Manchester firm joins David Cameron in trade delegation

An engine control specialist based in Manchester is accompanying the Prime Minister on a UK trade visit to South East Asia this week.

AT Engine Controls, which creates control systems for the defence, aerospace and oil and gas industries, will be joining the delegation with the aim of demonstrating how the UK government is backing British businesses, helping them grow their exports and expand overseas.

PM David Cameron said ahead of the visit: “Companies like AT Engine Controls are flying the flag and unlocking the economic potential of the fast growing economies of South East Asia for North West.

“I am delighted that they have joined me on my first trade mission of this government and I hope that we can work together to create jobs and growth for the UK.”

This morning (July 27), the PM will land in the Indonesian capital Jakarta on the start of his four-day trip. The trade delegation is part of the new government’s efforts to boost exports to an annual value of £1tn and get 100k more UK companies exporting over the next five years.

Last year saw almost £26bn in goods exported from the North West, with around 7,000 businesses in the region currently exporting. Chemicals account for around half of all the North West’s overseas sales.

In 2015, the region’s largest export markets are the US and Germany; combined, they account for around 25% of all exports from the North West.