A Staffordshire shoe designer has increased export sales by £800,000 after winning new business in the USA, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia.
Hixon-based D R Shoes, established in 2001 by husband and wife team Daren and Tracey Roe, has seen exports increase by 60 per cent after a push on sales abroad.
The company, run by husband and wife team Daren and Tracey Roe, has 22 employees and an annual turnover last year of approximately £6m.
The company started working with UK Trade & Investment about three years ago, when it received financial support to attend MICAM in Milan and won new business in Italy as a result.
Mr Roe said: “Over the past year, we have increased our export sales by 60 per cent to about £800,000.
“In particular, we have won substantial new business with a Canadian shoe shop chain, which has over 2,500 branches across the world, and appointed a distributor after visiting the market with financial support from UK Trade & Investment, which was most welcome.
“Through these contracts, we are reaching global markets as diverse as the USA, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.
“We are exporting to nearly 30 countries in total, including Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Finland, Spain and Germany.”
Support available through Passport to Export includes a free export health check, attendance at an export workshop, assistance in formulating an international trade strategy and matched funding to help implement this strategy, quality training and mentoring advice and access to the full range of UK Trade & Investment services.
International trade adviser Pat Steele, based at North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Daren and Tracey are a dynamic team! The company has gone from strength to strength in a very challenging market sector and I am sure they will continue to do well.”
