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PRIVACY
Opinion

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething salutes Welsh export champions

The Welsh Government is here to support Welsh firms seeking to win orders overseas

Export focused Mallows Beauty was founded by Laura Mallows


I am proud of our Welsh businesses that continue to excel at doing business on the international stage. As a government, we will go on celebrating, supporting and advocating for Welsh exporters whose work is essential, not only to recovery, but to our prospects for long term growth.

While pressing for a pragmatic approach to º£½ÇÊÓÆµ trade built on values and evidence, the Welsh Government has responded to the turbulence of recent years with practical, expert help for Welsh businesses. In December 2020 we chose to launch the Export Action Plan for Wales, setting out how we would go about supporting Welsh exporters and those companies looking to export for the first time.

As part of this strategy, in the summer of 2021 we launched our New Exporters Programme. The programme focuses on increasing the exporter base in Wales by providing dedicated trade support to a cohort of new, fledgling or reactive exporters identified as having products or services that are capable of being exported.

The annual programme, which lasts around 10 months, selects companies from a range of sectors across Wales. The participants receive intensive support from experienced mentors to develop capability and capacity to export, with the wider goal of helping them become successful and sustainable exporters. Each year’s cohort also participates in a Welsh Government trade mission to allow members to put their newly acquired skills and knowledge to use.

A cohort of 13 new exporters attended a trade mission to the Netherlands in November 2022. The companies involved had limited export experience overall but were ambitious about their potential. The trade mission was highly successful and has already generated international sales opportunities and partnerships for those who took part.

One of the attendees, LIMB-art, a Denbighshire based design and manufacturing company who produce innovative prosthetic leg covers, was particularly successful while on the mission. Founded in 2018 by former Paralympic swimmer and medallist, Mark Williams and his wife Rachael, LIMB-art was born out of a desire to help other prosthetic users and raise their confidence and pride. While on the trip Mark struck a deal with an exclusive distributor for LIMB-art in the Netherlands and secured orders from two companies, opening the door to a brand new market for the business.

Another graduate of the programme is Cardiff-based beauty brand, Mallows Beauty, which recently announced that it has landed its first deal in the US. The company has signed a contract to supply Urban Outfitters stores across the US and the deal will see its products sold in 177 locations.

As part of the New Exporters Programme, Mallows received support from the Welsh Government, including help with market research, and assistance setting up meetings with suppliers and distributors, including those that the company has confirmed in the US.