YORKSHIRE is good at attracting foreign investment projects, but not so good when it comes to spotting export opportunities.
That seems to be the conclusion of two separate reports.
One, by the professional firm Ernst & Young, shows that foreign investment projects in the county doubled as manufacturers and financial organisations sought UK bases.
But the latest Lloyds TSB Commercial research shows that only 33 per cent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Yorkshire were taking advantage of foreign markets Yet 88 per cent of SME exporters in the region have experienced growth in foreign markets in the last 12 months.
Many Yorkshire firms were put off by worries that an export strategy would not succeed. By far the biggest concern among all SMEs questioned was that there would not be demand for their product or service overseas – two-fifths (40 per cent) said this was a barrier.
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