Kada was commissioned by Enterprise Growth Solutions (EGS) to evaluate their Exporting for Growth (EFG) programme. The interim report summarises the context, performance, and impact of this part European Regional Development Funded (ERDF) £11.8m project designed to help SMEs internationalise in the Yorkshire and Humber regions.  The strategic objectives of the ‘Exporting for Growth’ project included: increasing the support offered to SMEs, both first time exporters and those already exporting. This is across Leeds and Sheffield City Regions and Humber LEPs.  It was important for EGS to be able to demonstrate progress to its partners, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the Department of International Trade.

We interviewed 150 participating businesses and 25 ‘counterfactual’ businesses to assess what would have happened anyway, as well as conducting desk research and in-depth case studies. This project would have been hard to deliver outside the LEP and DIT network. These close links bring access to data, national communications infrastructure, and ecosystems. The project is meeting its aims. Companies are now exploring, exporting, and putting in the right processes to achieve this.

Enterprise Growth Solutions Limited commissioned Kada Research to undertake the summative assessment study for their ERDF funded Exporting for Growth programme in 2019. Kada did an excellent job setting out the scope for the study, engaging and interviewing a range of stakeholders and interpreting the wide range of data. The report provided us with the insight we needed for the programme, as well as useful recommendations we will take with us for future programmes. Kada has been professional and approachable throughout, and we have commissioned them to undertake a final study at the end of 2020 for the extension of the same programme.

-Ingunn Vallumroed (ERDF Project Manager | Yorkshire and the Humber | Department for International Trade).

Get in touch: If you are thinking about an evaluation of a project or programme you are involved with, speak to karl.dalgleish@kadaresearch.co.uk and he will respond within 24 hours.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority commissioned Kada Research to undertake a review of exports for the creative sector.  As a significant sector within the region, the LEP was considering how it could best add value and support creative businesses and their international activity and bolster the long-term resilience of indigenous businesses. The study was commissioned to better understand the current international focus of the sector and its future ambition to grow overseas markets. It drew on a mix of global desk research and consultations with leading companies and stakeholders.

We found local barriers to international trade, such as a lack of information on how to go about exporting products, and a lack of international contacts and links. We spoke to local businesses in the creative industries, who told us they needed support in securing funding and grants and would welcome contact with more experienced exporters. Based on our research, we structured a detailed action plan around key areas such as simplifying, connecting, inspiring and investing. Our plan provided the LCR Enterprise Partnership with a structured outline of the steps it could take to make progress in growing local creative enterprise, creating international trade links, and supporting small regional businesses in developing and exporting creative products.

The work was completed on time and, according to the client, to a high standard.

Want to assess trade performance in your area or a sector’s propensity to trade? Need a plan of action for international trade support? Get in touch with karl.dalgleish@kadaresearch.co.uk and we can tell you how it can be done.

This Kada study was financed by the European Commission and the European Parliament, with Toscana Promozione, Prato’s Chamber of Commerce, Otir2020 and Ade International. We had an Italian economic development specialist, Marika Puglisi on the team and international development advisor Mark Beresford.

The project was all about exploiting innovation and creativity in textile districts across Europe. The study paints a picture of the changing dynamics of the EU textile sector, tracing how it has restructured and reinvented itself. Over the last two decades the sector has been transformed and forms part of almost every industrial sector and many high tech products. We looked at the location, formation and make-up EU textile clusters, noting some key success factors in cluster development.

We honed in on the Italian Textile industry and the position of Prato within the sector. Prato comprises some 7,000 textile companies exporting over €2 billion per annum with iconic fashion brands such as Gucci and Prado.

The brief for this study was clear – to develop profitable interactions between creative EU textile districts. As part of the work we set out a compelling narrative and proposition for the sector which we discussed with key players across Europe. A menu of possible collaborations was then designed striking a balance between some early wins and longer term, more transformational activity. For each the rationale and added value was identified alongside some potential partners, activities and next steps.

The interactions included measures to promote diversification into technical textiles and knowledge transfer in the finishing processes. There are also measures to boost creativity and design and build on Prato’s expertise in the circular economy. Bi-lateral missions were proposed for the CREATE team to share innovation and technology developments and deepen two-way trade.

The CREATE team are planning to visit the UK next month with a delegation of Italian companies in direct response to our study recommendations.

“Iconic household fashion names like Gucci and Prada help drive local textile demand in the Italian district of Prato in Tuscany, which comprises some 7,000 textile companies exporting over €2 billion per annum. Areas of specialization include wool, new fibres, software, fashion garments, and intermediate products for the fashion, furnishing, medical, construction industries with a very strong capacity to offer exceptionally high quality, rapidly produced products.”