news opinion SMEs on track with exports


Young talent. Every business sector needs fresh blood – young people with new ideas and different perspectives


At the Deals Awards we recognised young dealmakers under 35 who stood out as future stars – talented people who represent the future of the thriving corporate finance arena in the region.


At the Thames Valley Property Awards, we spotlighted the young women – one as young as 22 – making their mark in a sector that used to be male-dominated, but which is increasingly attracting women as architects, interior designers, property agents or lawyers.


Indeed, it was fascinating to see that all four finalists in our Young Property Person category were women – something that would have been unheard of a decade ago.


One sector where the UK needs to attract more young talent is manufacturing. And one of the best ways to encourage young people to take up a career in manufacturing or engineering is through apprenticeships.


We have launched a new Southern Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year Award to help promote the sector, and the opportunities that lie within.


The award acknowledges and celebrates the exceptional contribution of an apprentice in their workplace. To be eligible for this award, applicants must be either currently undertaking an apprenticeship or have completed it within the past 12 months.


We should all be doing what we can to encourage apprenticeships. Official figures have shown a 26% drop in apprenticeship starts across the board in the first quarter of 2018 compared with the same period last year.


The Government is clearly worried by this and has promised to deliver three million apprenticeship starts by 2020.


If you know of an apprentice who stands out as a rising star, nominate him or her for the award and we’ll do the rest.


Go here for details: businessmag.co.uk/manufacturing-100/


David Murray Publisher


4 businessmag.co.uk Thames Valley


A Wokingham firm that develops specialist silicon chips and software for a range of products has been named the most successful exporting small company in the Thames Valley.


EnSilica, whose wares range from mobile phones to driverless cars, was listed at number five in the latest SME Export Track 100 league table which rates Britain’s small and medium-sized companies with the fastest growing international sales over the past two years.


Founded in 2001 by four semi-conductor experts, the Wokingham firm now employs 40 people, has sites in Bristol and Oxford, a design centre in Bangalore and a sales office in California.


Revenue is from bespoke chip designs and licensing intellectual property, all of which helped exports hit nearly £6.1 million last year from total sales of £7.1m, with Sweden its biggest market.


With an average sales growth of 186%, co-founder and managing director Ian Lankshear and chairman Mark Hodgkins now expect the US and China to drive growth .


Only one other company in the region made the top 50 in the league table, High Wycombe-based Slush Puppie UK coming in at number 40.


The syrup and crushed ice drink was invented in Ohio in 1972. Two years later Ralph Peters brought the concept to Europe, selling under licence from his Bucks base, and in 1990 launched the popular blue raspberry flavour drink. Other brands include Tango Ice Blast and Fanta Frozen.


New products boosted exports to £4m in 2016 from total sales of £18m. With a current staff of over 90, average international sales growth was 77% under Ralph’s son Mark, who is now managing director.


Amersham-based Kiddylicious came in at 55th in the table. It says two of its snacks for babies and toddlers are eaten every second around the world.


Sally Preston founded the firm in 2009


and has seen staff grow to 25 and exports to £3.1m in 2017 (annual average growth 56%) from total sales of £16m. Its snacks and meals — including veggie straws and spaghetti bolognese — are stocked in 27 countries, including Australia and China.


It is entering new markets this year, with launches planned for central America in March and South Africa in April, via Walmart and Clicks stores.


Adele, Daft Punk and Radiohead have all used the services of Reading-based Sandbag (56th in table), which include designing and manufacturing music merchandise such as vinyl records and T-shirts.


The firm, now with a staff of 60, also provides artists with ticketing and e-commerce platforms. Co-founders Christiaan Munro and Mel Maxwell won a Grammy in 2009 for their special edition design for Radiohead box set “In Rainbows” Their fellow co-founder is Jof Newill,


Expansion in the US, including opening an office in Los Angeles in 2011, helped boost exports to £13.9m last year from total sales of £19.5m (annual average growth 56%).


Two more companies made it into the lower region of the SME Export table. Semafone (90th) at Guildford was founded by David Jackson and Charles Cooper-Driver, who developed its patented telephone payment method when working at a call centre. Its Cardprotect software masks keypad tones when consumers type card information into a phone keypad, so the payee cannot access the payment information.


Semafone started in 2009 and in 2014 it raised £5m from BGF and Octopus Ventures. It now has clients in 25 countries and international sales rose to £4.4m in 2016.


Windsor-based LA Micro UK.(97th) has a client list of more than 5,000 small businesses in 19 countries that use its IT support and hardware refurbishment, and to host their phone systems.


Demand in the US and China helped exports reach £13.6m last year and it recently started selling to India and Australia. Managing director Dave Bell founded the firm in 2004.


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