The Sociedad para el Desarrollo Regional de Cantabria S.A., SODERCAN, part of the Ministry of Industry, today presented new tools and services to search for potential international clients for SMEs and entrepreneurs. Dozens of companies from a range of sectors attended the event. These tools, entirely free of charge, are designed to facilitate the identification of potential importers of Cantabrian products and services as well as to provide research and reports on international competitors.

To request reports through this service, companies only need to complete the inscription form on the SODERCAN website: https://www.sodercan.es/busqueda-de-clientes-internacionales/.

During the workshop, participating companies were provided with the search tools and methodologies to search for and analyse potential international clients. The aim of the project is to help Cantabria companies to commercialise their products and services in international markets, expanding their client portfolios, diversify their export markets and thus dynamise and energise business sector of Cantabria.

In opening the event, SODERCAN CEO, Rafael Pérez Tezanos, noted that “Cantabria continues to expand its export capacity with very promising figures for future growth”, but that “commercial dynamics require us to be imaginative and innovate our way to growth, consolidating and improving our current export figures…”.

 “Information is the key to the success of internationalisation plans” and these new tools and services provide companies with reports and information on which they can analyse and develop their strategies to improve competitiveness and expand internationally.

Pérez Tezanos also noted that these tools will continue to be expanded and reinforced according to the demand of Cantabria companies. This new project by SODERCAN is part of the Roadmap for Sustainable Reindustrialisation of Cantabria within the broader effort to further develop an innovative and international industrial base within the region.

COMPETITION ANALYSIS SERVICE

The Competition Analysis Service is designed to provide Cantabrian exporters with the tools to expand internationally, to analyse new markets and to identify competitors. This service allows companies to analyse the export operations of their national and international competitors (except potential Cantabrian competitors), the markets where they operate and the products they export to these countries.

The service can be access simply by completing the application form. Each request can include a maximum of five competitors (by company name, not the commercial brand name). Reports include data from the last three years on all countries where data is available and for all HS codes. The level of information available may vary depending on the specific market.

The Importer Search Service is aimed at Cantabrian exporters looking to find potential importers of their products in target markets. Data is currently available on 15 markets: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Panama, Uruguay, Venezuela, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

This tool allows companies to identify the principal international importers of their product by total annual value or volume, the name and country of the suppliers, with the most recent data available. Each application form can include a maximum of one six-digit HS or TARIC code and three countries.

In addition to data on importers, the service provides structured reports by country, including information on the value and volume of operations, import duties and tariff information, the destination of goods, payment options, exporter information, etc.

PROMOTING THE ‘CANTABRIA BRAND’

The CEO of SODERCAN emphasised that through the New Markets and Internationalisation Area, the Ministry of Industry will provide Cantabrian companies over three million euros this year to promote their national and international expansion through subsidies programs and consulting services, offering workshops, attending trade fairs, etc. aimed to promote the “Cantabrian Brand”.

Today’s event is part of a broader initiative undertaken by SODERCAN as an active partner in the Enterprise Europe Network. Accompanying Pérez Tezanos at the event was the Director of New Markets and Internationalisation, Raquel Manzanares, as well as Rodrigo Saldaña, Director of S&B Partners Consultores.

Finally, SODERCAN technician Ignacio Abaitua presented the Access2Markets tool from the European Commission, a platform that provides relevant information for trade with third countries including details on tariffs and import duties, taxes, administrative procedures, etc.