FOLLOWING UP ON THE SUCCESS OF ITS “NORTH AMERICA NOW” CAMPAIGN WHICH STRENGTHENED ANGLO-AMERICAN TRADING AND INVESTMENT TIES, BRITAIN IS ABOUT TO LAUNCH A SIX-MONTH TRIAL CAMPAIGN AIMED AT MATCHING THE EXPERTISE OF BRITISH SERVICE FIRMS WITH THE DESIRES OF U.S. COMPANIES SEEKING NEW MARKETS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ELSEWHERE.
JOHN THOMPSON, DIRECTOR OF TRADE FOR THE BRITISH TRADE OFFICE BASED IN NEW YORK CITY, TOLD GLOBALFAX LAST WEEK DURING A TWO-DAY VISIT TO ATLANTA, THAT THE “PILOT PROJECT” WOULD BE STARTED IN NEW YORK, AND, IF SUCCESSFUL, WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH THE 12 BRITISH CONSULATE-GENERALS IN THE U.S.
AS EXAMPLES, HE CITED THE SERVICES BRITISH LAWYERS, PACKAGING DESIGNERS, TRANSLATORS AND FREIGHT FORWARDERS MIGHT PROVIDE GEORGIA COMPANIES SEEKING TO ENTER NEW MARKETS. “YOU MIGHT HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY WHILE WE WOULD HAVE THE MARKET KNOWLEDGE,” HE EXPLAINED, CITING POSSIBLE ALLIANCES APPLYING TO EUROPE, ASIA AND AFRICA, AND HE SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED INDIA AND SOUTH AFRICA.
THE NORTH AMERICA NOW CAMPAIGN WAS LAUNCHED THREE YEARS AGO AFTER THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DECIDED IT HAD FOCUSED TOO CLOSELY ON DEVELOPING TRADING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES PRECEDING THE FORMATION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY.
DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS, WITH THE EXCHANGE RATE BETWEEN THE POUND AND THE U.S. DOLLAR REMAINING AT ABOUT 1.50 STERLING TO $1, BRITISH EXPORTS TO THE U.S. HAVE GROWN BY SOME 20%. AND MORE THAN 25% OF BRITAIN’S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT IS DERIVED FROM EXPORTS REPRESENTING SOME $4,000 OF EXPORTS PER PERSON, $600 MORE PER PERSON THAN JAPAN. NEVERTHELESS, HE ADDED, THE U.S. ENJOYS A SLIGHT TRADE SURPLUS WITH THE U.K.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PILOT PROJECT, MR. THOMPSON MAY BE REACHED AT (212) 745-0495, OR CALL MICHAEL SHINGLER AT (404) 524-8613 IN ATLANTA.