East Midlands Firm sees Profits Snowball through Latvian Partnership
Heavy snowfall this winter has not stopped a sensor company showing off their skills on ice. A Towcester firm has helped design a technologically advanced iceboard after attending a UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) trade exhibition.
Variohm EuroSensor is helping Latvian based Hiberna Iceboards with its product development, to improve the direction, speed and turning movements of regular iceboards. In Latvia and other Baltic states, iceboarding is a professional, extreme sport and this new iceboard will have the capability to travel at 80kph.
The collaboration started at a UKTI's trade exhibition in Hannover where Variohm EuroSensor, who were relatively new to this exhibition, had the chance to speak to key contacts from around Europe, after getting funding from UKTI to attend the event in Germany.
Contact was made with Hiberna Iceboards, who were impressed with the Towcester firm's specialism in sensors as they were looking to use a dual axis tilt and compass sensors to improve their existing product.
Variohm EuroSensor's export sales director, Martin Paul said,
"Trade exhibitions have proved an excellent way for us to get into the export market and we have always appreciated the help and advice given to us by UKTI's trade advisers. We continue to attend similar events as the chance to build contacts, gain sales leads as meeting people face to face is always the best way to do business."
"We have also benefited from UKTI's Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) as it helped us find partners in Poland and Hungary. The support is there and available to local companies looking to export, so would certainly encourage others to take advantage of their expertise and services."
"Traditionally, our sensor specialism has meant we work closely with the motorsport trade, however, we have gradually been building up strong links with the iceboard industry - which is unusual given that Northamptonshire is not known for its winter sports!"
International Trade Adviser Ian Thompson said, "Iceboarding is a hugely popular sport all over the Baltic States and Russia, with Hiberna Iceboards a leading designer. So for a local company to be able to use their expertise to help develop and push the technology used in this sport is a great achievement. It shows that trade exhibitions are an excellent way of meeting key decision makers, generating sales leads and or gaining new business through partnership working."