The UK’s first International Trade Week is here. Huzzah! As an Export Champion, Captain Fawcett is delighted to report on the company’s experience of selling globally in connection with trade industry experts. If you’re a business interesting in exporting or who wishes to maximise your company’s growth via exporting, Richie Finney, founder and director of Captain Fawcett Ltd, is always willing to share his own personal take on seizing international trade opportunities.

As his chums will know, Captain Fawcett’s first batch of Moustache Wax was prepared upon the stove of a humble kitchen in a small Norfolk village in England. 

Fast forward 11 years. Captain Fawcett Ltd now operates from an extraordinary HQ in King’s Lynn, comprising a pristine laboratory, Marvellous Barbershop Museum and simply magnificent Emporium. Based in King’s Lynn the dapper manufacturer and purveyor of simply ‘First Class Gentleman’s Grooming Requisites’ is known throughout the world.

Captain Fawcett now exports into over 40 countries from Alaska to New Zealand. The brand has official distributors in over 25 territories including Canada, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Norway, Germany, Australia, Ireland, France, Spain, Czech Republic, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Dubai, Switzerland, Finland, Bulgaria, Oman, Denmark, Chile, Portugal, Thailand, Lithuania and Estonia. Exports in the calendar year of 2020 accounted for 78% of revenue. And there is still plenty of scope for growth. In fact, during 2020, further distribution partners came aboard, namely: Israel, China, Malaysia, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro and Saudi Arabia.

Captain Fawcett firmly believes, where practical, real life meetings remain vital to establishing new connections and sustaining the loyalty of existing clientele. In 2019 company owner, Richie Finney, visited 19 countries seeking distributors and strengthening consumer relationships. This endeavour was, in part, supported by assistance received from the Department of International Trade in a bid to further the growth of export markets. Captain Fawcett is privileged to be an ‘Export Champion’.

Throughout the shifting Brexit deadlines and new import/export procedures, the company worked closely with our European partners to ensure smoother import through customs. Captain Fawcett finance and shipping personnel attended a number of export related online courses offered by the Chamber of Commerce and Department for International Trade in order to be as up to date as possible on the new upcoming regulations.

And to top it all, the Coronavirus pandemic resulted not only in supply chain issues but countries locking down at varying points during the year creating sales fluctuations. However with customers spread over 40 countries Captain Fawcett is diversified enough to achieve a phenomenal growth of 21%. In truth as one country closed, another reopened. This extraordinary global situation certainly underpinned the long term value of a robust export strategy and nurturing excellent international relationships.

Target markets over the next two years are USA, India, China and Japan. While different territories present multiple challenges, there is also vast potential, from growing e-commerce usage in-country to bricks and mortar stores and new local distributors. Japan and the UK have recently signed a trade agreement which makes this export market another interesting possibility. Early discussions are underway with the ‘Export to Japan’ organisation where we are hoping to find a distributor.

Captain Fawcett is jolly pleased to participate in International Trade Week, inspiring and encouraging more businesses to export for the first time or expanding their current exports. There is, indeed, the sense of an exciting national opportunity. Not least in Norfolk and the Eastern Region. Tally ho chaps! The British are coming! Anyone for tennis?

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