KNOWSLEY FIRM WINS PRESTIGIOUS EXPORT AWARD

Cybertill MD, Ian Tomlinson receiving his award from Clive Drinkwater UKTI North West Regional Director and TV Presenter Lucy Meacock.

A technology company from Knowsley in the North-West has just won a prestigious regional export award from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI)

Cybertill has won the Merseyside sub-regional Passport to Export Awards 2007 in recognition of its achievements in the export market following participation in the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) programme. The award was one of five county awards given to companies across the North-West who have shown considerable progress in growing their international business.

The company specialises in Electronic Point-of-Sale (EPoS) systems, and its till software and e-commerce packages are used by many of the UK’s premier retailers including Virgin Media, St Paul’s Cathedral and Farrow & Ball.

The Cybertill concept was created over six years ago as an idea sketched on a napkin by Managing Director Ian Tomlinson. The company is now one of the UK’s EPoS and e-commerce market leaders. The company remains independently owned, employing over 35 staff from offices in Knowsley.

Since signing up for the Passport to Export programme, Cybertill has made significant inroads into export markets. It is now selling to more than 20 countries including Dubai, Belgium, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, and has seen a 10% increase in export turnover, worth £250,000.

Passport to Export is UK Trade & Investment’s flagship programme for new and inexperienced exporters. It provides the training, planning and ongoing support a company needs to begin a successful export operation.

Cybertill MD Ian Tomlinson says,

“Before signing up to Passport to Export, we had virtually no export turnover, but our International Trade Adviser, Margaret Bourke, was very helpful and it was reassuring to have someone on hand to provide advice when we needed it.”

“UKTI helped us to internationalise our website, and we found meeting staff from Embassies and Consulates overseas particularly useful. We also attended the Asia Pacific ICT Roadshow in Daresbury last October where we met nine Commercial Officers in one day and were able to gain an overview of our potential in the markets they represented. We now plan to expand our international activity and we foresee sales increasing further as a result.”

Clive Drinkwater, UKTI’s North West Regional Director, says:

“Every year, we face a difficult decision in choosing the companies who have made the most of the help and advice they received on the Passport to Export scheme. Cybertill has made excellent progress with overseas trade this year and we congratulate the company on its considerable achievements. We hope it will continue to go from strength to strength in the future.”

“Passport to Export is an excellent and varied scheme that offers comprehensive support to new and inexperienced exporters. We very much hope that other Merseyside companies who would like similar success in reaching their export goals will contact the North-West regional trade team to see how we can help.”