Business growth through exporting for Lincoln Pool Safety Specialists

With all of the turmoil surrounding the UK exit from the EU it is even more important for small businesses to recognise that selling products and services to overseas buyers remains as a real solution for expanding the customer base.

Exporting is also the element of business that benefits from ongoing publicly funded support. As other support schemes and funding drift in and out the government backed services for exporters have always continued, albeit now rebadged to match the parent organisation ‘DIT’ the Department for International Trade, (previously UKTI). 

For Lincoln based business SPSC (UK) Ltd Pool Safety Specialists, exporting has always been on their agenda. The business is known as one of the leading UK suppliers of technology based safety systems for public swimming pools and has customers at home and abroad including swimming pool operators in North America and the Middle East. The management team of Directors Rob White and Gary Clarke plus Marketing Manager Karen White have over 20 years’ experience in the sector and were the first to design a drowning detection system back in 1996.

Technology has moved on and they now supply systems utilising Neural Network Technology (AI) and bespoke software. Their core product for public pools ‘Angel Eye’ has recently won a ten year contract for installations in Edmonton, Canada. 

Attentions have recently turned to the private swimming pool market and SPSC have acquired exclusive distribution rights for the Coral Manta which is a plug and play system that uses cameras and sensors, again based on AI technology. This system silently monitors all swimmers and will alert a base station or mobile phone if it detects that someone needs urgent assistance and is at risk of drowning. However, the numbers of privately owned pools in the UK limits the potential market so SPSC plan to export to Canada, South Africa and the Middle East. The plan is to double turnover to £1.5m in two years with exporting accounting for up to 40% of sales. 

Following discussions with their local FSB Development Manager the business hopes to be taking on funded support from the local Growth Hub with the potential for grant funding towards website development to promote the new product.

For businesses in Greater Lincolnshire the Growth Hub now provides a face to face Export Adviser service. A full business review will include discussions on exporting strategy, potential markets, country risks, currency risks and finance. Experienced export adviser Mike Stokes provides this free service and he is also a FSB Member. For information on funded business support just visit www.businesslincolnshire.com