NAA 2013 Award Winner Profile: Trade Company Of The Year Award
Sponsored by UKTI and presented by Barbara Singleton, Trade Advisor
How the award winner was assessed
This award was linked to the export activities that companies undertook during 2012. As part of the submission for the award, companies had to identify their market strategy, together with their progress and achievements against the strategy.
Winner – Scorpion Automotive
Scorpion is a well-known and trusted brand of automotive electronics. It offers a state of the art range of alarms, immobilisers, tracking devices and bespoke electronics. Scorpion products are supplied worldwide to manufacturers such as DAF Trucks, Iveco, Renault, Subaru, Toyota, Aston Martin and Triumph Motor Cycles.
The business plan is to expand via the export market; in 2012/13 20% of the £5m turnover came from exports. The plan is to double the turnover in three years with 50% being export-based. Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) reports have been completed for India, China and Italy, and Scorpion has attended AutoExpo India and Automechanika Frankfurt. A dedicated Business Development Manager fluent in three languages has been appointed who is tasked to create a worldwide distribution network. A subsidiary has been opened in Pune, India with a Rupee bank account, office and warehouse and a further three staff employed in addition to the local director.
A thorough market analysis has resulted in excellent progress in the two-wheel sector with four manufacturers all buying initial quantities of product. Similarly advanced negotiations are ongoing in Malaysia and there are several other significant opportunities being explored in China and Japan. 2014 AutoExpo in Delhi will see the formal announcement of the India office and an announcement as a key technology partner with an Indian OEM.
Mark Downing, MD at Scorpion said “Expanding a technology company like Scorpion globally is a very challenging undertaking, it requires a lot of energy, a clear plan and great team of well organised professionals to deliver that plan. This award is testament to the hard work and dedication of the whole Scorpion team from Sales and Marketing, through R&D and production and quality control. It gave me great pleasure to accept the award on their behalf.”
