KIB Newsletter November 2019

Going Global Live 2019

Going Global is the leading exhibition dedicated to providing businesses with absolutely everything they need to expand internationally and trade overseas. Jam-packed with industry-leading experts, content-rich seminars, unlimited networking opportunities, interactive masterclasses & over 150 of the world’s most innovative exhibitors, Going Global Live 2019 is set to be the biggest and best edition so far. This free event takes place on 27 & 28 November at Excel in London and it’s well worth a visit to help your company with its international ambitions!

For more information please click here.

Innovative Sector Exchange (ISE) Project Update

Unilin Company Visit & Cluster Meeting: Belgium, 27th November:

The ISE project is organising a visit to Unilin Panels, a world-leading Belgian company specialising in sustainable and innovative wood-based panels and matching accessories for the construction and interior design industries.

New Innovation Guides:

The ISE project is pleased to be able to share our new Innovation Guide which captures and summarises the advice and information shared during the various workshops and events that took place during the first part of the project. The guide is broken down into 6 sections, all of which can be downloaded using the links below:

View the ISE Innovation Guide: Internationalisation Section

View the ISE Innovation Guide: Innovation Section

View the ISE Innovation Guide: Food & Drink Section

View the ISE Innovation Guide: Digital & Creative Section

View the ISE Innovation Guide: New Materials Section

View the ISE Innovation Guide: Mechatronics Section

Book a free 121 Diagnostic:

Kent businesses still have time to request a 121 innovation & internationalisation assessment with an international trade expert from Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce which will give you some practical recommendations to help your business grow.

For more information about ISE Project please email Natasha White or visit the project website: www.iseproject.eu

Brexit Preparation & Guidance

Although the UK will no longer be leaving the EU on 31 October, it is still well worth making preparations to ensure that your business is ready for when Brexit happens:

The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has compiled three Guides to help businesses understand the changes to Rules of Origin, Tariffs and Custom Declarations in the event of a No-Deal Brexit.

The Guides help you learn what these changes are, how they apply to you and what might be different. If you have specific questions then your local Chamber of Commerce can help.

Custom Declarations

How UK businesses will need to change the way they import and export goods in the event of leaving the EU Single Market.

Please click here to download the guide.

Certificates of Origin

Where are your products from? Sounds simple, but can be very complicated. Learn how this is determined and what will change.

Please click here to download the guide.

Tariffs

A no-deal Brexit would mean a new set of tariffs and commodity codes which could apply to both UK imports and exports.

Please click here to download the guide.

Brexit Advice:

A number of updates and briefings have also been published to help businesses prepare as best they can:

• The Government’s EORI Myth Buster. View the document by clicking here.

• The FSB Small Business Brexit Pack is available to view by clicking here.

• Brexit Advice for Business on the Kent.gov website. Click here to view.

• DIT Get Ready for Brexit Workshop in Maidstone.  Click here for more information.

• Department for Transport summary of driver, vehicle, cargo and customs documents required to transport goods into the EU after Brexit. View the guidance by clicking here.

• HMRC guidance about simplified customs processes for UK businesses trading with the EU in a no-deal Brexit including information about moving goods with an ATA Carnet through Dover and Eurotunnel. View the guidance by clicking here.

Coming Soon: Pilot Export Projects

Kent County Council and the KIB partners have secured funding from the Interreg Europe ‘SME Internationalisation Exchange’ Project to pilot 2 initiatives in Kent to help local firms with exporting:

1. An ‘Export Manager’ Scheme which will finance human resource (a staff member of an external expert) to work with a company to drive forward the international side of the business.
2. An ‘Export Cluster‘ to enable a group of Kent companies to work together to bid for international contracts together.

We’re working on the details behind the scenes and look forward to sharing information shortly!

Export Research – Can you help?

The Kent Business School is carrying out some research into how decisions are made in SMEs regarding internationalisation (primarily importing/exporting) and how an extended period of uncertainty in the external environment impacts such decision-making.

