Wednesday, 01 Feb 2012
“Hartley Botanic has shown what can be achieved in a tough economic climate if you take your business abroad”
Nick Baird, UKTI Chief Executive
Victorian Greenhouse- image courtesy Hartley Botanic
Hartley Botanic hails UKTI on overseas networking
A long-established greenhouse maker has called on more British manufacturers to work with UK Trade & Investment to boost their profiles overseas.
Hartley Botanic Greenhouses, established for more than 70 years, teamed up with UKTI North West to stage a conference in the US aimed at forging overseas business relationships.
The company, joined by UKTI North West International Trade Adviser Lynne Gillen, welcomed more than 50 New England-based landscape artists, garden designers and writers to an afternoon tea event at the British Consulate in Boston, Massachusetts, in September last year.
Hartley Botanic has since revealed that the event led to a major boost in enquiries, and has urged other British companies to follow suit.
Managing Director Johnny Mobasher said: “Thanks to UKTI, our Greenhouses Corporate conference is proving to be a real success.
“In addition to a fantastically unexpected attendance, our level of inquiries - directly as the result of the event - has been almost 25% up on the same period last year in 2010, and we are now currently busy working on an exciting project for 2012.
“It was a particularly important event for Hartley Greenhouses as our audience combined a range of influential landscape architects, garden designers and contractors as well as clients some of whom were familiar with our brand and some who appreciated the unsurpassed quality and the high specification that Hartley Botanic Greenhouses offer to their current and future clients.”
UKTI CEO Nick Baird added: “I am delighted that UK Trade & Investment’s support has helped Hartley Botanic expand overseas.
“Hartley Botanic has shown what can be achieved in a tough economic climate if you take your business abroad.
“I hope Hartley Botanic’s success will encourage even more companies to follow their example and work with UK Trade & Investment take their business to the international arena.”