An award-winning night at the BOFTAs for Playdale

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Last night in Durham, International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP presented Playdale’s MD Barry Leahey with a BOFTA (Board Of Trade) award which is in recognition of our excellence in international trade, our innovation, creativity and entrepreneurialism.

The Department of International Trade’s BOFTAs have been launched as a series of regional competitions around the UK to encourage firms to explore and venture into new markets, inspire new entrepreneurs and (as in Playdale’s case) give recognition to the SME leaders in exporting. They celebrate exceptional innovation that champions free trade and adds prosperity to local communities.

Liam Fox said of the decision to present Playdale with the award, “The judging panel was particularly impressed by the success and growth of Playdale Playgrounds, especially in an area of the UK where there are limited manufacturing opportunities. The panel also highlighted that they were particularly impressed by the development of exportable business and the active relationship with The Department for International Trade.”

Export figures in the UK continue to grow and should only increase more thanks to the ongoing government export strategy and weak pound which is a big advantage to UK firms selling their products and businesses overseas.

President of the Board of Trade and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox wants to ensure that consumers across the globe can access the very best of British products and services. The help is out there for British companies of all sizes to break into global markets.

Playdale’s export journey has been relentless over the last seven years. We are a growing global business now spanning almost 50 countries across the world.

Playdale’s MD Barry Leahey said upon winning the award, “Team Playdale’s efforts to deliver products globally has now been recognised at UK Government level. What a testament to all the hard work and dedication that all of our team have put into developing our business internationally over the past few years. We have built solid relationships with our global distributors and continue to develop and nurture these via the regular training, product knowledge and customer care visits we make.”

He went on to say, “I have to thank the Department for International Trade (DIT) for their efforts in helping and directing Playdale; without their help we would not be as successful as we are. They’ve been instrumental in our exporting success and we’ve gained invaluable knowledge through their services. I urge others to follow the same export path” #ifwecanyoucan

As an official Northern Powerhouse ‘Export Champion’ of the North West, we are excited to help inspire other companies to sell overseas. We have actively shared our export success stories, challenges we’ve faced and provide tips on how to overcome them or where to go for help. This inspiration hopefully helps other businesses achieve growth, become more productive and make the most of DIT’s excellent services. Basically, it’s about letting everyone know that Exporting is GREAT!

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