OCO Global Selected as Exclusive Partner for Department for International Trade's North America Trade and Export Programme

BELFAST, Northern Ireland, December 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Leading economic development and trade advisory firm, OCO Global (OCO), has been selected as the exclusive partner for the UK's Department for International Trade (DIT) to support UK companies as they explore expansion opportunities in North America.

OCO will provide a wide range of trade support services to both new and experienced exporters, as it works with DIT to help boost the UK's overall export target.

As part of the programme, which is nationwide and across all sectors, OCO will also travel to UK regions to highlight the opportunities in North America to UK companies.

CEO of OCO Global, Mark O'Connell said: "Helping UK businesses to export has never been more important and we're delighted to be working with DIT to make it easier for companies to reach new opportunities for growth in the United States and Canada. There is significant untapped potential in these markets and growing demand for UK goods and services."  

North America is currently the UK's most significant export market outside of the EU, and OCO expects it to become more important in the context of the emerging post-Brexit landscape.

Mark continues: "We are seeing an increase in UK businesses looking to expand to North America across multiple sectors including ICT, education, media and consumer, and we expect to see this trend continue."

OCO, which uses its global network to make it faster and easier for SMEs to set up new operations overseas, has a specialist team of 10 in the US and plans to add capacity to meet increased demand.

Minister for Trade and Export Promotion, Baroness Rona Fairhead said: "Our partnership with OCO global will give UK businesses the tools they need to seize exciting opportunities in the United States and Canada - from export advice and industry connections, to visit programmes and events. The USA is already the top destination for British goods and services and as an international economic department, we will continue to support businesses in exporting across the Atlantic as part of our mission to become a global Britain."

Through its work with DIT to date, OCO has assisted more than 400 UK businesses looking to expand to North America and connected more than 650 UK exporters to opportunities.

Notes to editors 

About OCO Global 

OCO Global is the leading advisory firm in Europe for Trade and Investment Services and works with businesses to guide their expansion internationally through export and FDI. OCO offers a one stop, full service solution for companies working with a range of trusted business partners to make it fast and easy to set up new operations and expand quickly. The company is the appointed provider of the UK Government to support UK businesses entering the European market. OCO Global also works with many US companies supporting their expansion into Europe and Asia. OCO Global is a leading specialist provider of Trade and Investment services including Market Entry Support, business intelligence for Trade and Investment, trade mission support, business development, advisory, trends analysis and software solutions. Headquartered in Northern Ireland, OCO has offices in leading markets globally including UK, Germany, France, Japan, the UAE and the US. OCO's clients include leading national, state and regional economic development organizations as well as private companies seeking to enter new markets or grow their domestic base.

About the Department for International Trade  

1. The Department for International Trade (DIT) secures UK and global prosperity by promoting and financing international trade and investment, and championing free trade.We are an international economic department, responsible for:
   • bringing together policy, promotion and financial expertise to break down barriers to trade and investment, and help businesses succeed
   • delivering a new trade policy framework for the UK as we leave the EU
   • promoting British trade and investment across the world
   • building the global appetite for British goods and services
     
2. There have been more than 2.4 million visits to great.gov.uk and more than 3,300 UK businesses have already registered on the government's Find a Buyer service to match UK businesses to worldwide demand.
3.  The Exporting is GREAT (EIG) campaign inspires and supports UK businesses to sell their goods and services overseas. At great.gov.uk UK businesses can apply for real-time global export opportunities, access expert advice, trade services, training and events.