THE organisation behind more than half of Scotland's annual
international trade missions yesterday launched its largest overseas
programme at a news conference in Glasgow -- amid fears that it will
prove to be its swansong.
Strathclyde Business Development has confirmed that its future is in
doubt because of local government reorganisation.
It also warned that plans to take part in major foreign exhibitions
and drum up business for local companies after March, 1996, will fall --
unless it is guaranteed survival by October at the latest.
More than half SBD's annual #20m budget comes from Strathclyde
Regional Council, which will cease to exist next year.
Yesterday SBD officials announced that more than 30 missions to
Europe, North America and the Far East are planned in the next 12
months.
Officials argued that, after 15 years of helping companies put down
business roots abroad, the SBD must be preserved particularly when it is
creating more and more contacts in key, foreign markets.
However, it was acknowledged some of the larger new unitary
authorities may want to control their own economic development
programmes.
It was also conceded some of the smaller authorities, with little or
no industry in their areas, may be unwilling to finance an organisation
which would offer them a mimimal direct return.
The SBD is relying on its record of returns of #18.50 for every #1
spent in the international arena as an argument for its retention. Its
missions last year brought #14.8m worth of direct orders for Strathclyde
firms, with millions more raised indirectly.
SBD director Mr Garrath Le Sueur, said that he was confident the
87-strong economic arm of Strathclyde Region will continue, albeit under
a different name, after local government reorganisation.
He was optimistic that crucial support will come from Scottish Trade
International in the summer when it publishes a long-term strategy for
economic development.
Mr Le Sueur predicted the STI, which is backed by the Scottish Office
and Scottish Enterprise, will recognise Strathclyde's contribution to
winning international trade and want it to continue.
Councillor Joseph McLean, Strathclyde's economic and industrial
committee chairman, was also confident that new councils will heed
advice that the SBD's positive strategy in export drives must be
retained.
More than 200 Strathclyde companies will take part in the 30 overseas
missions to 18 countries -- including Vietnam and China, and a first to
Sri Lanka.
The SBD, which has helped more than 1000 companies reach new markets,
is also playing host to American, Chinese, French and German inward
missions to Strathclyde later this year.
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