Rail industry responds to announcement of grants for SMEs looking to export

21 December 2018


Today, the Government has announced applications are open for grants of up to £2,500 for SMEs looking to attend overseas trade shows and exhibitions, known as Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) funding.
 
Neil Walker, Exports Director at the Railway Industry Association (RIA) said: “We welcome the announcement today that grants are available for SME’s looking to export abroad. As the only fully accredited Trade Challenge Partner in the rail sector, the Railway Industry Association (RIA) administer these grants on behalf of Government, and have seen the beneficial impact they have on encouraging businesses to export.
 
“Rail is vital for the UK’s international trade, with £800 million rail products and services exported every year. Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) funding plays a crucial part in enabling businesses to attend tradeshows and exhibitions, particularly those who would not have the means to do so otherwise. RIA urge the Government to continue to support TAP funding for rail companies, so we can continue to export our innovative and world-leading products across the globe.”

Notes to Editors

  1. The Government announcement on TAP Funding can be found here
  2. About RIA: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the voice of the UK rail supply community. We help to grow a sustainable, high-performing, railway supply industry, and to export UK rail expertise and products. We promote and represent our members’ interests to policy makers, clients and other stakeholders in the UK and overseas. RIA has 230+ companies in membership in a sector that contributes £36 billion in economic growth and £11 billion in tax revenue each year, as well as employing 600,000 people—more than the workforce of Birmingham. It is also a growing industry with the number of rail journeys expected to double over the next 25 years and freight set to grow significantly too. RIA’s membership is active across the whole of railway supply, covering a diverse range of products and services and including both multi-national companies and SMEs (60% by number). RIA works to promote the importance of the rail system to UK plc, to help export UK expertise around the globe and to share best practice and innovation across the industry.