EXPORT EXPRESS

Those companies interested in exporting and exhibitions should make sure they are on the Federation's list to receive details of meetings and the Export Bulletin. The Group meets four times a year and invites guest speakers. Recent topics include:

• Maximising the use of the internet for construction equipment exporters by Business Link London.
• Kosovo and surrounding countries construction equipment opportunities by the Secretary to the UK Task Force.
• Libya - opportunities since the lifting of sanctions by Consultancy Support.
• Selling construction equipment to contractors by the Plant Manager Major Projects, Balfour Beatty International
• Export Finance by the Marketing Director of the ECGD.

Speakers arranged for the next meeting on 25 May are: Lieutenant Colonel John Crompton from the Defence Export Services Organisation and David Cadwallader, an expert on Mexico.

Attendance at meetings has more than doubled in the last two years which means all those present find the discussion valuable on the state of trade.

The Group's Bulletin (issued every 4 to 6 weeks) is well read and used by recipients, most of whom now receive the information electronically. It summarises export information on construction equipment received in the FMCEC offices: missions, seminars, visits to the UK by Commercial Officers, database information, grants available, reports from Commercial Posts, etc. The Bulletin previous to the current one can be viewed on the Web Site - which also carries the Exhibitions Diary specially drawn up for the industry - www.fmcec.org.uk.

HMG EXPORT SERVICES FACE FURTHER CHANGE 

Business Links, the Government's local "one stop shops" for business are set for another shake up. From April 2001, they will come under the aegis of 45 small business service franchises. The implication is that the current total of 80 plus Business Links will slim to mirror the number of franchises. British Trade International (the combination of FCO and DTI export divisions) also aspires to deliver export services via nine regional offices. How this will work is any ones guess at present. Trade associations worry that elaborate bureaucratic structures will eat away scarce export promotion budgets with little to show for it. Meanwhile, British Trade International's move of their Support for Exhibitions & Seminars Abroad (SESA) programme to Glasgow has caused problems to British Group sponsors - the FMCEC included. The transfer from London took place at the end of March, with the new SESA team experiencing a steep learning curve not helped by unreliable computer systems. We hope that this will not have a long-term effect upon the quality of our service to our exhibition customers. Long time observers will know that there has been a long history of botched reorganisations of Government export services.