.

"Although these figures show we are heading in the right direction, there are still too many companies that aren't taking advantage of overseas opportunities and we want to ensure they are. There are events taking place almost weekly where you can find out more. You can also talk to an International Trade Adviser one to one anytime for free advice. Call 0845 052 4001"

Peter Hogarth added:

"Exporting does need time and effort, and may seem initially daunting, but the rewards can be phenomenal, not to mention the immense satisfaction of travelling, meeting people of different cultures and having them buy your product or service.  It can open so many doors, so once you start to export, there's no limit to where you can go with it.     

"We have East Midlands Airport is on the doorstep, and you can fly from there to pretty much anywhere in the world either direct or via connections.  We've never had such a large programme of events and market visits to help get your exporting plans off the ground or help your overseas profits grow. "

George Cowcher, Chief Executive of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "While the figures are encouraging, it is quite clear that we cannot be complacent. We are in a crucial phase of the economic recovery and must build on these figures going forward to continue this upward trend. 

"There are still plenty of opportunities for growth out there, and if we are to sustain and fully secure the recovery, then it is absolutely crucial that our businesses ensure that their products and services are consumed in new markets around the world.  

"That means encouraging existing exporters to branch out into new markets, as well as ensuring that more and more SME businesses think about exporting as a viable option to grow their business. "

Group Chief Executive of Leicestershire Chamber, Martin Traynor OBE said:

"Today's announcement of a significant increase in the export figures for Leicester and Leicestershire is very welcome news, and further demonstrates that an export led recovery is underway here in the East Midlands."

CBI's director for the East Midlands, Lucy Haynes said:

"Today's figures are encouraging for the  local  economy.  Exporting is key to securing private sector growth and is a CBI priority for 2011. 

"It's important that we help secure the long-term health and revival of the economy; working closely with UKTI and encouraging firms to export is one of the key ways we can do this.

"It's been a cautious start to the year for many East Midlands businesses, but there are opportunities overseas and firms must be innovative in order to create and exploit the possibilities ahead.  These results show that our local firms are rising to the challenge." 

Discover your Growth Potential, a free event offering workshops on diversifying and exporting, is taking place at the Village Hotel, Nottingham, 28 June and Walkers Stadium, Leicester, 8 July. To find out more or book a place email info@businesslinkem.co.uk or call 0845 058 6644

The Explore Export Roadshow is free for East Midlands firms that register before 23 June,. 60 export experts from across the Globe in one place on Wednesday 29 June, Ricoh Arena, Coventry. Visit http://coventry.ukti-exploretour.com and enter the promotional code EWM100 during the online registration process.