ConferenceCall.co.uk blog Posts

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic society of 28.4 million and the country has remained in a strong economic position in spite of the economic downturn and it aims to achieve Developed Nation status by 2020. It’s also one of the world’s best spots for offshore manufacturing and service-based ventures.

And, much like Singapore, it’s strategic position between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea makes it popular with investors.

Trade between the UK and Malaysia is worth around £8 billion, making it the UK’s second largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). If you’re interested in doing business in Malaysia, the top five sectors for trade are:

• machinery and transport equipment
• manufactured goods
• chemical and related products
• crude and fuel
• food, beverages and tobacco

Here’s everything you need to know about exporting to Malaysia…

Lithuania is one of the EU’s fastest-growing economies – a quick exit from recession has seen its economy grow by an average of about 2.5% over the last few years.

The largest of the Baltic nations, Lithuania offers a gateway to Russia, where almost a quarter (21%) of its exports end up. If you plan to use the country as an entry point to Russia though, bear in mind relationships are tense between the two countries (Lithuania only regained independence as recently as 1990), and the Russian government is not averse to banning certain goods, imposing temporary embargoes, and making life difficult for anyone looking to cross the border.

On the plus side, this doesn’t appear to have had too great an impact on trade with the UK, which has a 4.2% market share in Lithuania and exports around €1 million of goods there each year – this is definitely a growing market with a lot of potential.

The top UK exports to Lithuania include:

• electrical machinery
• machinery, mechanical equipment and spare parts
• optical, precision and medical devices and equipment
• plastics
• transport vehicles
• chemical products
• essential oils, resinous plant exudates, cosmetics and toiletries
• footwear
• furniture, home textiles
• food products

If you’re looking to tap this growing market, here’s everything you need to know about exporting to Lithuania…

The UK is Latvia’s eighth largest export market, with exports of goods and services between the two countries worth around £745 million.

The top UK exports to Latvia are:

• machinery
• wood
• metal
• electrical equipment
• textile
• transport vehicles

If you fancy doing business in one of the EU’s fastest growing economies, here’s everything you need to know about exporting to Latvia…

Although UK exports to Kenya have been in decline recently, the UK is still one of the largest foreign investors in the east African nation, with bilateral trade between the countries worth more than £1.3 billion.

The top exports from the UK to Kenya include:

• tea
• vegetables
• crude vegetable materials.

If you’re planning on doing business in Africa, here’s all you need to know about exporting to Kenya…

There are around 450 British companies currently operating out of Japan from major FTSE 100 companies to SMEs – from high street names like Lush, Ted Baker and Fortnum & Mason to more niche offerings from the like of BrewDog.

And larger multinationals like Barclays HSBC, GlaxoSmithKline and Rolls-Royce also have a strong presence in Japan.

If you’re thinking of joining them, here’s everything you need to know about exporting to Japan…

Israel is a highly-developed and westernised market that has a growing trade relationship with the UK – Israel is now the UK’s fourth largest market across the Middle East and Africa, with exports worth £1.3 billion, while bilateral trade regularly tops £3 billion year-on-year.

The region is not without it’s problems though, and the Foreign Office advises against travel to certain areas – for the latest information, check out the latest travel advice at GOV.UK.

For everything else you need to know about exporting to Israel, read on…