Meet the Expert – USA

Marches businesses keen to launch their goods and services in the USA are being invited to a UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) event next week.
The free Meet the Expert event, which takes place on February 16 at the University of Wolverhampton’s Telford campus, will enable businesses to book 30-minute one-to-one meetings with experts in a range of fields – including UKTI advisers, US legal and intellectual property advisers, banks and product certification experts.
Richard Smith, of UKTI West Midlands, said: “The USA is a dream destination for many British businesses and because we share close political, language and cultural ties, it offers huge potential.
“Nevertheless, there are specific challenges for any business wishing to export their goods and services to the USA; UKTI can support and advise on the best approaches and can also help with developing strategy to gain market entry.
“Our Meet the Expert event will give businesses the opportunity to get free advice on many aspects of trading with the USA, whether they have already begun to export there and feel the time is right to expand or are first-time exporters.”
Among the topics being covered at the event are: advice on taxation, immigration and legal matters; understanding the challenges of exporting to the USA; and learning about locating or investing in the USA, as well as appointing a partner.
Hundreds of West Midlands businesses are already trading successfully in the USA – in the year ending September 2015, it was the region’s largest market for the export of goods, worth £5.1 bn.
One West Midlands company that has started to export successfully to the USA is Proserve Ltd, a family-run firm that uses fabric formwork systems in marine construction projects.
James Hawkswood, business and product manager at the Kenilworth-based business, said it is keen to develop its market in the USA because there is no American company selling fabric formwork in ports.
Proserve started working with UKTI in February 2014 and attended the International Navigation Association (PIANC) USA conference in San Francisco in June 2014.
“It helped so much being out there and meeting key people – it helped to introduce us to the market and off the back of it we’ve got two jobs in the area,” added James.
Meet The Expert USA takes place between 9.30am and 4..30pm on February 16 at The Great Oak Room, University of Wolverhampton, 2nd floor SC Building, Shifnal Road, Telford.