Gateshead manufacturer announces China venture

Gateshead-based manufacturer of specialist grinding equipment is one of the first companies in the region to sign up to a new venture aimed at helping local SMEs exploit growth opportunities in China.

International Innovative Technologies Ltd (IIT) is working with the new Fast Track China export service that has been specially set up to help North East exporters gain new business in the country.

The specialist Newcastle-based venture has been established by Dr Zhengming Yang, former UK Trade & Investment (North East) Business Development Manager for the China Market.

In February, IIT announced an order approaching £750,000 for the supply of specialist fine grinding and particle sizing technology for a new custom built ceramic tile manufacturing plant in Zibo, China.

Tom Wilkinson, chairman of IIT, said: “The opportunities for our grinding technology in China are potentially enormous and it undoubtedly represents our largest target market.

“Although we’ve already had some success there, it is notoriously difficult to overcome some of the barriers to entry and it is for this reason that we’ve signed-up with the new service.

“The partnership with Fast Track China will give us a permanent presence and representation in the country, will provide a high profile display of our products and technical capabilities, and identify realistic new sales opportunities.“

Plans for the first Made in UK centre are well established and work on the next two is progressing.

Dr Zhengming Yang, managing director of Fast Track China (UK) Ltd explained: “We are delighted to be working with IIT and their success in the market gives them the ideal platform on which to build further sales.

“China’s economic transformation is one of the defining facts of our lifetime. UK-manufactured products and technology hold a high reputation in the country and it has the potential to provide a vital export market for North East SMEs over the next decade.“