The creative ideas of a North East firm that grows seaworms have secured a national award with the help of UK Trade & Investment's "Passport to Export" programme. Based at Lynemouth, on the Alcan Power Station site, near Ashington, Seabait Limited operates the World's first temperate, marine worm farm, utilising waste heat-energy from a nearby power station in order to breed and grow premium-quality polychaete marine worms. The company, which was established in 1985 and employs 27 people, is

In a bid to achieve its aims, the company contacted UK Trade & Investment and signed up to the Passport programme in August 2003 to develop an export strategy for Brazil.

The company also received financial assistance to travel to North and South America and South East Asia to meet potential customers.

Following on from this, the firm broke into markets in Singapore and the Far East. And it now exports to more than 35 countries around the world.

During a recent award ceremony at the Institute of Export Gala Awards Dinner at the International Convention centre in Birmingham, the company was given a Commendation Award.

Seabait Limited was unable able to attend so Service Contract Manager, Ray Blanckley, from the Regional International Trade Office, received it on their behalf.

This week representatives from UK Trade & Investment visited the farm to present Managing Director Graham Rutherford with the award.

Mr Rutherford said:

"The award recognises the profile of the company internationally. The award also illustrates the great potential of industry in the region to establish export trade.

"Exports now account for 70 per cent of our business and last year our turnover was just under £1 million. We now export to more than 35 countries around the world and because of our incredible export success we are now looking for further investors to expand into new markets

"We have a distribution base in Florida which serves North and South America. We also sell to fish farmers in the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Madagascar and the Seychelles and we hope to do more business in South East Asia. We never expected to get as far as we have in ten years and the help and support we received from UK Trade & Investment really has been invaluable."

Keith Chater, UK Trade & Investment's International Trade Adviser in Northumberland, said:

"Seabait Limited has shown that by having a clear vision and strategic focus, as well as a strong commitment to developing new business overseas, it is possible to break into a new markets. Six years ago, the company did not export now export represents 70 percent of all sales.

"Main export markets are to Singapore and the Far East. And now the company is looking at Malaysia. The production method also has strong socio-economic and environmental benefits. It uses no biocides or antibiotics, reduces the need to collect materials from the wild and the need to import potentially invasive foreign marine worms for fishing bait.

"We're delighted Seabait Limited has won such a prestigious award and achieved such success.''

For more information about the Passport programme and the range of services on offer through UK Trade & Investment to help companies succeed overseas call the International Trade Hotline on 0845 0505054.

Notes to editors
1. UK Trade & Investment is the government organisation that provides integrated support services for UK companies engaged in overseas trade and foreign businesses focused on the UK as an inward investment location. It brings together the work of teams in British embassies and FCO posts overseas and government departments across Whitehall. In England, international trade support is coordinated by nine International Trade Directors working in partnership with each Regional Development Agency. UK Trade & Investment services are delivered locally through a network of International Trade Teams typically located in Business Link operators or Chambers of Commerce. The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements for local delivery of services. For more information visit the web site http://www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

2. Companies in the North East can find out more about the services available through UK Trade & Investment by contacting the International Trade Hotline on 0845 0505054 or log onto the website at http://www.exportnortheast.com.

3. UK Trade & Investment: "Your Passport to Export Success" is an international trade service provided through the Business Links network. The initiative targets businesses which are inexperienced exporters or existing exporters hoping to tackle new of difficult markets and is part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund.

4. Passport offers a package of support which is individually-tailored to meet the needs of each company, together with generous financial support and the help and advice of an International Trade Adviser (ITA). Each company which signs up to Passport will have a designated ITA who will assist the company to prepare and implement an export action plan. Activities usually included in the plan would be market research, advice on export procedures, design of marketing materials, marketing activities and a market visit. A financial contribution is available to each company to support the costs of implementing the export plan, together with access to a number of UK Trade & Investment subsidised services.