A Gloucestershire company that manufactures golf accessories has seen its sales to the US triple following a stateside swing in popularity towards the sport during the pandemic.
Quedgeley-based Stewart Golf designs and builds equipment for the game including electric and push trolleys.
The business, which has supplied golfers including former Ryder Cup-winning captain Sam Torrance, said that it had benefited from the socially-distanced nature of the sport, with courses able to remain open last year in the US.
The firm鈥檚 chief executive, Mark Stewart, said in the first half of last year export sales across the Atlantic had gone 鈥渢hrough the roof鈥, with the business selling all its stock over a six-week period from March 2020.
Stewart Golf has been a net exporter since 2018, with overseas sales accounting for almost 75% of its total sales. The company has also saw its total European sales increase by 16% last year, while it exported to more than 45 countries worldwide over the previous year.
The company has set up a subsidiary in the US to better serve the world鈥檚 biggest golf market. The Department of International Trade (DIT) introduced the firm to a third-party logistics company in the country, and has been supporting Stewart Golf to develop its marketing strategy there.
The South West business is now established as one the DIT鈥檚 鈥楨xport Champions鈥, volunteering to encourage and inspire other businesses to grow through international trade and providing peer-to-peer support.
Mr Stewart said: 鈥淲e wouldn鈥檛 have been able to launch into the US without the contact provided by the DIT. Being part of the Export Champion community has also been really valuable because we have support from other exporters and can learn from other businesses.
鈥淏y being involved with DIT, there鈥檚 always someone they can introduce you to who can help you achieve your goals.鈥
According to data from the Office for National Statistics, exports to the US have increased by almost 10% since 2016. The US was also the 海角视频鈥檚 largest trading partner in the four quarters to the end of Q1 2021, accounting for around 16% of total 海角视频 trade.
Paul Shand, head of trade for the DIT in the South West said the success of Stewart Golf and other companies in the region it has been working with showed there was 鈥渟trong demand鈥 for British goods and services overseas.
Mr Shand said: 鈥淭rade will play an important role in getting our economy back on track and these companies are a great example of how companies can look to lucrative overseas markets to boost their sales whilst creating more jobs.鈥
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