Smart Exporter set to boost trade

Smart Exporter, a joint venture between the Chambers of Commerce and government, has received 7.5 million from the taxpayer and promises to get more businesses "accessing international markets".

When the plan was first announced at the turn of the year it prompted questions over the need for another taxpayer-funded body.

Smart Exporter is launched just as Scottish Development International - run jointly by the government and Scottish Enterprise - today announces it helped more than 900 Scottish companies to trade overseas, 100 more than last year. It was also instrumental in attracting more than 500m of inward investment, creating or safeguarding 5,500 jobs.

SDI is also searching for a 200,000-a-year boss after Lena Wilson was promoted to chief executive of Scottish Enterprise Alasdair Kerr, head of business development for the Edinburgh Chamber and managing director of Scottish Chambers International, insisted the new agency would bring benefits to businesses.

"We aim to get more businesses in Scotland considering accessing international markets. With the recession at home, they can no longer just rely on their home market. With 9 per cent growth forecast internationally, we need to get a piece of that."

He said Smart Exporter was a "key driver in supporting Scotland's export-led recovery" and will offer workshops, training and a national helpline. It will target 4,000 to 5,000 Scottish business over a three-year period.

Smart Exporter is a joint venture between SDI and Scottish Chambers International - an offshoot of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and Scottish Chambers.

SDI's annual figures, published today, reveal an upturn in activity. Interim chief executive Anne MacColl said winning inward investment "has become more challenging" during the recession.

"Despite this, we have hit our targets and are encouraged by the range of new investment projects we've helped to secure during the last year, such as those by Skykon, Glaxo SmithKline, Ryanair, Tesco Personal Finance and Stena," she said.

"We are also continuing to make a real impact in helping Scottish companies to access new international markets. In the past year over 400 Scottish companies took part in our programme of trade missions, exhibitions and learning journeys and are on track to generate over 220m of new sales as a result- this is a huge achievement given the tough economic climate."