Karen Holden and Peter Thompson: OMIS.

Walton Summit-based Evans Vanodine is a family-owned firm, employing approximately 135 people. It manufactures a huge range of janitorial products for hospitals, schools and caterers, as well as specialist chemicals for the animal hygiene industry. These include market-leading disinfectants to prevent the spread of serious diseases such as Foot and Mouth and Avian Influenza.

Established in 1919, Evans Vanodine is now the largest independent manufacturer in the UK. Chairman Derek Evans is 82 and has three sons and a grandson working within the business, while many employees have been with the company for 30 years or more.

International sales

International sales manager Peter Thompson joined the firm ten years ago with the task of developing a coherent export strategy. Although the firm had been exporting since 1960, previous international business had been reactive and only accounted for 10% of turnover.

Thompson has worked closely with UK Trade & Investment’s International Trade Adviser Karen Holden to grow the business. Success has been such that this year exports will account for 28% of turnover, reaching a vast range of markets from Iran to Australia. And Peter says he doesn’t see the growth rate dropping.

Pictured above are Peter Thompson (right) from Evans Vanodine discussing exports with UKTI North West international trade adviser Karen Holden.

Export markets

Key markets for Evans Vanodine products include the Far East, Latin America and the Middle East, where its products are manufactured under licence. Indeed the company’s products can be found worldwide from Malta to Mexico.

Evans Vanodine has made extensive use of UKTI’s Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS) in order to access new markets. OMIS is a bespoke service which puts businesses directly in touch with UKTI staff in almost 100 offices overseas, which can access the best country and sector-specific information and introduce them directly to buyers and distributors.

Great resource

Thomson tells ModernSelling.com: ‘We constantly use UKTI services. They are a great resource in terms of information obtained on markets. We have commissioned over 20 OMIS reports – an average of two every year – and they have provided tremendous value for money, as have the several subsidised UKTI trade missions I have attended.’

He adds: ‘OMIS reports are a cost-effective way to access the information we need to make a quick and painless entry into a new market and select the right distribution partners. Although the final decision rests with us and there is no substitute for face-to-face contact, OMIS puts us on the road to finding the right people and very often takes us right up to the door.’

Market opportunities

International trade adviser with UKTI North West, Karen Holden says: ‘Peter has a very good knowledge of the industry and can identify market opportunities and be specific in his requirements, so OMIS is an ideal service for Evans Vanodine.

‘Although a larger percentage of turnover in the UK comes from the janitorial cleaning side, a lot of the export business is focussed on their animal health range, where their advanced formulations are in great demand as few companies around the world can manufacture products to their exact specifications. 

Animal health

‘The animal health side of the business is also set to grow in the new EU accession markets as regulations force them to follow more stringent procedures in hygiene and milk production, and Evans Vanodine’s expertise and products are necessary in order for them to comply with EU law.’

Awards

In 2007 Evans Vanodine won the EN Magazine Exporter of the Year award and the International Trade Be Inspired Business Award (BIBA) for its international activities – both sponsored by UKTI – in recognition of its successful export strategy. The company says it has have every intention of continuing that success.

Commitment

Thomson explains: ‘Exporting takes commitment from a company, investment in its people and a desire to succeed, but there are many rewards.’

He declares: ‘As the current economic climate demonstrates, it is vital to have a broad-based company when the UK market collapses, but the benefits of a global business are not just economic. Widespread exporting has given us a valuable insight into the whole industry and has enabled us to identify gaps in the market and invest in research and development in order to formulate new products for the international market and remain at the forefront of the industry.’

For further information on UK Trade & Investment services in the North West, contact the International Trade Team: telephone 0845 603 7053; email info@uktinorthwest.co.uk.

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