Newport manufacturer, Atlantic Service Company, a leading manufacturer of equipment used in food processing plants and butchers’ shops, already boasts an extensive international order book with clients spanning across more than 50 countries worldwide.
Exports account for 80% of the firm’s trade, having experienced an increase of 10% in the last year alone. The company is now looking to place a drive on exports in new territories as part of wider plans to grow the business.
An established high quality product
Based near Crumlin, Atlantic Service Company is internationally renowned for its long-lasting, durable and high-quality blades used to cut meat and fish. Its products can be found in food processing plants, butchers and fishmongers all over the globe.
Originally founded in 1901 in the US, the company moved to Wales in 1980 to enable it to expand into the UK and provide a gateway to the European market. Initially, the Welsh plant was set up primarily as a leasing business, servicing thousands of local butchers, wholesalers and supermarkets across the UK with blades for everyday use. In 1993, major investments into new equipment enabled it to boost productions and expand its services beyond rentals.
Having quickly established itself as the clear market leader within the UK, a new focus was needed, and the company sets its sights on international expansion after identifying a gap in the market for its products overseas. In 2001, the company appointed an export manager and secured its first export contracts after attending the IFFA exhibition - the world’s leading international trade fair for the meat industry, held every three years in Germany.
Existing international customer base
Since then, the firm has continued to hold an international focus and has seen its turnover double over the last six years as a result.
Today, from its Wales base, Atlantic Service Company serves customers across five continents, with Asia and South America added to its heartlands of North America and Europe. Exports account for 80% of its trade and it has distributors in Europe, South and Central America, the Middle East, and China.
New overseas market opportunities for business growth
Despite already having a large international order book, Atlantic Service Company intends to increase its exports further as part of wider plans to grow the business, which include an imminent move to a larger facility in the same area that will enable Atlantic Service Company to increase capacity significantly and expand even further into overseas markets.
Atlantic Service Company also has ambitions to enter more new territories in the near future – including Japan and Qatar – where it has attended virtual Welsh Government trade missions in the past year. While all trade missions were previously attended in person, following the outset of the pandemic, Welsh Government adapted to offer successful virtual trade mission experiences, ensuring businesses were still able to connect with potential clients and distributors.
Atlantic Service Company believes that one of the keys to its success and export growth over the last decade has been the support it has received from Welsh Government, who have provided comprehensive market research into new territories, helping it to understand local market requirements, as well as assisting it to attend numerous trade missions – both in person and virtually.
Elena Harries, International Sales Manager at Atlantic Service Company said: “Exports have played a crucial role in our growth over the last 10 years and I would recommend any company who is thinking about exporting to do so.
“Over the last few months, we have seen interest in our products overseas climb significantly as demand for food retail has increased globally. We plan to grow our export arm even further in the years to come, expanding our presence in existing countries, as well as entering brand new markets.
“With so many changes in the world, I would recommend any company in Wales that is thinking about exporting to get in touch with Welsh Government. We would not have grown so quickly as a company if it wasn’t for their support.”