gro-group international: 
languages helping to build
overseas success
gro-group international, based in Ashburton, started as a family company in September 2000. It specialises in the manufacture and distribution of grobag® baby sleeping bags, other sleep related nursery products and maternity products.
Its progress and success have been remarkable. The company has established itself with the UK's top baby sleeping bag brand, selling over 30,000 grobag® baby sleeping bags a month. It has also set up joint venture companies in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and Spain to market and sell its products.
gro-group uk was recently awarded the coveted Gold Mother & Baby Award for Best Nursery Item in a competition judged by a panel of Mother & Baby readers.
Languages and culture key in building overseas relationships with distributors
Languages play a key role in gro-group international's overseas sales strategy, setting up joint ventures with foreign companies to market and sell its products. Geraldine Bedford, Commercial Co-ordinator, comments: "Languages help build relationships with overseas staff and potential distributors".
The company believes that languages are not the only important issue in devising successfully strategies to do business overseas. Geraldine stresses: "Understanding other cultures is also important for business opportunities". The importance of being aware of subtle cultural differences can ultimately dictate whether or not successful working relationships can be formed with overseas customers.
A company with an increasing number of linguists
The company now has five employees at its head office in Ashburton who have language skills, including the Managing Director, who is a French national. The company encourages its staff to learn other languages, which can form part of staff's ongoing training. Geraldine is currently learning Spanish as part of her own development.
gro-group international hopes to build upon its success abroad by targeting more European markets. The company is now beginning to look for potential distributors in European countries to achieve this.
The company looks to recruit people with language skills, particularly in the areas of international marketing and export sales, and has a good relationship with a local recruitment agency, who understand the growing company's specific needs.
Visit the gro-group website at www.gro-group.co.uk
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