UK HEALTH EXCELLENCE ON SHOW

PROFESSOR LORD DARZI OF DENHAM, a world leader in robotic surgery, promoted the UK’s excellence in healthcare in his role as the UK’s Business Ambassador for healthcare and life sciences at Arab Health 2012 in late January. The event, the largest healthcare exhibition in the Middle East, attracted 213 UK exhibitor companies.

He said: “The Middle East has long been a key trading partner for the UK, not only because it is one of the largest markets for medical equipment and healthcare products but also because no other region in the world faces such rapid growth in demand for the latest technologies. “The UK is well placed to meet these challenges. Its medical technology sector, which comprises some 3,000 companies, is highly diversifi ed and innovative. Between them, these businesses produce a range of products from high-tech equipment for advanced imaging and diagnosis to surgical instruments – testament to the wealth and breadth of the UK’s capabilities to deliver a range of healthcare solutions to meet Middle Eastern needs.”

UK EXHIBITORS AT ARAB HEALTH INCLUDED:

• Benmor Medical, whose new ‘Aurum’ bariatric bed has been designed to facilitate safe and effi cient care of larger patients whose body weight equals or exceeds that of a standard bed

• Safe Patient System: behind ‘Safe Mobile Care’, a new mobile phone solution to monitor patients at home

• Fertility Focus: developers of OvuSense, a new advanced fertility monitor

FURTHER INFORMATION

To fi nd out more about Arab Health, contact Denise Rawls at UK Trade

& Investment on 020 7215 4644

or email denise. rawls@ukti.gsi. gov.uk

• Max Medical: has a new self-monitoring blood-pressure device featuring a colour LCD display, a power-saving mode, one-touch automatic measurement using Oscillometric measurement methodology and a semiconductor pressure sensor.

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• NHS Global, a new organisation t that works in partnership with government departments, including UK Trade &

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Investment, to co-ordinate the UK’s healthcare offering to international clients

DRINKS FIRM ADDS FIZZ TO EXPORTS announced a 20 per cent

STRONG international growth has boosted the success of Merseyside-based Nichols, manufacturer of soft drink brands including Sunkist, Panda and Vimto. In the year ending 31 December 2010, Nichols reported a pre-tax profi t of £14.8m on revenues of £83.9m and at the end of 2011

BY THE NUMBERS: OIL AND GAS

The UK’s oil and gas sector and its supply chain generate

£6.25bn 100,000 in export revenues Source: UK Trade & Investment June 2011 springboard | 09

More than 340,000 people are employed directly in the UK’s offshore oil and gas production and a further

form the sector’s supply chain

The UK low-carbon and environmental goods and services sector is valued at more than

£183bn

viewpoint my world

OONAGH BLACKMAN WRITER AND BROADCASTER

Annual profi t

a year-on-year sales increase. The company’s full-year profi ts will be announced on 31 March

and it has already stated they will be ‘signifi cantly ahead of last year and ahead of market expectations’. Sold in 65 countries, Vimto is popular in nations with large Muslim populations where it is used as a tonic by those observing the

Ramadan fast. nicholsplc.co.uk

announcements from Morrisons, Balfour Beatty, Starbucks, Coca-Cola and Jaguar Land Rover, to list just a few, prove the UK’s heart is well and truly beating. And with the countdown to the London Olympics well underway, British business has everything to play for. The global spotlight on London and the British Isles will obviously create opportunities here and in overseas markets. And if more SMEs start exporting to high-growth markets outside the Eurozone, it is estimated £20bn could be added to the UK economy along with substantial numbers of jobs. The Government is taking concrete steps to help SMEs export, including assistance with insurance if overseas contracts are not paid. Moreover, the markets are there; Brazil, China and India want UK products and services. The strengths of the UK workforce are in demand. Britain has the talent, skills, creativity, products and innovation to win and win big.