Essex based manufacturer of packing, pick and place and robot palletising equipment, Pacepacker Services Limited, has been named runner-up in the Outstanding Export Awards category of the national EEF Future Manufacturing Awards 2011.
Up against 27 high profile manufacturing companies nationwide, the success of the Great Bardfield company, which employs 17 members of staff, confirms its position as one of the top performing manufacturers in the country. “Excellent achievement from a relatively small company. Pacepacker have clearly listened to the expert advice that they received on how they should export and implemented those actions very well. It‘s something that every company should do but surprisingly don’t! Willing to seek help is the key lesson for any company looking to export,” said the judging panel.
Pacepacker gained recognition by demonstrating how it had effectively used strategic advice from various experts to venture into new territories. Advice sources included the UKTI’s Passport to Export Programme (which helps companies to explore unfamiliar territories), the PPMA Processing & Packaging Machinery Association’s Dragon Service (which helps de-risk exploring and setting up business in Asia) and their bank, Barclays, which they formed a closer relationship with to improve their lending facility and understand the pitfalls of doing business abroad. UK Trade & Investment Marketing and Communications Director Caoimhe Buckley commented: “We want to ensure that more companies like Pacepacker are not just trading overseas but thriving there. UKTI has a crucial role to play and intends to double the UK's SME client base from 25,000 companies to around 50,000 companies over the next three years.”
Dennis Allison, Managing Director at Pacepacker Services was delighted to receive recognition: “On behalf of our agents, distributors and 17 employees, I am over the moon to receive this prestigious national award for the development and implementation of Pacepacker’s worldwide packaging equipment export strategy. For many years UK Government has been urging private companies to help the country survive and beat the recession, and we are one of those organisations who have grown in a tough economic climate. We used the support structure available to UK companies by listening and then implementing advice we received from our bank Barclays, our trade association the PPMA and the UKTI to help create and roll-out an ambitious export plan. We hope that our story will inspire other small companies to take an informed leap of faith to help make them more profitable and stable long-term.”
The judges were impressed with the innovative, flexible, risky and bold approach that Pacepacker took in order to implement a plan to meet its customer needs, and also made special mention of the way the
company had adapted to market demand, which clearly helped them to achieve offshore success.
Reflecting on Pacepacker’s unique ‘Try Before You Buy’ service, which they developed as part of their export strategy to overcome customer concerns and de-risk the equipment procurement process, the judging panel said: “We particularly liked the innovative marketing strategy of offering their clients a ‘try before you buy’ option on their machinery and products. It enabled the building of good relations with the client and acts as a service delivery platform. It is also a great sales tool for their well sourced territory representatives.”
Pacepacker’s South East Region EEF Director Jim Davison added: “Congratulations to Pacepacker Services on their success at the National Finals. They have taken an ambitious route and taken many risks, but by careful strategic planning, the company has set itself up as a fine example of how to do business abroad. They are a shining example to all 45,000 manufacturers in the South East, who together contribute £45 billion to the UK economy.”
In its third year, the annual awards are hosted by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, and recognise excellence in enterprise, innovation, environmental performance and skills development among UK manufacturers. In total the 2011 awards received 367 entries across all categories and regions from UK manufacturers. Pacepacker Services reached the National Final, held at a Gala Dinner at Plaisterers’ Hall, Old London Wall on the 26 January 2011, by winning its category in the EEF South East regional competition.
More info:
www.pacepacker.com