West Midlands Chambers of Commerce have won a three-year Government contract worth more than £7.5 million to continue delivering international trade services throughout the region.

The chambers will deliver the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) international trade services contract in the West Midlands, helping businesses explore export markets as part of the Government’s drive to create growth.

The bid was put together by West Midlands Chambers of Commerce LLP, a joint venture of the region’s six chambers, and headed by managing director Allen Matty.

The winning bid was also supported by the six West Midlands Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) as well as the region’s universities, science parks and MPs.

Mr Matty said: “We have a strong track record of providing international trade support to businesses in the West Midlands, having delivered the programme for the past five years.

“Thirty-one UKTI international trade advisers across the region will work on the contract and we believe our vast connectivity, networks and market reach, together with our past record of success helped to win the business against some tough competition.

“UKTI assists all types and sizes of business, and we will be encouraging more companies to export for the first time and assisting current exporters to expand into new international markets.

“The UKTI international trade offering enables us to help companies with all aspects of trading overseas, including help with researching markets, exploring overseas joint ventures, visiting overseas markets and exhibitions, export documentation, language and translation services, export training and specific support from experts with detailed knowledge of different markets and sectors.”

Mr Matty added that only about 7,000 of the 160,000 businesses in the West Midlands with export potential were currently exporting.

UKTI has been targeted nationally by the Government to double the number of companies it helps each year from 25,000 to 50,000 by 2015.

Mr Matty said: “We will be reaching out to more companies and are confident we can contribute to the results the Government are looking for.”