Case Studies
Don't just take our word for it. The Language Networks across the UK have helped hundreds of companies across the UK to develop or fine-tune their foreign language and cultural strategies. Below, businesses that have profited from understanding foreign languages and cultures share their experiences.
Manufacturing
Advanced Crusher Spares Ltd (Minworth, Sutton Coldfield)
ACS Ltd is one of several West Midlands winners of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2005. The small company of sixteen, who manufacture and supply spare parts for crushing, demolition and recycling machines, triumphed in the International Trade category due to massively increasing their exports.
(Case study opens on RLN West Midlands website)
A & S International (Dronfield, East Midlands)
(100 kb pdf file)
The company supplies consumables to iron, steel and aluminium foundries in the UK and overseas. The recent recruitment of a marketing development manager with linguistic skills has proven a shrewd move and has resulted in increased export business.
ASM Group (Doncaster)
The ASM Group manufacture & supply Airfield Lighting and Signs for major airports around the world. Group Manager Keith Slack believes that languages have had a role to play in the successful and international development of the company.
(Case study opens on RLN Yorkshire & The Humber website)
Avon Rubber
( Bradford upon Avon, Wiltshire)
Avon Rubber is an international manufacturer of high technology rubber and polymer products which are used for a number of different purposes in various industries that include, automotive, diary and defence.
Bambino Mio (Northampton)
(68 kb pdf document)
Bambino Mio is a specialist producer of cotton nappies and
associated products. Founded in 1996 by Guy Schanschieff, the company has grown quickly and has a current turnover of £3m; the company plans to increase this to
£10m by 2006, when around half of its sales are expected to be from countries outside the United Kingdom.
Bevex (Coalville, Leicestershire)
(70 kb pdf document)
With blue-chip companies like Coca-Cola and McDonalds among its clients, and nearly half of its business coming from export, Bevex now plan to extend export sales to other parts of the world.
Bison Bede
(Consett, County Durham)
In August 2004, Bison Bede was bought out by its directors, who immediately established a five-year business plan. Their principle target was to increase the present £16 million turnover to £30 million by 2008. And they saw the key to this was communication.
(Case study opens on RLN North East website)
Calder Originals (Buckfast, Devon)
Nick Comer-Calder founded Calder Originals in 2003 to make hand crafted carrying cases for treasured musical instruments and laptops. When the company planned to target overseas markets, RLN SW supported Nick in translating his website and marketing materials.
Canford Audio
(Washington, Tyne & Wear)
When Washington-based Canford Audio plc grabbed its French operation by the horns and "went native" the result could hardly have been more dramatic, with sales immediately surging by 45 per cent.
(Case study opens on RLN North East website)
Chesterfield Special Steels (Chesterfield, East Midlands)
(64 kb pdf document)
Chesterfield Special Steels are specialist suppliers of Carbon, Alloy and Stainless Forging and Engineering Steels. Their long-term relationship with an Italian supplier, along with a strategic effort to
structure a supply base in industrial Northern Italy, led them to arrange language training for their management and marketing team.
CIBA Speciality Chemicals (Bradford)
The Swiss-owned chemical company recognised that employees wanted to communicate better with their head office counterparts in Basel, as well as at other Ciba sites, and arranged for German language classes to be held at the Low Moor plant.
(Case study opens on RLN Yorkshire & The Humber website)
Conway Stewart & Co. Ltd. (Plymouth)
Conway Stewart, the long established manufacturer of luxury pens, aspired to be able to speak with international customers in their own language over the phone.
Datum Alloys
(Kingsbridge, Devon)
Datum Alloys is a small company which processes specialist alloys for the electronics industry. Language competence is used as a major selling-point, and has contributed to the company’s success – over 60% of their business is export.
Elastogran (Alfreton, Derbyshire)
(53 kb pdf document)
Part of the BASF Group, Elastogran has seen important benefits after taking up German language training.
Elmwood Sensors
(North Shields, Tyne & Wear)
Elmwood Sensors manufactures thermostats and temperature sensors for use in gas boilers, white goods and the automotive industry. The North Shields operation is responsible for manufacturing and sales throughout Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and the Commonwealth.
(Case study opens on RLN North East website)
Esterlam International Ltd
(Ivybridge, Devon)
Esterlam's innovative approach to surmounting the language barrier has had dramatic results for the Devon SME, which manufactures and supplies print machine parts.