If you are a manger in a company involved in international trade activity, could you spare a few minutes to take part in an interview with the Kent Business School?

Please contact Georgie Kemsley if you would be able to assist.

Celebrating Export Success in Kent

Chapel Down launches a premium sparkling wine across the pond

Kent-based Chapel Down’s sales are growing in the US thanks to the release of a new vintage sparkling wine.

Read the full story by clicking here or visit the company’s website here.

PageSuite secures South America expansion

Digital publishing firm PageSuite is expanding its customer base after securing several key deals in South America.

The company, which is based in Ashford, specialises in working with publishers to deliver content via online platforms.

Read the full story by clicking here or visit the company’s website here.

AbBaltis in Sittingbourne secures new Japanese deals

A biotech company that supplies blood plasma for lab testing is set to hit sales of £1m for the first time in 2020 after securing new deals with customers in Japan.

Read the full story by clicking here or visit the company’s website here.

Innovate2Suceed is a programme designed to drive business growth by harnessing innovation.

The programme is run by our partners from the University of Greenwich and is aimed at ambitious companies who want to unlock their innovation management potential and to internationalise.

The programme offers up to 7 days of one-to-one, bespoke support to help you tackle challenges in your business and find innovative solutions to overcome these.

For more information click here.

Click here to find contact details for the Kent team.

Boost4Health Project Update

Boost4Health Grant Funding comes to an end!

Our Boost4Health project is coming to an end. We’ve helped over 40 Life-Science companies in Kent through coaching, workshops and micro financing including travel grants, market insight grants and product validation grants. Although the funding has come to an end, we still have excellent links to Life Science clusters in mainland Europe so if you need help finding contacts in these markets then please let me know.

Kent County Council becomes a member of the Council of European Bioregions (CEBR)

As a legacy of Boost4Health, Kent County Council has become a member of CEBR. This network of Life Science clusters and regional ecosystems across Europe represents over 40 subscription members and hundreds of cluster partners across the world. CEBR represents and supports a critical mass of SMEs, and hundreds of universities and research centres. Through membership of CEBR Kent joins CEBR’s mission to be part of a European platform for cluster/network development & collaboration and to increase the visibility of Life Science clusters and participate in joint activities to support SME development.  In short, if you need contacts in mainland, Europe, Kent now has access to a wide network of Life Science clusters!

Additive Manufacturing for Medical Devices 2019, 3 -4 December, London

Join 80 medical device manufacturers for two days of facilitated collaboration aimed at addressing the regulatory and technical challenges surrounding 3D printing.

By bringing together the industry to collaborate, share information, and work together, this event aims to advance the use of 3D printing for all medical devices – from orthopedic and cranial implants, to surgical instruments, dental restorations, and external prosthetics. Find out more here.  

Global Business Innovation Programme in the field of AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance), 8 – 13 March 2020, Germany and Switzerland.

Innovate UK, working with Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) is delivering a series of Global Business Innovation Programmes for UK SMEs to help develop strong relationships with international businesses and research partners to foster collaboration, innovation projects and knowledge exchange. This opportunity is aimed at UK businesses that have a specific interest in Germany and want to initiate joint technology development and commercialisation partnerships with German organisations. It will focus on diagnosis of infections – see the flyer attached for more details – Deadline for final online full application: Monday 2nd Dec.

SEHTA’s 2020 International MedTech Expo & Conf – 26 March 2020, London – Early Bird Rate available now

This SME focused healthcare event drives collaborations between business, care & clinicians & academics. Aimed at SMEs, corporates, academics & NHS healthcare providers this conference helps delegates understand the challenges of accessing the NHS. In addition to finding funding opportunities; navigating regulatory, legal and IP issues and identifying current clinical challenges in the NHS. Find out more here.

Kent Invicta Chamber Awards 2020

Want to shout about your export successes? Why not apply for the 2020 ‘Exporter of the Year’ award with Kent Invicta Chamber. The You have until 24 January to apply.

Find out more about the awards and how to enter by clicking here.