UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) helped a record 20,700 businesses to generate £3.6 billion in additional profit through exporting last quarter.

UKTI customers were interviewed in early 2009 as part of the independent Performance and Impact Monitoring Survey (PIMS). While they reported that the global economic downturn had affected their businesses, more than half were experiencing increasing demand from abroad.

The survey confirmed that UKTI had shot past its target of helping 20,000 businesses in twelve months. It said that 20,700 UK firms had received “significant assistance” from UKTI, an increase of 1,400 companies on the previous survey.

UKTI’s customers, of which 90 per cent are small and medium-sized businesses, estimated that UKTI helped their businesses to generate an extra £600 million.

Minister for trade and investment Lord Davies of Abersoch said: “Companies that export are more resilient. In these difficult times, our challenge is to ensure that businesses know that there is government help on offer for firms willing to seek out business opportunities overseas. UKTI can help to find the markets that can make the difference.”

UKTI doubled the number of grants that individual businesses can receive for its Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) this month allowing more than 3,000 UK businesses receive TAP grants of up to £1,800 to participate in trade shows abroad.

UKTI also launches its Gateway to Global Growth initiative to provide specialist and tailored financial and legal advice to more than 1,200 businesses in the next year to support their growth internationally.

UKTI’s acting chief executive Dominic Jermey said: "Breaking into new markets is never easy but UKTI can help to guide firms through to business success. There are great opportunities out there for companies. Our message is that by exporting, you go further.”

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