Ruth Lee is a world-leading provider of manikins and training aids for rescue training experts across the world. Designed and manufactured in Corwen in north Wales, the manikins are primarily used by the military, fire and rescue services, the healthcare sector and those operating in water rescue services, from swimming pools to flood zones.
The firm works with companies and organisations across the world including the US military, US Homeland Security, United Nations, Australian Navy, Australian SES, energy companies like Siemens and Orsted, and airports such as Changhi Airport in Singapore. In the UK, Ruth Lee is also a major supplier to the NHS.
Big on exports
Exports account for around 70% of the company’s turnover and it is currently on track to reach record sales of over £4m million thanks to recent export success across North America and Europe, where France has achieved particular success thanks in part to legislation related to the use of manikins within the fire service.
The company has identified great potential for its patient handling and bariatric plus size manikins in the US, which were redesigned and refined during the pandemic for medical professionals who could no longer train on real people anymore, but who still needed to complete their ongoing professional qualifications. While they were initially developed for the NHS, these products are now receiving attention and interest in the US, largely due to the litigious nature of the healthcare sector, where patient handling is a legally fraught area and intensive training in this skillset is becoming more of a focus.
King's Award for Innovation
Another success across the Atlantic is the Canadian water rescue market, specifically for the company’s pool rescue manikin, which has been awarded the coveted King’s Award for Innovation. The product, which is shipped around the world to over thirty countries, was originally developed for the Canadian market to train a new generation of skilled lifeguards and it is in this region that the company has seen the biggest recent growth.
To showcase its extensive range of manikins and training aids to potential customers around the world, Ruth Lee maintains a busy annual schedule of global trade shows and exhibitions.
It recently attended the Perth World Conference on Drowning Prevention, led by the International Life Saving Federation. Later this year, the company will be attending several more water safety conferences and exhibitions, including the World Waterparks Association Annual Symposium & Trade Show in Las Vegas as well as the Association of Aquatic Professionals Annual Conference and National Drowning Prevention Alliance Water Safety Conference in Florida, all of which are being attended with Welsh Government support.
Another event the company has attended with the backing of the Welsh Government is Medica, the World Forum for Medicine - International Exhibition and Conference, which takes place annually in Dusseldorf.
Overseas events are key
“Events have become a huge part of our export strategy”, said Paul McDonnell, managing director at Ruth Lee. “We’re attending more than ever before all around the world and we’re really looking to grow our brand awareness in global markets.”
The company has also been appointing new distributors in new major territories.
“We’ve been extremely proactive in the Middle East and Asia and have recently appointed new distributors in Dubai and another in Malaysia, who will look after the whole of South East Asia for us”, said McDonnell.
“India is another huge target market that we are actively exploring. We recently attended a market visit to Mumbai and Bangalore, hosted by the Welsh Government, where some excellent in-roads were made to establish new market partners and we’re looking forward to announcing some new deals in the Indian market very soon.”
To coordinate and push forward the company’s ongoing export ambitions, Ruth Lee appointed an Export Manager some years ago, the firm’s first appointee with a solely exports focus. It is also planning to appoint another member to its growing exports team, who will be principally responsible for the north American market, where the company is seeing the most growth.
On making the decision to explore international trade options and offering advice for those considering an exporting route, McDonnell added:
“Establishing good relationships with regional distributors is essential. They become the face of your brand in a foreign country so ensuring they understand the products completely and feel genuinely passionate about them is vital. Attending international trade events is a great way of establishing relationships with potential distributors and customers alike and there are regular Welsh Government Trade Missions that are well worth attending.”