Exports rise down to 'market-driven innovation', says FPB

Date: 6th May 2010

Small businesses have seen their exports increase as a result of being forced into new geographical areas by the effects of the recession.

This is the view of the Forum of Private Businesses (FPB), which said a fall in the value of sterling and a form of "market-driven innovation" has led to the recent export growth.

The comments follow the publication of a report by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which revealed that demand for goods made by smaller UK firms is improving both at home and abroad.

Chris Gorman, media and press relations assistant for the FPB, said: "In tough times, smaller businesses have to be especially innovative in order to survive as they don't have huge financial resources to fall back on like big companies do.

"Perhaps this explains why the [small business] export market is particularly healthy."

The CBI report showed that a balance of +10 per cent of UK manufacturers reported a rise in orders in the three months to April 2010, the highest result since January 2008.

Posted by Jacob Williams