Exmoor Trim (Williton, Somerset)
This third generation family business based in Williton in Somerset is the UK’s leading specialists in hood, seat and interior trim for a range of vehicles and military products. Advice was sought from RLN SW as to how best to improve international communications in support of business growth.
Fibretech (Pinxton, East Midlands)
(103 kb pdf document)
Around 80% of Fibretech's turnover is in export sales, and the manufacturer of custom-made metallic fibres has firm ideas about the importance of languages in the drive for overseas business.
Fogarty (Boston, Lincolnshire)
(73 kb pdf document)
From its headquarters and manufacturing base in Boston, Lincolnshire, Fogarty has for over 125 years supplied quilts, pillows, mattress protectors and associated products to customers around the world. The company’s success has been based on its drive to ‘add value’ for is clients, and languages have played a significant part in this process.
G&S Smirthwaite Ltd
(Newton Abbot, Devon)
G&S Smirthwaite Ltd design and manufacture specialist equipment and furniture for people with special needs, and for conductive education purposes. The company regularly receives students on placement from the Leonardo da Vinci scheme, who have contributed to business development.
Gecko Headgear Ltd
(Bude, Cornwall)
Gecko manufactures safety helmets for emergency services and extreme sports. When going on a trade mission to China, MD Jeff Sacree asked RLN SW for help with business etiquette and translations.
grogroup international
(Ashburton, Devon)
grogroup specialises in the manufacture and distribution of grobag® baby sleeping bags, other sleep related nursery products and maternity products. The company has discovered that being aware of subtle cultural differences can make or break customer relationships.
Lister Shearing Equipment
(Dursley, Gloucestershire)
Lister Shearing Equipment can trace their origins back to 1860 and with their first shearing machine produced in 1909 they claim to be the longest established sheep-shearing manufacturer in the world. Towards the end of 2005 the Sales Manager, Ginny Collis, recognised that the development of their new markets might need a fresh marketing approach.
Lubrizol Ltd (Belper, Derbyshire)
(110 kb pdf document)
The organisation employs 270 people at Belper and is part of The Lubrizol Corporation, a global provider of speciality chemicals, in particular lubricant additives for engine oils and other transportation-related fluids. Lubrizol Limited has for the past two years been offering language training to its employees as part of a drive to develop a European identity.
Luxfer Cylinders (Nottingham)
(52 kb pdf document)
In 2002 Luxfer Gas Cylinders purchased a French company and is now operating successfully on a European level. A commitment by UK-based staff to undertake appropriate French language training was one of the key elements in the successful integration.
Petlife International Ltd
(Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk)
Petlife manufacture bedding for domestic pets and supplies medicines and other ancillary products to the animal healthcare industry. With a turnover of £3million, the company exports its products worldwide, with particular focus on Europe, Canada, Japan and Hong Kong, and found learning Chinese the key to greater international success.
Pittards PLC
(Yeovil, Somerset)
Headquartered in Yeovil, Somerset, Pittards is world renowned for manufacturing and supplying high performance leather to leading brands of gloves, shoes, luxury leather goods and sports equipment.
Power-Sprays Ltd
(Bristol)
Power-Sprays' machinery is used by the building and civil engineering industries in over 100 countries. This volume of export activity has prompted the company to recognise the importance of overcoming language and cultural barriers when trading overseas.
Powrmatic Ltd. (Somerset)
Powrmatic, Europe’s foremost specialist in commercial and industrial heating and ventilation, chimneys and flues, overcame the language barrier and communications with customers in their non-English speaking export markets.
Protection Racket
(Wadebridge, Cornwall)
Protection Racket is a small company which manufactures cases for musical instruments. When the company joined the UK T&I’s Passport to Export programme and managed to secure a last minute place on a trade mission to Japan, RLN SW local advisors were there to help make the mission a success.
The Brock Metal Company (Norton Canes, Cannock)
The compan manufactures zinc and aluminium alloy ingots for use in the foundry and die-casting industries. Employing a workforce of over seventy people, the company now supplies metal alloys across Europe.
(Case study opens on RLN West Midlands website)
TOFFS
(Tyneside)
A blockbusting German film celebrating the country's World Cup win nearly half a century ago means big business for Team Valley-based TOFFS - (The Old Fashioned Football Shirt Company).
(Case study opens on RLN North East website)
Trelleborg (East Midlands)
(52 kb pdf document)
When Tony Carter, Asia Market Manager for Trelleborg Industrial AVS, found out he
was moving to Shanghai for work, learning Mandarin immediately became a priority
for him and his family.
