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There is never one-size fits all with international trade and ITAs understand this. The conversations you have will be fitted to the needs and challenges facing your business.
So, what can an ITA do for me?
The benefits of an ITA can probably best be described in two ways:
They use their knowledge, expertise and experience to help a business to correctly plan and implement their plan for export success.
Act as a conduit for businesses who can help them to tap into other important support services.
Simply put, an ITA not only uses their own knowledge and skills to help a business but, they also use access to extensive networks and signposting abilities to ensure a business gets as much as they possibly can.
Currently, the ITAs in the North East are split into two teams, the North and the South of the region. Roughly speaking, you could say that the North team assigned to cover the North East LEP region while the South team is there to support businesses in the Tees Valley Combined Authority region.
ITAs also lead on a specific sector or overseas market which is their speciality.
As with every job, you can’t expect someone to know everything about every potential location/ customer and, ITAs are no different.
As such, you’ll find ITAs who specialise in Food & Drink, Chemicals and E-commerce for example but also, ITAs that specialise in particular regions such as North America or the European market.
Ben Bradford, International Trade Director Tees Global Ltd
on experience, as well as experience from Can anyone access an
helping other businesses). They can help a business to plan their route and answer the ITA?
questions they may have.
Potentially, an ITA can be accessed by
As I always say, businesses don’t know what any business. The type of support they
they don’t know. As such, an ITA can help a will offer will depend on where your
business to not only answer the right business is, along your own international
questions but make sure they are
trade journey. It may be that your business is
considering the question in the first place. brand new to international trade and is
Ultimately this helps a business to avoid any looking to export for the first time.
potential pitfalls which they may face. Alternatively, your business may already
successfully trade in various overseas
markets, and you are now looking to develop
Is there a limit to the support into a new area.
I can get?
For many businesses who trade internationally, they are able to set and understand their own goals and targets. However, the issues arise when a business tries to navigate and plan the route to their final goal. This is where an ITA can use their experience to help a business.
An ITA will work with you to understand your goal and, through their experience in trading internationally (usually both practical hands-
Currently, the support a business receives from an ITA generally culminates in an export strategy for the business to act upon.
Though, a business shouldn't think that the support their ITA offers simply ends with an export strategy. One of the main benefits of an ITA is that they can be there for your business well beyond the initial strategy. It is for your business to tap into the support as and when needed.
23. TG Investigates...
Horizon issue 2.indd 23 14/12/2022 14:49:39