I have been contacted by a ex colleague from my computer chip days. He has recommended a free forum for exporters. Well worth a look.

‘Open to Export’ www.opentoexport.com a community forum for businesses that are either currently exporting or considering exporting from the UK. The free forum is delivered by hibu (formerly Yell Group), in partnership with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), and all the information, answers, advice and articles are contributed by users, community and key contributors/service providers.

Here’s a little more information about the forum. It is designed to encourage and support exporting, to drive incremental growth of UK business. It provides a rich source of valuable information on sectors, countries and specific enquiries that is provided by the user community for the user community. It is designed to be complementary to the detailed and specific information and services already provided by organisations that support exporting. It also lists new international business opportunities for the UK`s SMEs and can be used to identify new business leads for Service Partners. Registration and usage is totally free

Quoting from their web site, “Our aim for Open to Export is simple. We want to help you grow your business overseas by giving you the information that allows you to consider new markets, develop new products and services, find new customers and overcome any hurdles that might stand in your way. We want your business to succeed and we want to see more UK businesses compete around the world.”.