Powys based manufacturing company Zip Clip will be one of the businesses taking centre stage at a Welsh Government conference aimed at driving up export levels in Wales.

The Wales Export Conference 2018, which is being held at Cardiff City Stadium next month, will seek to provide new and existing exporting companies with the information, advice, guidance and support they need to increase their overseas trade.

As part of the conference, successful exporting companies such as Zip Clip will share their experiences of developing overseas trade, and talk about the support they accessed from the from Welsh Government that has helped drive up their profit margins.

In Zip-Clip’s case, the company, which employs 18 full time staff from its base in Powys, took the decision to fight the recession by targeting the high specification suspension systems that they produce for the electrical, mechanical, heating and ventilation industries, at overseas export markets.

Before 2008, Zip-Clip’s business was solely reliant on the UK market, but the economic downturn resulted in a 30% reduction in its annual turnover.

The company responded to this dip by seeking to expand its client-base into new overseas markets, including Germany, South Africa and Australia.

Its drive was assisted by the Welsh Government’s export support programmes, including the International Trade Opportunities programme which assisted Zip Clip in identifying potential business partners, and the Overseas Business Development Visits programme, which enabled the company to visit their target markets and attend key trade shows.

Indeed an important trip to Qatar which was supported by the Welsh Government, opened the door to a whole new range of opportunities for Zip-Clip.

Overall the company’s export drive resulted in a 40% increase in its overseas trade in no fewer than 23 countries.

Steve Goldsworthy, managing director of Zip-Clip said:

“Like many companies across the UK, the recession had a detrimental impact on our business as many of our clients were forced to cut back. Thankfully, the Welsh Government’s support programmes were available. Their support has changed the dynamic of our business, providing assistance for our expansion overseas. It has been invaluable.”

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: